Green Party picks California lawyer as nominee

By Gromer Jeffers Jr
The Dallas Morning News

David Cobb does not want to play spoiler in November.

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The selection of Cobb thwarted Nader's opportunity to gain immediate access to the ballot in 22 states and Washington, D.C.

The consumer advocate — whose 2000 Green Party candidacy is considered by many Democrats to have cost them the White House — now must run solely as an independent or cobble together ballot access from other minor parties. He plans to run on the Reform Party line in some states.

And Cobb, a Northern California lawyer, becomes the new face of the fledgling Green Party as it tries to create a lasting progressive movement.

"We all come out of here winners," the Houston native said after delegates from Texas gave him the votes needed to seize the nomination on the second round of voting. "We're going to work together and build this party."

Cobb's running mate will be Pat LaMarche, a radio personality in Maine.

Kevin Zeese, a spokesman for Nader and a delegate to the convention, said the independent wanted the Green endorsement. Nader received 117 votes on the convention's first tally, but Cobb already was too far ahead.

On the ballot The Green Party has access to November's presidential ballot in Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Florida, Hawaii, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin. The Dallas Morning News

"It would have been nice to have 23 ballot lines," Zeese said. "Our whole focus has been ballot access, and we haven't had much time to do anything else. Yet, Ralph Nader has the support of about 8 (million) to 10 million voters."

Nader had hoped that naming Green Party stalwart Peter Camejo as his running mate would capture the party's endorsement.

Camejo, who drew national attention last year as a Green candidate in California's gubernatorial recall, said yesterday that it was important to keep the party unified.

"I'm going to walk out of here arm and arm with David Cobb," he said. Cobb said he didn't want to play spoiler, pledging to follow a "safe state" strategy of campaigning only in states where Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, is certain to win.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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