Veteran Independent American Party leader Dan Hansen filed Friday for District 2 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
That seat is now held by Jim Gibbons, who has drawn two other opponents - Reno school teacher Tierney Cahill and Clay Baty of Las Vegas.
Hansen, 58, said the IAP is now Nevada's third largest party with 18,000 members and a growing force to be reckoned with in state politics.
He has run for governor, lieutenant governor, Congress and the Nevada Legislature - more than once for some of those posts - all without winning. Hansen said his first run was for governor against Mike O'Callaghan 30 years ago this election.
But he said that doesn't mean the party hasn't had a significant impact on Nevada politics.
"A lot of issues wouldn't even have been discussed if we hadn't been in the debate," he said.
Hansen said moral issues such as the IAP's opposition to abortion and gay marriage are key examples.
The party has also opposed large government since its inception.
Despite the party's lack of success in winning office, Hansen said he is running with every intention of winning. He pointed to Jesse Ventura who won the governor's office in Minnesota on a $200,000 budget saying he believes it possible to win in Nevada on a small budget.
And Hansen said he expects with growing IAP membership and support to be able to raise that much or more, although he declined to be specific about his campaign budget.
He said this election the gay marriage petition is a key issue, as is the IAP's opposition to expanded trade and treaties with China.
"This is treason," he said. "They're selling out the security and integrity of this country."
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