The American Reform Party is a minor political party in the United States that was formed in a factional split from the larger Reform Party of the United States in October 1997. The split occurred when some members of the Reform Party, believing that party founder Ross Perot had rigged the party's 1996 presidential nomination for himself, walked out of the national convention.
Then Chairman Roy Downing said the split came about when it was "discovered was a top down party instead of a bottoms up organization." Although members of the group attempted to persuade former Colorado Governor Dick Lamm, Perot's chief rival for the nomination, to run for president as an Independent, he declined, pointing out that he had promised before running that he would not challenge the party's decision.
Since then, the ARP has yet to organize in more than a few states. In the 2000, 2004, and 2008 elections, the American Reform Party supported Ralph Nader for president.
In New York State, the Integrity Party is an American Reform Party affiliate. The group, led by Darren Johnson, used the state's fusion election system in cross-endorsing a Democratic sheriff candidate, Vincent Demarco, in Suffolk County, helping him narrowly win election. The party has also run a host of other candidates and attempted to go statewide in 2006, fielding Phoebe Legere as a candidate in the 2006 New York gubernatorial election. Legere and the party did not qualify for the November ballot.
The American Reform Party is not a political party in the conventional sense. It does not have ballot access in any state, and it does not run candidates. It supports third party candidates and independents.
The Reform Party of Northern Mariana Islands is an affiliate of the American Reform Party.
In recent years, the party has shifted from a relatively centrist platform to a Tea Party-style economic liberal and fiscal conservative one.
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