TALLAHASSEE, Fla., May 13 (UPI) -- Ralph Nader's path to the U.S. presidential ballot in Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan has been made easier by the national Reform Party.
Nader's appearance on the ballot is considered a setback to Democratic candidate John Kerry's campaign.
Nader was endorsed Wednesday by the Reform Party, giving him ballot access to a total of eight states, the Miami Herald reported Thursday. The other states are Colorado, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana and South Carolina.
"You can welcome Ralph back. He'll be on the ballot in Florida," said Nader spokesman Kevin Zeese. Zeese said, however, Nader will continue to run as an indepenedent and will decide on a case-by-case basis where he will accept the Reform Party's ballot access.
Nader, an independent candidate, has not been on any of the ballots in the United States until now.
Other possibilities for endorsements are the Populist Party and the Green Party.
Zeese said the campaign would no longer consider gathering 92,000 signatures to get on the Florida ballot. Many Democrats believe Nader's vote cost Al Gore the presidency in the 2000 election.
