Even if was “just” endorsed by the New Party, he would have had to gone through an extensive grilling in front of a New Party panel as well as sign a contract with them.
Here is what New Party candidates had to do:
“Alice Palmer especially has a long history with the African American left. Lou Pardo, a labor leader and New Party activist, is a strategist and organizer for Delgado.
Both Palmer and Delgado attended the forum and were thoroughly questioned by 70 or so New Party members. At the close, both publicly signed a “contract” with the New Party that was more formal and detailed than the agreement with Chandler. Two weeks later, the New Party formally endorsed them and is now mobilizing support.
This process is the best way the New Party can implement its “fusion” tactic in conditions where fusion candidates are not permitted by law. Only New York State allows for “fusion” or “cross- endorsement” by different parties for the same candidate on the same ballot. The process used to be common in U.S. elections during the last century, and was often used successfully by the Populist Party. That’s why the GOP and Democrats moved over the years to outlaw the tactic. The New Party today is fighting to bring it back. In the meantime, it is making use of the “contract” tactic just described.”
Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20010528042749/www.cofc.org/Publications/d12.htm