Status: Running
Entered Race: September 14, 2007
Dr. Alan Keyes, a social conservative who has been a bombastic TV and radio show host, is making a third run for President in 2008. Keyes previously lost runs for the GOP Presidential nomination in 1996 and 2000, for US Senate in Maryland in 1988 and 1992, and for US Senate in Illinois in 2004. Keyes -- who holds a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard and was initially a US Foreign Service Officer -- served in the Reagan Administration as US Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (1983-85) and Assistant US Secretary of State (1985-87). Since then, Keyes has been involved with a variety of conservative causes and these days maintains his own leadership PAC. Keyes has maintained friendly ties with the ultra-conservative Constitution Party, but remains a member of the GOP. A group of his supporters purpotedly "drafted" him to run for President again in 2008. However, it should be noted the draft group operated from a website owned and controlled directly by Keyes. He formally announced his candidacy in September 2007. Some Constitution Party leaders are hopeful Keyes may seek their nomination if a pro-choice, pro-gay rights nominee like Rudy Giuliani is on the GOP ticket.