The Natural Law and Reform Party Coalition is sponsoring the U.S. Senate candidacy of Dale Friedgan, a UMass-Amherst graduate and small business owner who hails from Worcester. This coalition, a combination of the Natural Law Party and a faction of the Reform Party, is also sponsoring the Presidential candidacy of John Hagelin. Mr. Friedgan is campaigning against Democrat Edward Kennedy, Republican Jack E. Robinson, Libertarian Carla Howell, Phillip Lawler of the Constitution Party, and Phillip Hyde of the "Timesizing, not downsizing" party. He will be on the ballot as an independent, as only three parties-Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian-are recognized as major parties in Massachusetts.
Mr. Friedgan, along with his party, is running on a platform of prevention measures, campaign finance reform, tax cuts, and an end to pork barrel spending. For example, one aspect of Mr. Friedgan's platform is the elimination of the ballistic missile defense and the B-2 Bomber, and using the money saved for "proven solutions" to society's ills. Other major aspects of the Natural Law Party platform include its support of an alternative energy policy and a moratorium on genetically modified foods.
This is not the first political candidacy for Mr. Friedgan. Previously, he has run for both state representative and U.S. Congress representative. In 1996, he pulled 1% of the vote in the 3rd District of Massachusetts.
Although Mr. Friedgan tips his hat in respect to Ted Kennedy, says that it is his "civic responsibility to present the program of the Reform and Natural Law Party Coalition to the public. We need foundational changes in our health care system, educational system, energy policies, foreign policy, and the way we protect food supply and environment."