VP candidate for Independent States' Rights Party (aka States' Rights Party aka For America Party aka National Andrews-Werdel Party aka Andrew-Werdel Party aka Dixiecrats aka Independent aka Conservative Party) (1956)
Running mate with nominee: T. Coleman Andrews (1899-1983)
Popular vote: 108,956 (0.18%)
Electoral vote: 0/531
The campaign:
Of all the Right-wing third party presidential campaigns of 1956 this one was the most well-financed and successful in terms of bridging a lasting coalition of Southern Democratic segregationists with anti-Establishment/anti-Eisenhower Republicans and setting the stage for future victories. There had already been a large movement of unpledged electors, and the Andrews-Werdel ticket worked to gain their support. As the campaign gained steam they collected followers from various conservative factions, including the official endorsement of the Constitution Party. The new party, which seems to have had a few name changes along the way depending on the state, was chiefly boosted by disciples of the recently deceased pro-Taft "Colonel" McCormick of the Chicago Tribune.
T. Coleman Andrews, a Virginian who had never run for office, was a darling of the conservatives for being an outspoken critic of the income tax system while he was Commissioner of Internal Revenue in the Eisenhower administration 1953-1955. His running mate, ex-Congressman Thomas H. Werdel of California, was a Taft Republican and sworn enemy of Earl Warren.
Rather than being a grassroots endeavor, this party appears to have been the product of an embryonic conservative media through print and radio acting as a rallying point for vested interests. Among the supporters were 1952 Constitution Party VP and anti-income tax activist Vivien Kellems as well as Joseph Milteer, who would be implicated in future JFK assassination theories.
The platform called for a strong military, pro-state's rights (code for pro-segregation), anti-income tax, anti "dangerous trend toward socialism," anti-communism, anti-foreign aid, anti-"world government."
It is difficult to ascertain just how many votes the ticket gained on Election Day due to the presence of unpledged electors also on the ballot who may or may not have supported Andrews/Werdel. The unpledged elector result was 196,318 (0.32%), finishing third ahead of all the minor parties. Andrews/Werdel placed fourth with 108,956 (0.18%).
They were on the ballot in 12 states and finished with 6.16% in Virginia and 2.11% in Tennessee, actually winning one county in each state. In their only role as a spoiler, they probably tipped the scales in Tennessee in favor of Eisenhower. After Arkansas (1.72%) they finished with less than 1% in the remainder of the states.
The 1956 results had no impact in the short run but would be significant in the long run.
Election history:
1943-1947 - California State Assembly (Republican)
1949-1953 - US House of Representatives (Calif.) (Republican)
1952 - Republican nomination for US President - defeated
1952 - US House of Representatives (Calif.) (Republican) - defeated
Other occupations: attorney
Buried: Greenlawn Cemetery and Mortuary (Bakersfield, Calif.)
Notes:
Buried in the same cemetery as Adrian Adonis.
Died as a result of complications from diabetes.
Originally from the Taft-wing of the Republican Party and an adversary of Earl Warren.
Joseph Milteer, who would be implicated in future JFK assassination theories, was active in the 1956
campaign. And to make this trivia totally nerdy, Milteer is buried in a cemetery in Quitman, Ga., a
town named after third party VP John Anthony Quitman who ran in the Southern Rights Party 1852!
