Trump Eyes Run as ‘Americans Elect’ Presidential Candidate
The Donald is at it again. After citing his possible independent presidential bid as the reason only two GOP candidates agreed to attend his Newsmax-sponsored debate, which he backed out of moderating on Tuesday, Donald Trump is continuing to stoke the rumors that he will launch a presidential bid, this time as a possible Americans Elect candidate.
"Thousands of e-mails from folks urging me to seek the Americans Elect Presidential nomination," Trump tweeted from his @realDonaldTrump Twitter account Wednesday morning.
Americans Elect is the first online, independent presidential nominating convention that aims to gain ballot access in all 50 states. According to Elliot Ackerman, the group's chief operating officer, Americans Elect is not a third party , but a second way to nominate a presidential candidate.
They have already secured a spot on the 2012 general election ballot in 11 states, are waiting for confirmation on their submitted petition signatures in three states and are in the process of collecting signatures in 15 others. So far 2.1 million people across the country have signed the Americans Election petition in support of ballot access.
Americans Elect spokeswoman Ileana Wachtel said Trump has not contacted the group about becoming their nominee. But he has time. The Americans Elect candidate drafting process does not open until January.
Lesser-known Republican presidential candidate Buddy Roemer is the only person that has publicly announced his intention to seek the Americans Elect nomination.
In a web video Trump released shortly after announcing he would not moderate the Newsmax debate, the billionaire businessman said he could not announce his intention to run as an Independent until after his television show "The Apprentice" ended for the season May 20.
Trump cited equal time laws that require TV stations not to give one political candidate more airtime than others as justification for his delayed decision.
"Around the middle of May I'll be able to do whatever I want and I could run as an independent," Trump said in the video. "If the Republicans pick the wrong person I would, in fact, seriously consider running."
Trump mention the possibility of running for president 11 times in the three-minute video.