‘Tired of the Bulls—’: A Democratic Activist Files to Start an ‘American First Party’ Ahead of November Elections
by John Gage
(Picture credit Secretary of State’s Office)
A second attempt at starting another political party has been filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State two weeks ahead of a July 15 signature deadline. John Cartier, a registered Democrat, filed to start a party titled “American First Party” before the November elections.
Cartier is a former director of the liberal nonprofit, Civic Nebraska, as well as a former campaign committee member for a pro-marijuana group. Filings obtained from the Secretary of State’s office list the purpose of the party as providing “voters with a political organization committed to putting Americans and Nebraskans ahead of all others by cracking down on out-of-contol government spending and wasteful foreign aid, getting tough on illegal immigrants, standing up against abortion, and rigidly defending the Second Amendment.”
Cartier told The Plains Sentinel that he was forming the party because “people are angry and tired of the bulls—.” “The America First Party is here to give voters options,” he added.
Cartier has not responded to a request for comment about whether the effort has financial backing. He currently serves as attorney general of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and is the campaign treasurer for the Mike Marvin for U.S. Senate campaign, which the Senator Pete Ricketts campaign has accused of being a “plant” candidate.
The filing from Cartier comes after Democrat and failed write-in candidate Robin Richards filed last week to start a “Nebraska Working People Party.” The Nebraska Democratic Party has accused Ricketts of being behind the effort while the Nebraska Republican Party has said they are urging people not to sign the petitions.
Petitioners for a new party are required to get “signatures totaling not less than one percent of the total votes cast for Governor at the most recent general election,” which is just under 7,000 signatures.
The American First Party’s stance on abortion appears to conflict with comments Cartier has made in the past on the issue. During his run for school board in Lincoln, Cartier stated, “I think it is important to have some freedom to control when one has offspring, especially if you are a teenager who still needs to graduate high school.”
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
— John Gage is the executive editor of The Plains Sentinel.