The American Solidarity Party candidate for 2024 is Peter Sonski, a former radio host, journalist and U.S. Marine. Sonski won the ASP primary and nomination of the party for President of the United States on June 3, 2023.[1][2] The primary was conducted by an online members' vote. The vice presidential nominee, Lauren Onak, was selected by Sonski before the national convention in early July in Plano, Texas, and she was formally nominated there.[3] As of October 2024,[update] the party is on the ballot in Arkansas, Alaska, Florida, Ohio, Hawaii, Louisiana and Mississippi and is a registered write in a further 36 states.[4]
Peter Sonski 2024 presidential campaign | |
---|---|
Campaign | 2024 United States presidential election |
Candidate | Peter Sonski Lauren Onak |
Affiliation | American Solidarity Party |
Status | Official nominee: June 2, 2023 |
Website | |
https://www.petersonski.com |
Background
editThe American Solidarity Party, founded in 2011, first contested a presidential campaign in 2016 getting ballot access to one state and earning 6,697 votes. In 2020 they were on the ballot on 8 states and received 42,305 votes. For their 2024 attempt it was announced on June 2, 2023, that Peter Sonski had won their party's online primary, which lasted from May 24 to June 1 of that year, in which all ASP members could vote. Sonski was nominated in the first round of ranked-choice voting with 52%. Sonski then selected Lauren Onak as his vice president, who was then officially nominated via unanimous consent of the delegates at the national convention.
Candidate | Votes | Percentage | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Peter Sonski | 328 | 52.5% | ||
Jacqueline Abernathy | 207 | 33.1 | ||
Joe Schriner | 50 | 8.0 | ||
Larry Johnson | 24 | 3.8 | ||
Erskine Levi | 16 | 2.6 | ||
Total: | 625 | 100.00% | ||
Source:[5] |
Candidate | Votes | Percentage | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Lauren Onak | Nominated via Unanimous Consent | |||
Source:[6] |
Sonski and Onak
editPeter Sonski (born July 11, 1962) is an American former radio host, who served as an elected member of Connecticut's Regional School District 17 Board of Education and as director of the Knights of Columbus Museum.[7][8][9][10][11]
Campaign
editIn September 2023 Crossview Podcast interviewed Sonski with a discussion of "faith, the duopoly and third parties, government’s role in handling Covid, immigration, foreign policy, moral issues, education, and more."[12]
In December 2023 Fr. Dwight Longenecker published an interview on The Stream in which "Sonski explained that third parties provide thoughtful alternatives and allow other voices to be heard, and this is important in a democratic system."[13]
In January 2024 Catholic News Agency interviewed Sonski in which he said that "he wants to provide a means for Catholics to vote in accord with the conscience, rather than just for the 'lesser of two evils.'"[14] Crisis Magazine also published an interview, by Fr. Dwight Longenecker, which describes how Sonski "was born into a blue-collar Catholic family and went on to work in agriculture, insurance, journalism, and public relations."[15]
In April Christianity Today reported that Evangelicals disaffected with the two main parties were beginning to get their support. [16]
In June The ERLC of the Southern Baptist Church were the first major protestant organisation to give them coverage with a four-part series that looked at the various parties in the election. [17]
In July soon after the Republican National Convention the campaign was reviewed by the National Review who characterized them as the only current anti-abortion party over and against the Democratic and the Republican party, the latter especially so because of a perceived softening of their stance on abortion in their platform which they released at their convention.[18] Aleteia published an interview of Sonski in which he described the American Solidarity Party as “predominantly centrist – a little right on social issues, a little left on fiscal issues."[19]
Also that month EWTN's News In Depth interviewed Sonski in which he said, "My faith informs all my decisions." [20]
In August American Reformer magazine acknowledging that evangelicals critical of Donald Trump were "flocking to the American Solidarity party" wrote a critical assessment of the campaign urging evangelicals to think twice before voting for Sonski, stating that "stakes are too high too high and the country on the brink" and that "at the presidential level votes should not be wasted on quixotic schemes" [21]
Later in August, New Jersey Republicans attempted to keep Sonski off the New Jersey ballot, claiming some of his ballot access signatures were invalid.[22]
Again in August the Evangelical organisation the Gospel Coalition published a comparisons article of the two main parties platforms for the election and the American Solidarity party and Constitution party platforms. [23]
That same month another catholic magazine The Pillar profiled the campaign, with an interview with Sonski [24]
NCR did a piece on how difficult it was for the Sonski campaign to get Ballot access during the election. [25]
Ballot access
editCorrect as of Sept 17, 2024:
Total Possible | 2024 | 2020 | 2016 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
States & DC (inc Write in) | 51 | 7 (45) | 8 (39) | 1 (26) |
Electoral Votes (inc Write in) | 538 | 74 (480) | 66 (397) | 9 (323) |
Percent of EVs (inc Write in) | 100% | 13.8% (89.2%) | 12.3% (73.8%) | 1.7% (60%) |
Alabama | 9 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Alaska | 3 | On ballot | write-in | write-in |
Arizona | 11 | write-in | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
Arkansas | 6 | On ballot | On ballot | Not on ballot |
California | 55 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Colorado | 9 | write-in | On ballot | On ballot |
Connecticut | 7 | write-in | write-in | Not on ballot |
Delaware | 3 | write-in | write-in | Not on ballot |
Florida | 29 | On ballot | write-in | Not on ballot |
Georgia | 16 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Hawaii | 4 | On ballot | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
Idaho | 4 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Illinois | 20 | write-in | On ballot | Not on ballot |
Indiana | 11 | write-in | write-in | Not on ballot |
Iowa | 6 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Kansas | 6 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Kentucky | 8 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Louisiana | 8 | On ballot | On ballot | Not on ballot |
Maine | 4 | write-in | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
Maryland | 10 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Massachusetts | 11 | write-in | write-in | Not on ballot |
Michigan | 16 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Minnesota | 10 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Mississippi | 6 | On ballot | On ballot | Not on ballot |
Missouri | 10 | write-in | write-in | Not on ballot |
Montana | 3 | write-in | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
Nebraska | 5 | Write-in | write-in | write-in |
Nevada | 6 | Not on ballot | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
New Hampshire | 4 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
New Jersey | 14 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
New Mexico | 5 | Not on ballot | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
New York | 29 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
North Carolina | 15 | write-in | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
North Dakota | 3 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Ohio | 18 | On ballot | write-in | write-in |
Oklahoma | 7 | Not on ballot | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
Oregon | 7 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Pennsylvania | 20 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Rhode Island | 4 | write-in | On ballot | write-in |
South Carolina | 9 | Not on ballot | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
South Dakota | 3 | Not on ballot | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
Tennessee | 11 | write-in | write-in | Not on ballot |
Texas | 38 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Utah | 6 | write-in | write-in | Not on ballot |
Vermont | 3 | write-in | On ballot | write-in |
Virginia | 13 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
Washington | 12 | write-in | write-in | write-in |
West Virginia | 5 | write-in | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
Wisconsin | 10 | write-in | On ballot | write-in |
Wyoming | 3 | write-in | write-in | Not on ballot |
District of Columbia | 3 | TBD | Not on ballot | Not on ballot |
Political positions
editSummary
editAs a proponent of Christian democracy, Sonski supports a consistent life ethic, being against abortion, capital punishment, and euthanasia. He additionally supports social justice initiatives. He is against the legalization of same sex marriage and believes that gay couples should not have the same adoption rights as straight couples.[26][27] He has endorsed Robert P. George's initiative to rebrand June as Fidelity Month.[28][29] He believes the US should continue to support Ukraine.
Endorsements
editMike Maturen - 2016 ASP Presidential Candidate
Karen Swallow Prior - Christian Author [30]
Michael Cross - President, Italian Community of St Louis & St Louis-Bologna Sister Cities
References
edit- ^ "Peter Sonski is the American Solidarity Party 2024 Presidential nominee". Ballot Access News. June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ "American Solidarity Party". Twitter. June 2, 2023.
- ^ Winger, Richard (27 March 2023). "American Solidarity Party Sets In-Person National Convention". Ballot Access News. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ Winger, Richard (July 9, 2021). "American Solidarity Party Gains Presidential Ballot Status for 2024 in Arkansas". Ballot Access News. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "Peter Sonski is the American Solidarity Party 2024 Presidential nominee". Ballot Access News. June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ Willow Evans, Jordan (June 29, 2023). "American Solidarity Party names Lauren Onak as Vice Presidential Nominee". Independent Political Report.
- ^ Redpath, Bill (June 3, 2023). "Peter Sonski is the American Solidarity Party 2024 Presidential nominee". Ballot Access News. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ "BoE Members". Regional School District 17. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ McMahon, Lisa (October 17, 2022). "Knights of Columbus Visit Niagara University". NU News. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Iafrate, Anthony (August 7, 2023). "Who Are the 2024 3rd-Party Candidates?". CatholicVote. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "Peter Sonski on LinkedIn". Retrieved July 14, 2024.
- ^ "Our Interview with a 2024 Presidential Candidate". YouTube. Crossview Podcast. September 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ Longenecker, Fr. Dwight. "Meet Peter Sonski — The Unknown Christian Candidate". The Stream. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ McKeown, Jonah. "Meet Peter Sonski, the Catholic you've never heard of who's running for president". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ Longenecker, Fr. Dwight (2 January 2024). "Peter Sonski: the Other Catholic Candidate". Crisis Magazine. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ "Some Evangelicals Want a Third-Party Option, Even Without a Chance at Winning". Christianity today. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ "Of Two Evils, Choose Neither". 6 June 2024.
- ^ "The New Party of Life?". National Review. 16 July 2024.
- ^ Burger, John. "This 3rd party could be an answer to voters' increasing dismay". Aleteia. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ Irons, Mark (26 July 2024). "Catholic running for President: "My faith informs all my decisions"". YouTube. EWTN News In Depth. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ Sabo, Mike (August 2024). "Reject Third Parties:"Evangelicals Should Think Twice Before Voting for the American Solidarity Party in the Presidential Election"". American Reformer.
- ^ "Three independent presidential candidates face petition challenges in N.J." 3 August 2024.
- ^ "where political parties stand". 19 August 2024.
- ^ "We're taking the long view". 23 August 2024.
- ^ "ASP fights for ballot access state by state". 3 September 2024.
- ^ "Peter Sonski's Policies". iSideWith.com.
- ^ Kennedy, Jeff (July 24, 2023). "The Jeff Kennedy Show". The Legend 93.5.
- ^ Anthony, Abigail (June 27, 2023). "Princeton Professor's Initiative to Rebrand June 'Fidelity Month' Gains Steam on Religious Right". National Review. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Sonski, Peter. "Fidelity Renewed". Peter Sonski for President. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ https://x.com/KSPrior/status/1816668257245356191?t=kMMgUkW337SubUYZi3sbBQ&s=19
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