Some claimed Harens was a stalking horse for the John Kerry campaign, "a device for luring away Republican votes from George W. Bush in a tight election," an accusation he denied.[3] He did, however, express a desire to have a spoiler effect on the election, hoping to win more votes than the margin between the major party candidates.[4] The margin between Bush and Kerry in Minnesota was almost 100,000 votes, while Harens won only 2,387.[5] The total for his new party was larger than the combined total in Minnesota of three of the established third parties, the Socialist Equality Party, Socialist Party and Socialist Workers Party.
Harens had previously run unsuccessfully for mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota in 1997 as a member of the Reform Party.[6] At the time he made his presidential run, he claimed he was still "technically a member" of that party.[7]
He attempted to run for the US Senate in Minnesota with the Green Party. He did not attend the Green Party of Minnesota Convention, and therefore was not endorsed.