Raymond Leland Teague, June 23, 1903 (Mortons Gap, Ky.) - December 27, 1978 (Klamath Falls, Ore.)
VP candidate for Theocratic Party (aka Church of God Party) (1960)
Running mate with nominee: Homer A. Tomlinson (1892-1968)
Popular vote: 0 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/537
The campaign:
After his splashy defeat in 1952 as the Presidential candidate for the Church of God Party, Homer Tomlinson ran a very passive, underground campaign in 1956 without a running mate. But 1960 was going to be different.
At their May 1960 convention in Fulton, Mo., the group changed their name from the Church of God Party to the more academic sounding Theocratic Party. Raymond L. Teague, who was serving as a missionary in Anchorage, Alaska at the time in the Eastchester Church of God, was selected as the running mate. For some unspecified reason, one information source has called Teague an "eccentric."
Teague has the distinction of being the first Alaska resident on a national ticket. The Last Frontier had just become the 49th state in 1959.
Here is the Theocratic Party platform for 1960:
1. For Union of Church and State In Jesus, Prince of Peace.
2. To Keep U.S. Constitution, Freedom of Worship, Liberty.
3. For 10% Tithes - for Church and Nation. Instead of Taxes.
4. To Maintain 1960 Scale of Wages, Profit, Progress.
6. For Unlimited Production, lO% Profits for Farmers.
6. To End Wars, Crime, Delinquency.
7. To Unite Families, End Divorces.
8. To End Use of Tobacco, Itoxicants. Narcotics, Gambling.
9. To Assure Equality for all Races, Nations.
10. To Abandon Roman Law, English Common Law, Establish New Codes, Civil and Criminal.
11. Establish King James Bible as Foundation of Righteousness.
12. Follow New Revelations In Government and Peace.
On their leaflet promoting write-in votes, the header proclaimed: "The handwriting on the ballot for Brother Homer will be the handwriting on the wall for Communism."
Tomlinson traveled with a crown, robe, special flag, inflatable globe of the world, and portable throne (which appeared to be a folding lawn chair) used as props in a special coronation ceremony of his own invention as he proclaimed himself King of whatever jurisdiction he visited, in the name of Jesus of course.
Teague's campaigning was pretty much limited to the new state of Alaska. He told the Anchorage media, "We're in it to win. I believe this is God's appointed time for this to take place. With faith, hope, and charity, we'll win."
As usual, the Party failed to obtain ballot or even certified write-in status in any of the now 50 states.
Election history: none
Other occupations: soldier, sailor, minister
Buried: Eagle Point National Cemetery (Eagle Point, Ore.)
Notes:
Also called Raymond Lee Teague, Raymond Leeland Teague.
Teague appears to have joined the military at a young age and was stationed in Fort Randolph,
Panama in 1930. By the late 1930s he was a Church of God minister in Portland, Ore. From
Portland, he joined the Navy at nearly 40 years of age in 1942. His first marriage ended in divorce
and he remarried in [Washington State trivia alert!!!] Vancouver, Wash. Nov. 30, 1944 in a
Pentecostal ceremony. Later in life Teague lived in Chiloquin, Ore.
