New political party starts in Grant County

Constitution party forms to protect rights

COLUMBIA BASIN — A political party forming in Grant County hopes to provide an alternative to people interested in affiliation beyond the mainstream.

The Constitution Party of Washington recently started a chapter in Grant County. The organization is a minor political party registered with Secretary of State Sam Reed's office.

A minor political party is one which has not fielded candidates for the President of the United States, a U.S. Senator and received a minimum of 5 percent of the public vote for a state elected official in a general election on an even numbered year, according to the secretary of state's Web site.

"We are very excited about the party and feel the nation is ready for something other than the blue team (Democrats) and the red team (Republicans)," Constitution Party of Grant County member Sandra Hodges noted. "We believe if you want to change your government, change who you vote for."

The Constitution Party has seven principles including: Life, liberty, family, property, constitution, state's rights and American sovereignty.

"We believe in principles over politics," Chairman Karen Murray said.

People need to learn the original ideas behind the Constitution before making party affiliation decisions, she said.

"I think people are getting disgruntled with party politics," Hodges said.

Previously she labeled herself as a conservative Republican, but changed her association when she saw the government doing things she did not agree with.

The Republican party is to promote small government but they haven't for a long time, she said. To her, the Democrat party became too liberal by embracing the acceptance of "the gay agenda," she said.

"They're not really upholding the Constitution," she said.

Murray said marriage and family constitute society and the government must uphold that.

"We are not in favor of same-sex marriages or domestic partnerships," Murray said.

Originally a family was meant to be a man, woman and children, she added. This is one of the principals of the party.

Murray said the party holds there is a right to life from pre-birth to natural death sacred.

Other major issues with the party is the abolishment of the federal income tax and pro-property rights.

"You don't necessarily have to join the party, you just have to get educated," Hodges said.

Murray said there are people who think the party is about overthrowing the current government. She said this is not the case. She wants to educate and hopes people will learn what the founding fathers meant when the Constitution was written.

People interested in the party are invited to attend a video presentation March 3 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Tomlinson Black Ranch & Home Real Estate building at 1000 S. Pioneer Way in Moses Lake. The presentation will provide a discussion about the role of government.

The party holds regular meetings at 7 p.m. every first Thursday of the month at Quincy Public Library.

For more information, visit www.constitutionparty.com or www.constitutionpartyofwa.com, or contact Murray at 509-787-5125.