Cleve Andrew Pulley, May 5, 1951 (Greenwood, Miss.) -
VP candidate for Socialist Workers Party (aka Independent) (1972)
Running mate with nominee: Linda Jenness (b. 1941)
Popular vote: 69,502 (0.09%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
The Socialist Workers Party 1972 ticket featured two people, Linda Jenness and Andrew Pulley, who were below the minimum age mandated by the Constitution.
Their issues included: Out of Vietnam, 30-hour work week, abolition of taxes on incomes under $10,000 and 100% taxation of incomes above $25,000, free health care, free mass transportation, prison reform, community control for African-American and Latino populations, women's rights, and gay rights.
This election and perhaps the next in 1976 could be considered the era when the SWP enjoyed the peak of it's growth and influence. The years ahead would be filled with serious infighting, splinters, and decline as the Left redefined itself after the Vietnam War and Richard Nixon were no longer around to be concentrated on as focal points that had formerly acted as something of a unifier for the Progressive side. The youth wave crested in politics. Rock surrendered to Disco.
The ages of the candidates proved to be a problem in terms of ballot access for Indiana, New York, and Wisconsin. In those three states the SWP ticket consisted of the older Evelyn Reed and Clifton DeBerry.
Jenness/Pulley were on the ballot in 18 states and the District of Columbia. In two additional states, Arizona and Louisiana they were included by default since only the Electors were listed. They finished with an astounding 69,502 votes, and with the Reed/DeBerry results added the SWP polled a total of 83,380 popular votes. Their strongest states were Arizona 4.74% and Louisiana 1.37%-- the only two states where their names were not actually listed! In Arizona they earned an amazing 30,945 votes.
Or did they?
Turns out Arizona had experienced some ballot irregularities. A huge malfunction in mostly Pima County but also in Yavapai County apparently awarded SWP with over 30,000 votes they most certainly did not receive in real life. So their national total was probably more in the neighborhood of 52,000 votes, which is still a relatively strong showing in the history of this party.
Election history:
1970 - US House of Representatives (Calif.) (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
1976 - US House of Representatives (Ill.) (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
1979 - Mayor of Chicago, Ill. (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
1980 - US President (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
1984 - US House of Representatives (Mich.) (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
1986 - US House of Representatives (Mich.) (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
1990 - US House of Representatives (Mich.) (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
1992 - US Senate (Iowa) (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
Other occupations: soldier (Vietnam War), steel mill worker, railroad switchman, taxicab driver, SWP Presidential Elector (Iowa) 2012,
Notes:
Moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1963.
Winner of the 1970 race was Ron Dellums. Pulley was a write-in and under the age of 21, which at
the time was the minimum voting age.
Winner of the 1979 race was Jane Byrne
Winner of the 1984 and 1986 races was John Conyers
Winner of the 1992 race was Chuck Grassley
Still involved with SWP into Century 21.
