![Nnamdi Lamumba of Ujima's People's Progress Party (at podium) and Kevin Zeese of Popular Resistance were among the presenters at the LCIP forum in Middleburg Heights. [KABIR BHATIA / WKSU]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1ecd059/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3264x2448+0+0/resize/840x630!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fimages%2Fnews%2Fnpr%2F2019%2F12%2F786191885_1990751068.jpg)
A Northeast Ohio group says America’s two-party political system has failed. It’s pushing to elect more third-party candidates -- starting next year, at the local level.
Third Party Candidates in Ohio
The local branch of the non-profit Labor and Community Campaign for an Independent Party met over the weekend in Middleburg Heights, discussing how Democrats and Republicans have failed to address issues like climate change and immigration reform.
One presenter was Alan Benjamin, who spent 25 years on the executive board of the San Francisco Labor Council. He was previously involved with an attempt to organize a national labor party in the mid-1990s. Now, he says the focus will be slightly different.
“We needed to begin running candidates for local office," Benjamin said. "We’re not at a point where we can run and have a real solid base to win elections at the statewide level or congressional level, let alone the Presidency.”
Benjamin adds that social media has made it easier for workers to connect and make their voices heard, both to the public and to labor leaders. And he hopes that will create more grass-roots support for third-party candidates.
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