Darrell Castle

Darrell Lane Castle (born October 11, 1948) is an American politician and attorney from Memphis, Tennessee. He was the Constitution Party's nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2008 presidential election and for President in the 2016 presidential election. As the presidential nominee, Castle received 202,348 votes, and placed sixth nationwide.

Early life and education
Castle grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee. He attended Ketron High School and East Tennessee State University (ETSU), graduating in 1966 and 1970, respectively. At ETSU, he earned a B.S. degree, double-majoring in political science and history.

Castle then became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving for four years and attaining the rank of first lieutenant. After his discharge, he returned to ETSU and began his graduate study of history. He then attended the law school at Memphis State University and earned a J.D. in 1979.

Castle has served as a deacon and deacon chairman in his local church. In 1998, he and his wife founded Mia’s Children Foundation, a Christian mission in Bucharest, Romania which ministers to homeless Romani children.

Law career
Upon receiving his law degree in Memphis, Castle became an attorney. In 1984, he opened a private firm which later grew into Darrell Castle and Associates. Since then, Castle has opened firms in Milwaukee, Detroit, and Kansas City, Missouri. His firms focus on consumer bankruptcy and personal injury, but also represent clients in the areas of social security, disability, and workers' compensation.

Political involvement
At the 2008 Constitution Party National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, Baptist pastor Chuck Baldwin defeated former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Alan Keyes to win the party's nomination. The party then nominated Castle to the ticket as its vice presidential candidate. Baldwin had been the Constitution Party nominee for Vice President in 2004.

At the 2012 Constitution Party National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, Castle declared his candidacy for the party's presidential nomination one day prior to the nomination vote, citing requests from several delegates that he seek the nomination. He finished as runner-up to former United States Congressman Virgil Goode, who won the nomination on the first ballot.

Castle is the former National Vice-Chairman of the Constitution Party.

2016 presidential campaign
Castle was a candidate for the Constitution Party's 2016 presidential nomination, but withdrew his candidacy in January 2016 because of unspecified health concerns. However, on the eve of the 2016 nominating convention, Richard Winger of Ballot Access News reported that Castle had re-entered the nomination process.

On April 16, 2016, Castle secured the presidential nomination for the Constitution Party. He vowed, if elected, to get the United States out of the United Nations and NATO. "Our borders are worth defending. If we can secure the borders of Korea and Germany, then we can secure the borders of the United States", said Castle. He made no reference to previous health concerns.

Castle's campaign received endorsements from Chuck Baldwin, Glenn Beck and the Georgia Right to Life PAC.

As of June 30, 2016, Castle had raised $10,289.

Political positions
In an interview with Liberty Hangout, Castle has said he is more libertarian than 2016 Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson.

He opposes the war on drugs. When it comes to prostitution, gambling, smoking, polygamous relationships, or any other activities made by consenting adults, Castle says he sees no role for the federal government to get involved. He wants decriminalization of cannabis use, but opposes full legalization. He describes himself as pro-life, and opposes federal funding of Planned Parenthood. He has described his foreign policy views as non-interventionist. He favors securing the borders. He favors the United States withdrawing from the United Nations, NATO, TPP, NAFTA, CAFTA-DR, GATT, and WTO. He favors ending the Federal Reserve. Castle supports funding of space exploration.

On June 12, 2016, Castle directly indicated a number of his political positions on the website iSideWith, which seeks to match voters with the candidates whose positions most closely match users' policy preferences as determined by a multiple-choice survey. Castle presents himself as pro-gun and pro-Second Amendment, indicating that he believes there should not be "more restrictions on the current process of purchasing a gun" and is against banning individuals on the no-fly list from "purchasing guns and ammunition."

While being completely opposed to it morally, Castle explicitly indicated that same-sex marriage is among the consensual activities in which he believes the government should not be involved. He opposes compulsory vaccination, and has endorsed the requirement of GMO labeling, stating that "people have a right to know what is in their food". He is against Common Core standards. He believes that felons should be allowed to vote, "but only after completing their sentences or parole/probation". He favors photographic voter identification requirements as a means of preventing voter fraud. Castle has expressed opposition to the retirement of solitary confinement for juvenile prisoners, on the grounds that the practice "is necessary for violent criminals who are a danger to themselves and other inmates". He believes that constitutional rights extend to foreign nationals suspected of terrorism, but only "inside the United States and not abroad".

Castle believes "physically and mentally capable adults on welfare" should be required to work. However, he opposes drug tests for welfare recipients as an infringement of privacy. He has expressed opposition to any government regulation of employee compensation by private businesses. He does not believe that illegal immigrants should have access to government healthcare or in-state tuition rates. He is against the Affordable Care Act. He opposes governmental environmental regulations.

Castle opposes term limits for members of Congress, believing that elections suffice to test the effectiveness of officeholders.