Editing Randall Terry

{{short description|American anti-abortion activist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| image              = Randall Terry by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| caption            = Terry in 2024
| birth_name         = Randall Allen Terry
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1959|4|25}}
| birth_place        = [[New York City]], New York, U.S.
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| known_for          = Anti-abortion activist ([[Operation Save America|Operation Rescue]])
| education          = [[Elim Bible Institute and College]]<br>[[Whitefield Theological Seminary]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Empire State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Norwich University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])
| occupation         = Author
| party              = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] (before 2011)<br>[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] (2011–2012)<br>[[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution]] (2024)<br>[[Independent (politician)|Independent]] (2012–2024, 2024–present)
| otherparty         = [[New York State Right to Life Party|Right to Life]] (1998)
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Cindy Dean||2001|end=divorced}}
* Andrea Kollmorgen}}
| children           = 7
}}

'''Randall Allen Terry''' (born April 25, 1959)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/67729/randall-terry | title=Vote Smart &#124; Facts for All }}</ref> is an American politician and activist. Terry founded the [[anti-abortion]] organization [[Operation Save America|Operation Rescue]]. Beginning in 1987, the group became particularly prominent for blockading the entrances to [[abortion clinics]]; Terry led the group until 1991. He has been arrested more than 40 times,<ref>[http://www.staugustine.com/stories/120502/new_1169699.shtml "Randall Terry, Operation Rescue founder, moving to St. Augustine?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927133826/http://www.staugustine.com/stories/120502/new_1169699.shtml |date=September 27, 2011 }} December 5, 2002. St.Augustine Record</ref> including for violating a no-trespass order from the [[University of Notre Dame]] to protest against a visit by President [[Barack Obama]].<ref name="ND">Sly, Randy. [http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=33423 Randall Terry Arrested at Notre Dame] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507153502/http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=33423 |date=May 7, 2009 }}. May 1, 2009, ''Catholic Online'' (news).</ref>

In 2003, Terry founded the Society for Truth and Justice and conducted a program he called Operation Witness. In 1998, he ran for [[United States House of Representatives|Congress]] in [[Upstate New York]], and in 2006, he ran for a seat in the [[Florida Senate]]. Both times, he lost in the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] primary.

Terry ran in the [[2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries]]. He was the [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]] nominee for president of the United States in the [[2024 United States presidential election|2024 presidential election]], and his running mate was [[Stephen Broden]].

==Career as an activist==
In 1986, Terry was arrested for the first time for chaining himself to a sink at an [[abortion clinic]]. Terry was frequently in the news because of his activities as the leader of Operation Rescue.

Terry was named as a co-defendant in the 1994 [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] case, ''[[NOW v. Scheidler]]'', a [[class-action suit]] to compel anti-abortion leaders to compensate clinics for loss of business. Terry [[legal settlement|settled out of court]] with the [[National Organization for Women]]. Rather than pay the settlement, Terry promptly filed for bankruptcy, prompting Senator [[Charles Schumer]] to propose an amendment to a bankruptcy bill in [[United States Congress|Congress]] which would "specifically ... prevent abortion opponents from using the bankruptcy code to avoid paying court fines." The amendment was not included in the final bill. In 1998, NOW obtained more than 25,000 "frequent flyer miles" which were held by Terry in order to help satisfy a legal judgment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.publiceye.org/body_politic/news/now80310.htm |title=NOW LDEF Gets Randall Terry's Frequent Flier miles |publisher=Publiceye.org |access-date=February 26, 2011}}</ref>

In 1990, Terry helped to organize protests outside the hospital where [[Nancy Cruzan]] was a patient, around the time when her feeding tube was removed. The group Missouri Citizens for Life was also involved in the protests, along with the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, a former [[Operation Save America|Operation Rescue]] staffer. He was also involved in protests which were related to the [[Terri Schiavo]] case. In 1994, Terry was a named defendant in [[Madsen v. Women's Health Center, Inc.|Madsen v. Women's Health Center Inc.]] which ultimately made it all the way to the US Supreme Court. The Justices sided with Aware Woman Clinic and upheld a Buffer Zone. 

[[File:Randall Terry at Equality March.jpg|thumb|Terry counter-protesting at the [[National Equality March]] in 2009]]
On March 20, 2009, the White House announced that President [[Barack Obama]] was going to speak at the May 17 Commencement of the [[University of Notre Dame]]. Terry declared that Notre Dame, which is one of the foremost Catholic universities in the nation, should not have allowed Obama to speak. Terry objected to Obama's speech because Obama supports abortion rights. In an article which was published in the university's newspaper, ''The Observer'', Terry was quoted as stating that he planned to turn the commencement into "a circus." On the Notre Dame campus on May 1, 2009, Terry was arrested for violating a no-trespassing order. He posted a [[Bail bond|bond]] of $250 at the St. Joseph County Jail, was released that same day, and was assigned a court date later that month.<ref name="ND"/><ref>[https://archive.today/20120714023346/http://southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090501/News01/905010173/1130 Randall Terry Bonds Out of Jail], 2009. Available only via paid archive at ''South Bend Tribune'' of Indiana. Excerpt available here [http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com/2009/05/randall-terry-bonds-out-of-south-bend.html] accessed May 29, 2009.</ref> In a statement which he released to a Christian news service, Terry claimed that Notre Dame's invitation to Obama was a betrayal of Catholic teaching, comparing it to [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]]' betrayal of [[Jesus Christ]].<ref name="NDCN">[http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=33463 Arrested at Notre Dame; Statement by Randall A. Terry] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629170651/http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=33463 |date=June 29, 2009 }}. May 5, 2009. Christian Newswire story in ''Catholic Online'' (news).</ref>

When [[Kansas]] obstetrician [[George Tiller]] was murdered while he was serving as an usher in his [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]] church on the morning of May 31, 2009, Terry immediately issued a statement in which he denounced Tiller.<ref>[http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7392310537.html "Dr. Tiller's Death: Randall Terry Releases Video for Pro-life Leaders Concerning Dr. Tiller's Killing"], Christian Newswire, May 31, 2009, Retrieved June 8, 2009</ref><ref>Barnes, Robert. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/31/AR2009053101181.html Abortion Provider Shot Dead In Church], June 1, 2009. ''Washington Post.''</ref> On the same day, June 1, Terry released a video in which he called president [[Barack Obama]] and pro-choice politicians "child killers", and he also stated that Tiller was a "[[mass murder]]er" who "reaped what he sowed." He voiced regret that Tiller was not able to "get things right with his maker" and he also stated that it was unfortunate that Tiller did not get a "trial of a jury of his peers and to have a proper execution."<ref>[http://crooksandliars.com/media/play/wmv/8514/ Randall Terry Video Statement on Tiller Murder] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929111937/http://crooksandliars.com/media/play/wmv/8514/ |date=September 29, 2011 }}, June 1, 2009. [[Crooks and Liars]]. Accessed June 4, 2009.</ref> Terry's comments provoked a backlash, and Operation Rescue released a statement disavowing any connection to Terry, specifically criticizing his statement that Tiller's murder had "the potential to propel us more quickly to our goal."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-06-08 |title=Statements Concerning Randall Terry and His Unbiblical Lawsuit Against Troy Newman {{!}} Operation Rescue |url=https://www.operationrescue.org/noblog/three-statements-concerning-randall-terrys-unbiblical-lawsuit-against-troy-newman/ |access-date=2025-02-19 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hirschhorn |first=Dan |date=18 January 2011 |title=Abortion foe plans Obama challenge |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2011/01/abortion-foe-plans-obama-challenge-047760 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529222146/https://www.politico.com/story/2011/01/abortion-foe-plans-obama-challenge-047760 |archive-date=29 May 2023 |access-date=19 February 2025 |website=Politico}}</ref> In an editorial, the ''[[Albany Times-Union]]'' accused Terry of undermining the credibility of the "generally peaceful" anti-abortion movement.<ref>"Murder, in the name of life", Albany Times Union, June 4, 2009</ref>

In 2013, Terry appeared on an episode of MTV's ''True Life'' and during his appearance on the show, he advocated the criminalization of all forms of [[birth control]]. During the course of the episode he stated, "Do we want to make the pill illegal? Yes. Do we want to make the IUD illegal? Yes. The morning after pill? Yes. The patch? Yes. Anything that's a human pesticide, they all have to be made illegal. A woman has to go to jail if she kills her baby."<ref>{{cite web|last=Marty|first=Robin|title=They Are Coming for Your Birth Control: 'Do We Want to Make the Pill Illegal? Yes!'|date=April 26, 2013 |url=http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/04/25/they-are-coming-for-your-birth-control-do-we-want-to-make-the-pill-illegal-yes/|access-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref>

Terry produces and hosts a television program titled ''Randall Terry: The Voice of Resistance'', which airs on The Walk TV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thewalktv.wordpress.com/programs/|title=Programs|date=August 15, 2016}}</ref> and can be seen on his website "Voice of Resistance".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voiceofresistance.com/|title=Home}}</ref>

==Political campaigns==

===1998 congressional campaign===
In 1998, Terry ran for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in [[Upstate New York]]. Terry competed with radio station owner William "Bud" Walker for the Republican nomination to face Democratic incumbent [[Maurice Hinchey]]. Terry received the endorsement of [[Focus on the Family]] head [[James Dobson]]; however, national and state Republicans were not supportive of Terry's candidacy.<ref>Corn, David. [http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/davidcorn/2009/06/riding-with-an-antiabortion-fo.html Riding with an Abortion Foe Who Once Targeted Tiller] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616033044/http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/davidcorn/2009/06/riding-with-an-antiabortion-fo.html |date=June 16, 2009 }}. June 2, 2009. ''[[Congressional Quarterly|CQ]] Politics''.</ref> Terry was defeated by Walker 53% to 35%, but he was the [[Right to Life Party]]'s nominee in the general election.<ref>[http://www.publiceye.org/body_politic/news/rat80917.htm Randall Terry Defeated – Cost $100 per Vote]. September 17, 1998, at PublicEye.Org.</ref> Terry came in third place, winning 7% of the vote, with Hinchey and Walker winning 62% and 31% respectively.<ref>[http://www.nationaljournal.com/members/campaign/1998/house/ny.htm New York House Races (1998)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816065856/http://nationaljournal.com/members/campaign/1998/house/ny.htm |date=August 16, 2000 }}. September 15, 1998, ''[[National Journal]]''.</ref> In 2000, Terry and his son Jamiel promoted the candidacy of [[Steve Forbes]] in the Republican presidential primary.<ref name="WP2004"/> 

===2006 state senate campaign===
In June 2005, Terry announced plans to run in the primary against Florida Republican state senator [[James E. King]], citing King's attempt to block legislation which would have kept Terri Schiavo alive. In August 2006, in an attempt to undermine King's support in a Republican primary the next month, Terry publicized an endorsement of King by "Bill Clinton" — actually, [[robo-call]]s by a professional impersonator of former president [[Bill Clinton]]. The two "Clinton" scripts each contained a disclaimer. One was, "Hello friend, Bill Clinton here – not really!" The other was "This is a celebrity impersonation." Terry used the scripts and the impersonator in 43,000 calls. The "no amnesty" line was a reference to [[immigration reform]] proposals which were an issue in many campaigns in 2006. On September 5, 2006, Terry was defeated in the primary, with King receiving over two-thirds of the votes which were cast.

===2012 presidential candidacy===
{{Infobox U.S. federal election campaign
 | committee        = Randall Terry for President Campaign Committee
 | logo             =
 | campaign         = [[2012 United States presidential election]]
 | candidate        = Randall Terry
 | cand_id          = P20002424
 | fec_date         =  September 5, 2014<ref name=FEC>{{cite web|url=http://www.fec.gov/fecviewer/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do? |title=Candidate and Committee Viewer|website=[[Federal Election Commission]]|access-date=May 27, 2016}}</ref>
 | affiliation      = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]
 | headquarters     =  101 Cantwell Court PO Box 408, Purgitsville, WV 26852<ref name=FEC/>
 | key_people       =  Mario G. Paveglio ''treasurer''<ref name=FEC/>
 | receipts         = 28,043
 | slogan           = 
 | homepage         =
 | status           = 
}}
[[File:Vermin Supreme glitterbombs Randall Terry.jpg|thumb|[[Vermin Supreme]] [[Glitter bombing|glitter bombs]] Terry at the ''Lesser-Known Candidates Forum'']]
[[File:Second-place candidates in the Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2012.svg|thumb|Map of second-place candidates in the [[Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2012|2012 Democratic presidential primaries]]<br>'''Legend:'''<br>
{{legend|#FF8C00 |[[Keith Russell Judd]]}}
{{legend|#FF0000|[[Ron Paul]]}}
{{legend|#00FFFF |Darcy Richardson}}
{{legend|#800080 |[[John Wolfe Jr.]]}}
{{legend|#800000 |Randall Terry}}
{{legend|#808080|Uncommitted/other}}
{{legend|#000000|No second-place finisher}}
{{legend|#D3D3D3|No primary held/ no info available}}]]

In January 2011, Terry announced his intention to challenge President [[Barack Obama]] in the [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2012|Democratic Party primaries]] for the [[2012 United States presidential election|presidential election of 2012]].<ref name=ABCnews>Dwyer, Devin (January 18, 2011) [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/anti-abortion-activist-randall-terry-eyes-presidency-graphic/story?id=12639702 "Activist Vows Graphic Anti-Abortion Ads During Super Bowl"], ABC News. Retrieved January 18, 2011.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/pro-life-activist-randall-terry-looks-defeat-barack-obama-2012-dem-primaries |title=Pro-Life Activist Randall Terry Looks to Defeat Barack Obama in 2012 Dem Primaries |date=January 18, 2011 |publisher=Sunshine State News |access-date=February 26, 2011}}</ref> His campaign strategy was based upon a [[Super Bowl advertising|commercial]] during [[Super Bowl XLVI]] featuring graphic photographs of aborted fetuses;<ref name=ABCnews/> historically, the networks have refused all political and issue-related advertising during the Super Bowl, citing [[equal-time rule]]s, and the advertisement did not air.<ref>Teinowitz, Ira. [http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/01/fox_wont_sell_super_bowl_ads_t.php Fox Won't Sell Super Bowl Ads to Candidates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111144932/http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/01/fox_wont_sell_super_bowl_ads_t.php |date=January 11, 2012 }}. ''[[TV Week]]''. January 24, 2008.</ref>

The attempt to air the ads led to legal action<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rbr.com/media-news/advertising/randall-terry-run-my-ads-or-else.html |title=Randall Terry: Run my ads or else – Radio & Television Business Report |access-date=February 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205052213/http://www.rbr.com/media-news/advertising/randall-terry-run-my-ads-or-else.html |archive-date=February 5, 2012 }}</ref> and a statement by the Democratic National Committee that Terry was not a legitimate candidate,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/dems-say-randall-terry-not-bona-fide-candidate/ |title=Dems say Randall Terry not "bona fide" candidate &#124; Midwest Democracy |access-date=February 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207023058/http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/dems-say-randall-terry-not-bona-fide-candidate/ |archive-date=February 7, 2012 }}</ref> and thus should be forbidden privileges given others running.

In December 2011, he became the physical target of candidate [[Vermin Supreme]], who sprinkled [[glitter]] over his head during a debate, claiming he was "turning Randall Terry gay."<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN9nxFLXrKU|title = Vermin Supreme on C-SPAN turning Randall Terry Gay|date = January 6, 2012|publisher = C-Span| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125224727/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN9nxFLXrKU | archive-date=January 25, 2012 }}</ref>

Terry received 18% of the vote in the 2012 Democratic Oklahoma presidential primary. He also won 12 counties in the state, including the entire [[Oklahoma Panhandle|panhandle]], and was awarded two delegates in the Democratic primary.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/7/obama-renomination-wont-be-unanimous/ | title=Obama renomination won't be unanimous | work=[[The Washington Times]] | date=March 7, 2012 | access-date=March 7, 2012 | author=Dinan, Stephen}}</ref> Kansas TV station KDGL-LD<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=182368|title=TV Query Results -- Video Division (FCC) USA}}</ref> channel 23, is an Independent TV station serving Southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. It and its sister stations carry Randall's Walk TV program, broadcasting the length of the Panhandle. It was the only primary in which Terry won any counties or delegates. He had also appeared on the ballots in Alaska, Missouri, and New Hampshire. He received 22,858 votes or 0.3% in the Democratic primary.

====Campaign finances====
Detailed below are the [[Federal Election Commission|FEC]]-filed finances of ''Randall Terry for President Campaign Committee'' as of September 5, 2014<ref name=FEC/>

{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|+ Receipts
|-
! scope="col"|Financial Source
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|Amount (USD)
|-
|Itemized Individual Contributions||10,012
|-
||Unitemized Individual Contributions||13,006
|-
|style=background:#D3D3D3|'''Total Contributions'''||style=background:#D3D3D3|'''23,018'''
|-
|Offsets to Operating Expenditures||5,025
|-
|style=background:#D3D3D3|'''Total Offsets'''||style=background:#D3D3D3|'''5,025'''
|-
|style=background:#A9A9A9|'''Total Receipts'''||style=background:#A9A9A9|28,043
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|+ Disbursements
|-
! scope="col"|Disbursements
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|Amount (USD)
|-
|Operating Expenditures||30,274
|-
|Exempt Legal and Accounting||5,500
|-
|style=background:#A9A9A9|'''Total Disbursements'''||style=background:#A9A9A9|'''35,774'''
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|+ Cash Summary
|-
! scope="col"|Category
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|Amount (USD)
|-
|Beginning Cash On Hand||7,731
|-
|Current Cash On Hand||2,802
|-
|Net Contributions||401,939
|-
|Net Operating Expenditures||379,678
|}

===2012 congressional candidacy===
Although he lives in West Virginia, Terry paid his filing fee and ran as an independent candidate for Congress in Florida's 20th District. Incumbent Democrat Alcee Hastings won that election with 88% of the vote on November 6, 2012.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/2012/results/florida | work=Huffington Post | title=Election results}}</ref>

===2024 presidential candidacy===
{{see also|2024 Constitution National Convention}}On March 29, 2024, Terry declared his candidacy in the [[2024 United States presidential election]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 30, 2024 |title=Three Candidates for the Constitution Party Presidential Nomination to Debate on April 6 {{!}} |url=https://ballot-access.org/2024/03/30/three-candidates-for-the-constitution-party-presidential-nomination-to-debate-on-april-6/ |access-date=May 28, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref>
{{Infobox U.S. federal election campaign|logo=Terry Broden 2024 Campaign Logo.png|committee=Randall Terry 2024 presidential campaign|affiliation=[[Constitution Party (United States)]]|candidate='''Randall Terry'''<br>'''[[Stephen Broden]]'''|campaign=[[2024 Constitution Party presidential primaries]]<br>[[2024 United States presidential election]]|website=https://www.terry2024.com/|receipts=|status=Announced: March 29, 2024<br>Official nominee: April 27, 2024}}

He was nominated by the [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]] for president on April 27, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Randall Terry Wins Constitution Party's Presidential Nomination {{!}} |url=https://ballot-access.org/2024/04/27/randall-terry-wins-constitution-partys-presidential-nomination/ |access-date=May 28, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref> He said he would not accept the nomination if [[Stephen Broden]] was not nominated for vice president.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Constitution Party Vice-Presidential Nominee is Stephen E. Broden {{!}} |url=https://ballot-access.org/2024/04/27/constitution-party-vice-presidential-nominee-is-stephen-e-broden/ |access-date=May 28, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref> He was nominated by the [[Constitution Party of Oregon]] on May 28, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Jordan |date=May 28, 2024 |title=Constitution Party of Oregon Nominates Candidates, Names Randall Terry as Presidential Nominee |url=https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2024/05/constitution-party-of-oregon-nominates-candidates-names-randall-terry-as-presidential-nominee/ |access-date=May 28, 2024 |website=Independent Political Report}}</ref> Some state parties such as [[Independent American Party of Nevada|Nevada]] and [[Utah Constitution Party|Utah]] rejected Terry's nomination and instead nominated convention opponent [[Joel Skousen]].<ref name="p585">{{cite web | title=Nevada and Utah Constitution Parties Nominate Joel Skousen for President | website=Ballot Access News | date=May 28, 2024 | url=https://ballot-access.org/2024/05/28/nevada-and-utah-constitution-parties-nominate-joel-skousen-for-president/ | access-date=August 30, 2024}}</ref>

In August 2024, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that some [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] donors and operatives were assisting Terry's [[ballot access]] efforts and seeking to promote his campaign among [[pro-life]] voters, in order to help Democratic nominee [[Kamala Harris]] by [[Spoiler effect|taking votes]] from [[Donald Trump]].<ref name="d824">{{cite web | last=Schleifer | first=Theodore | title=To Beat Trump, Democrats Seek to Help Anti-Abortion Candidate | website=The New York Times | date=August 29, 2024 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/29/us/politics/trump-terry-anti-abortion.html | access-date=August 30, 2024 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20240829220816/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/29/us/politics/trump-terry-anti-abortion.html | archive-date=August 29, 2024}}</ref>

Terry's campaign paid for ads that aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in October, during commercial breaks for ''[[ABC World News Tonight]]'', ''[[Jimmy Kimmel Live!]]'', and ''[[The View (talk show)|The View]]''.<ref name = KXTV>{{cite news|url = https://www.abc10.com/article/news/politics/national-politics/what-to-know-about-the-graphic-anti-abortion-ad-on-abc/103-0f5ebbac-58a1-4d7b-9250-e92819219102|title = What to know about the graphic anti-abortion ad airing on ABC & ABC10|work = [[KXTV]]|date = October 15, 2024|accessdate = November 30, 2024}}</ref> They drew media attention for containing graphic photos of aborted fetuses, and narration which compared celebrities who supported abortion rights to Nazis.<ref name = Bauder>{{cite news|url = https://apnews.com/article/view-television-advertising-abortion-fcc-0d8c5944405d13bdccf9cd17a4891e8b|title = 'The View' abortion ad signals wider effort to use an FCC regulation to spread a message|last = Bauder|first = David|date = October 11, 2024|accessdate = November 30, 2024|work = [[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.semafor.com/article/10/18/2024/the-presidential-candidate-forcing-the-view-to-air-his-ultra-grisly-abortion-ads|title = The presidential candidate forcing 'The View' to air his ultra-grisly abortion ads|date = October 18, 2024|accessdate = November 30, 2024|work = [[Semafor (website)|Semafor]]|last = Weigel|first = David|authorlink = David Weigel}}</ref> Because Terry met the [[Federal Communications Commission]]'s definition of a "legally qualified candidate", ABC was required to air the advertisements without any edits, though due to their controversial content, the network ran disclaimers noting its legal duty to broadcast them and warning viewers of the imagery within.<ref name = Bauder/><ref name = KXTV/>

[[File:Chase Oliver, Jill Stein & Randall Terry (53866448015).jpg|thumb|From left to right: [[Chase Oliver|Oliver]], [[Jill Stein|Stein]], and Terry at the Free and Equal debate in Las Vegas.]]

==Personal life==
Terry has been married twice. With his first wife Cindy, he had a daughter and then he fostered two additional daughters and a son. He adopted the two youngest foster children. He has four sons with his second wife, Andrea.<ref name="LABASH">Labash, Michael. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121019061805/http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/randall-terry-shoots-ad_654411.html?nopager=1 Randall Shoots an Ad], October 22, 2012. "The Weekly Standard.</ref>

The son of [[State school|public school]] teachers, Terry was raised in [[Rochester, New York]]. After dropping out of high school, hitch-hiking around the United States, and returning home to work in various jobs, he attended [[Elim Bible Institute]], graduating in 1981.<ref name="LABASH"/> He later earned degrees from [[Empire State College]] and [[Norwich University]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=William E. |title=Congressional race targets Obama, national themes |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2012/09/25/congressional-race-targets-obama-national-themes/ |access-date=February 26, 2024 |work=[[Sun Sentinel]] |date=September 25, 2012}}</ref> 

In the early 1980s, Terry married Cindy Dean, a woman who he had met in Bible school.<ref name="WP2004">{{Cite news |date=2011-08-20 |title=Family Values |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32934-2004Apr21?language=printer |access-date=2025-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820123527/http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32934-2004Apr21?language=printer |archive-date=August 20, 2011 }}</ref><ref name="NNDB" /> In 1985, he met a woman who gave birth to her second child in prison and was planning to have an abortion rather than have a third child. Terry persuaded her to continue with the pregnancy and a daughter named Tila was born later that year. In 1987, Cindy and Randall Terry had a daughter together, whom they named Faith.<ref name="NNDB" /> In March 1988, they took in Tila, then aged three, and her siblings Jamiel, 8, and Ebony, 12, as foster children. All three of them are [[biracial]]; their mother was white. Terry formally adopted the two younger children in 1994 and on his résumé, he began to describe his family as: "Children: One by birth and three black foster children," although Ebony had left home at the age of 16 in 1991.<ref name="WP2004" /> 

Ebony, who was not adopted by Terry, uses the surname Whetstone, but Jamiel and Tila took and retained the surname Terry.<ref name="WP2004" /><ref name="NNDB">[http://www.nndb.com/people/704/000059527/ Randall Terry], National Names Database. Accessed May 29, 2009.</ref> Ebony converted to [[Islam]], a religion which Terry has preached is composed of "murderers" and "[[Islamic terrorism|terrorists]]."<ref name="WP2004" /> In 2004, Terry described his relationship with Ebony as "good."<ref name="WP2004" /> However, Terry banned Tila from his home after she became pregnant outside of marriage twice by the age of 18; her first pregnancy ended in a [[miscarriage]].<ref name="WP2004" /><ref name="HINOJOSA">Hinojosa, Maria. [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0404/15/lol.03.html ''Live From...'' with Miles O'Brien], April 15, 2004. [[CNN]] transcript.</ref>

In 1998, when Terry was accused of advocating racism while he was running for Congress, his son Jamiel stepped forward to defend him.<ref name="WP2004" /> In 2000, Jamiel worked with his father on [[Steven Forbes]]' campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. president, and he campaigned with his father against [[Same-sex marriage|gay marriage]] in [[Vermont]].<ref name="WP2004" /> In 2004, Jamiel [[coming out|publicly announced]] that he was gay and he also wrote an article for ''[[Out Magazine]]'', for which he was paid US$2,500.<ref name="WP2004" /> When he learned that the ''Out'' article was going to be published,<ref name="WP2004" /> Terry pre-empted Jamiel by writing an essay, "My Prodigal Son, the Homosexual", in which he writes of pain and disappointment, blames Jamiel's homosexuality and his other troubles on his childhood experiences, and contends that much of the ''Out Magazine'' article is false and was written by other people. Jamiel's response was, "My father's first and foremost aim is to protect himself. He talks about how I prostitute the family's name, but he's used the fact that he saved my sister from abortion and rescued me from hardship in his speeches and interviews. What's the difference?"<ref name="WP2004" />

In 2000, Terry divorced Cindy Dean, his wife of 19 years,<ref name="WP2004" /> and married his former church assistant, Andrea Sue Kollmorgen.<ref name="NNDB" /><ref name="HINOJOSA" /><ref name="NYT2001">Barry, Dan. [https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/20/nyregion/icon-for-abortion-protesters-is-looking-for-a-second-act.html Icon for abortion protesters is looking for a second act]. July 20, 2001. ''New York Times.''</ref> Kollmorgen, born c. 1976, was approximately 25 years old at the time of their nuptials;<ref name="SLY" /> As a consequence of the divorce, the home on {{convert|119|acre|km2}} where he had lived with Cindy and their four children was going to be sold.<ref name="NYT2001" /> In 2000, some in the press unfavorably compared his decision to divorce Cindy Dean and marry Kollmorgen to the opinion which he expressed in his 1995 book, ''The Judgment of God'': "Families are destroyed as a father vents his mid-life crisis by abandoning his wife for a 'younger, prettier model.' "<ref name="WP2004" /><ref name="TJOG">Terry, Randall. ''The Judgment of God.'' (1995). ISBN unavailable.</ref> His sentiments against divorce had been so strong that when his own parents got divorced, "Randall refused to let his children speak with their grandfather for three years," according to interviews which were conducted with the family by the ''Washington Post.''<ref name="WP2004" /> 

As a result of Terry's divorce from Cindy Dean, the pastor of the Landmark Church of [[Binghamton, New York]], "unceremoniously tossed him out"<ref name="WP2004" /> although Terry had been a member there for 15 years.<ref name="AU">[http://www.au.org/media/church-and-state/archives/2000/04/pampe.html Religious Right Leader Randall Terry Censured] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519211939/http://www.au.org/media/church-and-state/archives/2000/04/pampe.html |date=May 19, 2009 }}, April 2004. [[Americans United for Separation of Church and State]].</ref> That church had previously [[censure]]d him because he had abandoned his wife and the two children while they were still living at home in preparation for divorce, and it also censured him by claiming that he was engaging in a "pattern of repeated and sinful relationships and conversations with both single and married women."<ref name="HINOJOSA" /><ref name="AU" /> After the censure and expulsion, Terry joined the [[Charismatic Episcopal Church]], a denomination which was established in 1992.<ref name="AU" /> 

After a period of study which commenced in 2005, Terry formally converted to [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]] in 2006, taking the confirmation name David Mark.<ref name="DRAKE">Drake, Tim. [http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=19866 Pro-life activist Randall Terry converts to Catholicism, still slaying dragons] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204012141/http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=19866 |date=February 4, 2007 }}. May 17, 2006. ''National Catholic Register.''</ref> After his conversion, he disavowed his first marriage and divorce, saying, "There were tragic problems that were inherent to the marriage. According to Catholic doctrine as it has been taught to me, those problems made it an [[Annulment|invalid sacrament]]."<ref name="DRAKE" />

In 2004, the ''Washington Post'' reported that Terry and Cindy's daughter was in college.<ref name="WP2004" /> Five years into his second marriage, a 2006 article in the ''[[National Catholic Register]]'' described his current family as "his three, soon to be four, rambunctious young boys."<ref name="DRAKE" /> Terry's second wife, Andrea, is also an anti-abortion activist and in 2008, she was arrested for trespassing while she was leafleting a Catholic cathedral parking lot with campaign fliers for a fictitious candidate who was advocating the [[slavery|enslavement]] of African-Americans. Terry stated, "The piece was intended to be incendiary and basically a satire," a protest against vehicles in the church parking lot which, he said, carried bumper stickers supporting [[pro-choice]] political candidates, particularly [[Rudy Giuliani]].<ref name="SLY">Sly, Randy. [http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=26597 Pro-Life Workers Arrested at St. Petersburg, FL Cathedral] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011112701/http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=26597 |date=October 11, 2012 }}, January 26, 2008. ''Catholic Online'' (news).</ref>

Terry's son Jamiel was killed in an automobile accident in November 2011. They had reportedly reconciled prior to Jamiel's death.<ref>[http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/12/02/Gay_Son_of_AntiChoice_Activist_Dead_in_Car_Crash/ Gay Son of Antichoice Activist Dead in Car Crash] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204061247/http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/12/02/Gay_Son_of_AntiChoice_Activist_Dead_in_Car_Crash/ |date=December 4, 2011 }}</ref> Terry's daughter Tila died in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Funeral Fund for Tila Marie Terry Cullifer |url=https://www.givesendgo.com/FuneralTilaTerryCullifer |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=GiveSendGo}}</ref>

In 2012, Terry moved his family to [[Romney, West Virginia]], to focus on his political campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://journalism.smcvt.edu/webcourses/PresidentialProfiles/randallterry.htm|title=Randall Terry: Shifting Parties for a Purpose|author=Liz Kendall and Katie Hodges|publisher=Saint Michael's College Media and American Politics class|access-date=May 11, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604003722/http://journalism.smcvt.edu/webcourses/PresidentialProfiles/randallterry.htm|archive-date=June 4, 2012}}</ref>

==Electoral history==

===Downballot runs===
{{Election box begin no change|title=1998 New York's 26th congressional district election<ref>{{cite web
| title     = Representative in Congress • Congressional District 26
| work      = New York State Board of Elections
| url       = https://results.elections.ny.gov/contest/4536?division_filter=&child_division_filter=&vote_channel=&search_route=%2Fsearch%3Fgf%3Dd%26df%3D1998%26dt%3D1998%26p%3D1%26ps%3D24%26fp%3D0%26fps%3D25%26t%3Dcards%26it%3Dcontests%26ic%3DpartyVictoriesMap%26vs%3Dfalse%26bq%3Dtrue%26bqtxt%3D%26bqnum%3D%26c%3Dtrue%26sp%3Dfalse&pct=1&fusion=0}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=''Maurice D. Hinchey''|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=99,249|percentage=52.56%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=''Maurice D. Hinchey''|party=Independence Party of New York|votes=6,321|percentage=3.35%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=''Maurice D. Hinchey''|party=Liberal Party of New York|votes=2,634|percentage=1.39%}}
{{Election box winning candidate no change|candidate=[[Maurice D. Hinchey]] (incumbent)|party=Total|votes=108,204|percentage=57.30%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=''William "Bud" Walker''|party=Republican Party (United States)|votes=47,084|percentage=24.93%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=''William "Bud" Walker''|party=Conservative Party of New York State|votes=7,692|percentage=4.07%}}
{{Election box candidate no change|candidate=William "Bud" Walker|party=Total|votes=54,776|percentage=29.01%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate=Randall Terry|party=New York State Right to Life Party|votes=12,160|percentage=6.44%}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=188,835|percentage=100.00%}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
| title     = 2006 Florida Senate District 8 Republican Primary<ref>{{cite web
| title     = September 5, 2006 Primary Election Republican Primary
| work      = Florida Division of Elections
| url       = https://results.elections.myflorida.com/Index.asp?ElectionDate=9/5/2006&DATAMODE= }}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party      = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate  = [[James E. King]] (incumbent)
|votes      = 27,548
|percentage = 67.33%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party      = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate  = Randall Terry
|votes      = 13,369
|percentage = 32.67%
}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=40,917|percentage=100.00%}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title=2012 Florida congressional election, District 20}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = [[Alcee Hastings]] (incumbent)
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes =214,727
| percentage = 87.90%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = [[Randall Terry]]
| party = Independent
| votes = 29,553
| percentage = 12.10%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Anthony M. Dutrow (write-in)
| party = Independent
| votes = 5
| percentage = 0.00%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 244,285
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing
  |winner    = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=[[2025 Florida's 6th congressional district special election]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=[[Randy Fine]]|votes=110,764|percentage=56.66%|change=-9.87%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Josh Weil|votes=83,485|percentage=42.71%|change=+9.24%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Andrew Parrott|votes=701|percentage=0.36%|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independent politician|candidate=[[Randall Terry]]|votes=525|percentage=0.27%|change=N/A}}
{{Election box total|votes=195,475|percentage=100.0%}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing|winner=Republican Party (United States)}}{{Election box end}}

===Presidential runs===
''See [[2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries]] (ran as a Democrat) and [[Third-party and independent candidates for the 2024 United States presidential election]] (ran with the [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]]).<br />''

==Works==

===Bibliography===
*''Accessory To Murder: The Enemies, Allies, And Accomplices To The Death of Our Culture'' (1990) {{ISBN|0-943497-78-7}}
*''Why Does A Nice Guy Like Me... Keep Getting Thrown In Jail?: How theological escapism and cultural retreatism in the Church have led to America's demise.'' (1993) {{ISBN|1-56384-052-9}}
*''The Sword: The Blessing Of Righteous Government And The Overthrow Of Tyrants'' (1995) {{ISBN|1-887690-00-X}}
*''A Humble Plea: To Bishops, Clergy, Laymen: Ending the Abortion Holocaust'' (2008) http://ahumbleplea.com

===Discography===
*''I Believe in You''
*''Dark Sunglasses Day''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Randall Terry}}
{{wikiquote|Randall Terry}}
*[https://www.terry2024.com/ 2024 Presidential campaign website]
*[http://voiceofresistance.org Voice of Resistance]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110412022247/http://www.terryforpresident.com/ 2012 Presidential campaign website]
*[https://archive.today/20031129050802/http://www.randallterrylive.com/ Radio show]
*{{IMDb name|2553986}}
*{{C-SPAN|9369}}

{{2012 United States presidential election}}
{{2024 United States presidential election}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Terry, Randall}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Activists from New York City]]
[[Category:Activists from Rochester, New York]]
[[Category:American anti-abortion activists]]
[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:American Pentecostals]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholic writers]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2012 United States presidential election]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States presidential election]]
[[Category:Conservative television in the United States]]
[[Category:Constitution Party (United States) presidential campaigns]]
[[Category:Catholics from West Virginia]]
[[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism]]
[[Category:Empire State University alumni]]
[[Category:New York (state) Republicans]]
[[Category:New York State Right to Life Party politicians]]
[[Category:Norwich University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Romney, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Politicians from Rochester, New York]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic activists]]
[[Category:West Virginia Democrats]]
[[Category:West Virginia independents]]
[[Category:West Virginia Republicans]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2025 United States elections]]