Howie Hawkins Announces as "Green Populist" for Congress

Press Releases

Howie Hawkins for Congress
25th District, New York
www.howiehawkins.org

Media Advisory / Notice of News Conference

For More Information: Howie Hawkins, 315-425-1019, hhawkins@igc.org
Date: Tuesday, July 1
Location: Federal Building Plaza, Corner of Clinton and Washington streets, Syracuse
Time: 11:00 am

Howie Hawkins to Announce as "Green Populist" for Congress

Campaign to Focus on Full US Withdrawal from Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan; Medicare for All; Economic Justice and Sustainability; and Constitutional Rights

(Syracuse) Howie Hawkins will hold a news conference at 11 am on Tuesday, July 1 in front of the Federal Building in Syracuse (100 S. Clinton St., corner of Washington St.) to announce that he is an independent Green Populist candidate for Congress from the 25th District in New York.

Hawkins was the Green Party's candidate for mayor of Syracuse in 2005 in a campaign that succeeded in putting the issue of a municipally owned power utility on the city’s agenda. In 2004, Hawkins received over 20,000 votes for the 25th district congressional seat.

"Assuming a high 70 percent turnout of around 270,000 voters and a close three-way race, 100,000 votes could win it," Hawkins said. "We intend to define the debate and stand up for the interests of the overwhelming majority in the 25th district."

"Our message can beat the big money that the corporate parties have. We will raise enough money to get our message out. We are in it to win it," Hawkins declared.

In his news conference on Tuesday Hawkins will discuss two very discrete policies and two broader themes that will be the focus of his campaign.

The two policies are full US withdrawal from the wars in Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, and Medicare for All, national health insurance through a single public payer.

The broader themes will be Economic Justice and Sustainability and Restoring Constitutional Government. Under these themes Hawkins will address a number of issues, from high oil prices to impeachment or prosecution of Bush administration officials for crimes against the constitution and humanity.

Hawkins will need to collect 3500 qualified signatures on an independent nominating petition between July 8 and August 19 to qualify for the ballot. "Green Populist" will be the party designation.

"We want to highlight economic justice with the Populist label as well as climate protection and sustainability with the Green label," Hawkins said.

"We also want to run in solidarity and support of the only real antiwar presidential candidates who we expect to be on the New York ballot. One is Ralph Nader, an independent who will petition as a Populist in New York. The other is former congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who is the presumptive Green nominee," Hawkins added.

Both Nader and McKinney have endorsed Hawkins’ candidacy.

Hawkins has been active in movements for peace, justice, the environment, and independent politics since the late 1960s. A former Marine, he helped organize opposition to the Vietnam War and was a co-founder of the anti-nuclear Clamshell Alliance in 1976. He helped found the national Green Party and movement in the early 1980s. He is a Teamster who works at UPS unloading trucks and rail cars.