Statement by Ralph Nader on the Passing of Sen. Eugene McCarthy

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a statement by Ralph Nader on the passing of Sen. Eugene McCarthy:

Independent candidates and the American people are indebted to former United States senator and five-time presidential candidate, Eugene McCarthy, for his many attempts to make the election process for both candidates and voters more free and open. He was a pioneer in bringing litigation to challenge the absence of ballot access laws for Independent candidates in multiple states that still had no procedure in the mid-1970s, much less fair ones. As a result, he was only on the ballot in 29 states in the 1976 presidential election. Sen. McCarthy was also a principled voice against the Vietnam War at a time when neither major party, including his own, could manage to condemn that war. He will be remembered and respected for his efforts against the two-party tyranny in our electoral process.

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