John Edwards (search) may think he's in a two-man race with John Kerry (search), but at least 180 others have declared presidential ambitions.
An unofficial list of candidates compiled by Project Vote Smart (search), a voter education group, includes Michael W. "Mike" Bay of the National Barking Spider Resurgence Party. An Aquarius from Lakewood, Colo., his hobbies include ear wiggling and his political resume consists of being a candidate four years ago.
There's also Larry J. Schuetter of the Turtle Political Party. Nicknamed ScooterBall, he says he supports renaming the IRS the National Income Center for Better Incomes.
These long-shot candidates get the same treatment as better-known candidates from Project Vote Smart, which surveys politicians on issues and is dedicated to dealing them an equal hand.
In addition to looking for who has filed with the Federal Election Commission (search) or petitioned to get on state primary ballots, Project Vote Smart also solicits answers from those who simply have Web sites stating their intentions to challenge President Bush.
The organization has gotten responses from more than 60 percent of candidates, including Edwards, Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton. Kerry and Bush have not written back.
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