Hawkins officially won the designation today during the Green Party’s virtual convention. The selection marks the 25th time Hawkins has run for office, and his first national campaign.
Howie is the only new presidential candidate for this month. Next month, at the Democratic Party's convention, Joe Biden is expected to be declared the party's presidential candidate. Though this moment is Howie's, it's amazing how little press there is on this. Not only are news or 'news' outlets like CNN and NBC ignoring this story but where's the report from ASSOCIATED PRESS? Where's the coverage?
In one of the few press reports, Robert Harding (THE AUBURN CITIZEN) notes:
On Saturday, Hawkins officially became the Green Party's nominee for president. He received 210 of the 355 votes on the first ballot to win the nomination at the party's convention, which was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The presidential bid is the culmination of a lifetime of activism and nearly two dozen political campaigns. Hawkins, a retired UPS employee and Teamster who lives in Syracuse, was asked to run for president eight years ago. He declined because of his work obligations.
As the Green Party's presidential nominee, one of Hawkins' main goals is to appear on the general election ballot in every state and the District of Columbia. That's important, he explained, because it could give the Green Party ballot access for future elections.
So far, Hawkins and his running mate, Angela Walker, are on the ballot in nearly 30 states. He admitted it has been challenging because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some states eased their rules for securing a spot on the ballot, others did not.
Federal law requires that campaigns raised $5,000 in 20 states in increments of up to $250 per individual. Today, Virginia became the 20th state and put the campaign over the top. Donations will qualify for matching funds up to the last day of the Republican Convention, August 27.
Matching funds must be spent for primary activities, including ballot access petitioning. For the general election, there are public campaign grants for parties that received over 5% of the popular vote in the previous election, which the Green Party did not do in 2016. The campaign will have to raise funds separately for the fall general election. No other campaign in 2020 has qualified for matching funds. The Democrats and Republicans reject matching funds because they can raise more money from the millionaires and billionaires who they represent, and no other third-party has achieved matching funds.
The campaign has raised nearly $220,000, from more than 4,000 people in more than 7,000 donations.
Hawkins/Walker plans to use the matching funds to get on the ballot in 50 states and Washington, DC by hiring ballot access petitioners. This is especially difficult during the COVID crisis. Attached are pictures of Hawkins/Walker petitioners gathering signatures. Hawkins/Walker will use much of the matching funds to hire petitioners.
Two Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives cosigned a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to withdraw U.S. military from Afghanistan and Iraq and "end the endless wars."
In a July 7 letter, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. and chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., urged the president to bring remaining troops home after two decades of military presence in the Middle East.
"Throughout your entire Presidency, you have worked tirelessly to Make America Great Again," Biggs and Massie said in the letter. "We are confident you will repeat this feat again after this pandemic. However, the United States will not remain a great power for long if we stay engaged in perpetual warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan."
At least three vehicles of the convoy were reportedly destroyed or damaged in the attack which occurred at 10 pm (local time) on Saturday.
Some media reports say the convoy has been targeted by a remote-controlled VBIED.
The convoy was reportedly traveling between the cities of Diwaniyah in Al-Qadisiyyah province and Svehiclein Muthanna province.
The videos and images released of the incident suggest that the vehicles caught fire following the attack, Press TV reported.
