Campaigns court Independence Party chief

BY RICK BRAND.rick.brand@newsday.com

February 29, 2008

With New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg out of the presidential race, Frank MacKay, chief of the new Independence Party of America, said he has gotten calls from the camps of all the major party presidential contenders, although he hinted he may be ready to rumble with ex-wrestler and ex-Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura.

MacKay, who is also state Independence Party chairman, said his phone has been "ringing off the hook" and he already has lined up meetings with seven potential candidates. But he added it is unlikely his new party would support any major party candidate because most states bar them from running on multiple lines.

"What we lost in Mike Bloomberg is a third major presidential candidate as opposed to third party candidate," he said. A major goal for the new party is to get at least 5 percent of the vote to qualify for $20 million in federal campaign funding.

Among the contenders MacKay expects to consider is Ventura.

"I expect there will be a lot of discussion about Jesse Ventura," said MacKay, whose new party is aligned with the Minnesota reform party that elected the ex-grappler. "I expect there would be dialogue between myself and Gov. Ventura." MacKay also did not close the door on consumer advocate Ralph Nader, but said he is not seeking him out.

MacKay said he has no hard feelings over Bloomberg's decision not to enter the race. He added that the mayor could still be a major asset as the vice presidential candidate under Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama because of his personal fortune, economic expertise and history as a chief executive - credentials they lack.

"Bloomberg was great for our movement because he was the only thing that took attention away from the major party discussion," said MacKay.