Darrell Castle 2016 presidential campaign

Darrell Castle's 2016 presidential campaign marked a significant moment for the Constitution Party, beginning on the eve of the party's National Convention in April 2016. Castle was nominated on the first ballot, securing one hundred eighty-four votes out of three hundred thirty-nine point five cast, which amounted to fifty-four point nineteen percent of the total. His running mate, Scott Bradley, was nominated by voice vote, solidifying their partnership for the campaign.

In his acceptance speech, Castle passionately defended liberty and denounced tyranny, asserting that he spoke for the republic against the encroaching fascism he perceived in the government. He emphasized that the general government was established by sovereign states to protect God-given rights, declaring that any actions contrary to this purpose were illegal and unconstitutional. This strong stance resonated with his supporters and set the tone for his campaign.

Following the convention, Castle formally filed with the Federal Election Commission six days later. Interestingly, the Constitution Party of Idaho chose to nominate a different ticket, Scott Copeland and J.R. Myers, for the presidential race. Despite this, Castle and Bradley appeared on the ballot without party affiliation, ultimately receiving four hundred four hundred seventy-two votes in Idaho, surpassing the Copeland-Myers ticket.

On Election Day, Castle garnered one hundred seventy-two thousand five hundred seventy votes, finishing in sixth place. His campaign received nearly three hundred thousand votes fewer than Evan McMullin's campaign but still managed to achieve a notable increase of fifty thousand votes compared to the previous Constitution Party ticket. With zero point fifteen percent of the total vote, Castle's campaign performed better than the zero point zero nine percent achieved four years earlier.