Independent Richard Duncan of Aurora running for president again
YOUNGSTOWN
After getting 0.22 of a percent of the vote in Ohio in 2012, Richard Duncan is running for president again this year.
As he did in 2008 and 2012, Duncan, a retired postal worker from Aurora, has Ricky Johnson of Sharon, Pa., as his vice-presidential running mate.
“My main goal is to bring attention to reforming the two-party political system,” Duncan said. “They don’t represent the people. They represent corporations and wealthy individuals. I refuse to get involved in that system.”
Duncan and Johnson said they don’t have a goal for votes during this election, but want to grow on what they obtained in 2012.
Four years ago, they got 0.22 of a percent, 12,502 total votes in Ohio. They finished fifth out of seven candidates on the ballot. They also beat the six write-in candidates.
In 2008, they received 0.07 of a percent, 3,905 total votes in Ohio, finishing sixth out of eight candidates on the ballot. They also beat six write-ins that year.
This year, there are only five candidates on the ballot in Ohio.
“People ask me, ‘Why are you doing this?’” said Johnson, who worked in restaurants before retirement. “I want to set an example for my grandchildren of doing the right thing.”
Asked about Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, Johnson said they’re “two wings of the same bird.”
The two focused their attention on getting their names on the Ohio ballot and are eligible write-in candidates in about half of the other states.
Duncan wasn’t sure if he’d consider a 2020 bid, but if he ran he’d consider trying to get his name on the ballot in other states.
Duncan said he considered gathering signatures to get on the ballot in Tennessee as only 275 valid signatures on nominating petitions are needed. But he opted to not do so.