Ralph Nader

Nader held a press conference and rally at St. Mary’s School on Hillsborough Street. The consumer advocate says he’s optimistic about gaining ground in the race.

"We expect to pose a significant challenge to the two major parties," Nader said.

He may not get the amount of media attention awarded to major party candidates and his crowds aren't as large as when he ran for president eight years ago, but Nader is marching on. He said he's talking about the issues other candidates won't discuss.

"Corporations are so out of control and so powerful that neither of the major presidential candidates have a proposal for an aggressive crackdown for corporate crime fraud and abuse," Nader said.

Nader was especially critical of Barack Obama.

Nader in Raleigh

Presidential candidate Ralph Nader made a stop in Raleigh Saturday night to drum up support before the nation heads to the polls in November.

Jeffery Evensen of Wake County said he volunteered for the Nader campaign because of Nader's principals. He said the presidential race needs more choices.

"I think Ralph Nader is more in tune with the needs of working class people," Evensen said. "We need to have more parties to represent the wishes of Americans. Two parties can't represent 300 million people in America."

The stop in Raleigh was part of his Shift the Power campaign, where Nader's supporters hope to raise his visibility while the candidate keeps plugging away.

“To the rich and powerful and to the corporate go the spoils," Nader said. "And the people pay the price.”

Nader will not appear on the ballot in North Carolina in November, but he is planning to petition the State Board of Elections so he can be in the race as a write-in candidate.