With all of the focus of the 2012 presidential election firmly, and rightfully, placed on the Republican Party's nomination process, most probably believe President Barack Obama is running unopposed as the Democratic Party's candidate. Technically, at least, that is untrue.
While these three candidates may have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than winning the Democratic nomination--and that is not an exaggeration, they do have a much better chance of getting struck by lightning--let's take a look at three of the Democrats who have decided to challenge the president in 2012:
* Darcy Richardson -- A former insurance specialist and progressive Democratic activist from Pennsylvania, Richardson is the author of a multi-volume history of third-party politics in the United States. He has never held public office before but, as Richardson states on his official campaign website, he was compelled to campaign for president because he has been "disappointed by President Obama's abandonment of many of the progressive values that he articulated so eloquently -- and passionately -- during the 2008 presidential campaign…" Richardson finished in ninth place in New Hampshire's Democratic primary with 264 votes.
* Randall Terry -- A pro-life Democratic from New York, Terry was arrested at Notre Dame in 2009 for protesting a commencement speech by pro-choice President Obama. Terry's sole purpose for running against Obama seems to be so that he can attack him for his pro-choice stance. He also strongly favors the legalization of marijuana, establishing a national sales tax, and the expansion of oil drilling, a diverse mixture of positions for sure. Terry had a better finish than Richardson in New Hampshire coming away with 442 votes, a full one percent of the total.
* Vermin Love Supreme -- A performance artist and anarchist who claims to be "the only bona-fide American presidential candidate to actually donate a living organ." Supreme favors colorful and odd outfits and also claims to be the only candidate who supports funding time travel research in order to go back to kill Hitler before he was born. According to his website, he also believes that brushing one's teeth should be mandatory. Perhaps this eclectic platform helped Supreme beat both Richardson and Terry in New Hampshire. Once all of the votes were counted he carried the day among all three challengers with 833 votes.
