Victor Clifford Tisdal Sr., January 3, 1886 (Fannin County, Tex.) - May 18, 1948 (Oklahoma)
VP candidate for Jobless Party (1932)
Running mate with nominee: James Renshaw Cox (1886–1951)
Popular vote: 740 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/531
The campaign:
On the heels of leading a massive jobless march on Washington DC, Father James Renshaw Cox, a priest from Pittsburgh, tried to use the momentum from "Cox's Army" and create a new third party. He predicted a turnout of a quarter million at the convention in St. Louis. Only 500 showed up. And it went downhill from there.
Victor C. Tisdal, a medical doctor from Elk City, Oklahoma was nominated for Vice-President. Tisdal's previous political beliefs and experience has eluded historians.
For a brief time it seemed the newly-formed Liberty Party might join forces with the Jobless Party, but ego and it seems some anti-Catholic feelings got in the way. Also the use of "Blue Shirts" as a Jobless Party quasi-military unit marching in review as Cox saluted them had a fascistic tinge that frightened away a few potential followers-- especially given the political trends taking place in Europe at the time.
Cox and an entourage of nine set out to campaign across the country in two cars and a trailer. Except for visiting Dr. Tisdal in Elk City, the entire trip was a disheartening disaster. Ignored by the press, faced with unenthusiastic receptions, driving endlessly through the lonely and empty expanse of the Far West and always short on funds the small group began to pick on each other. Cox suspended the campaign on October 12 and later withdrew from the race, endorsing Roosevelt. But it was too late to remove his name from the ballots.
On the ballot in only two states, the Cox/Tisdal ticket earned 725 votes in Pennsylvania and a whopping 15 in Virginia.
Election history: none
Other occupations: doctor
Buried: Fairlawn Cemetery (Elk City, Okla.)
Notes:
Living in Tarrant, Tex. in 1910.
Mason.
