VP candidate for Independent (1976)
Running mate with nominee: Eugene McCarthy (1916-2005)
Popular vote: 208 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
After US Sen. Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) failed to secure the Democratic Party's nomination for President in 1968, a number of his followers campaigned for him as a third party candidate. McCarthy himself did not approve and in many but not all cases was able to have his name removed from the ballot. Different states ran his name under various party names with a variety of running mates, some of whom who were also not too thrilled to be listed: Coretta Scott King, Paul Newman, Dick Gregory, Paul O'Dwyer, and John Lindsay.
McCarthy made a brief foray into the Democratic Party primaries of 1972 but did not generate a lot of excitement. At some point after he dropped out of the race he left the Party, declared himself an Independent, and began a political journey to what could be described as libertarian centrism. As an Independent Presidential candidate in 1976 he is frequently better remembered for his high-profile legal battles to gain ballot access for third parties than for his political platform.
His 1976 VP situation made 1968 look tame. He was on the ballot in 29 states and a registered write-in in a few others. He had over 20 running mates. McCarthy himself said, "Vice-presidential candidates just clutter up the campaign. We should not ask the country to make two judgments. Everyone knows vice presidents have no influence on presidents once elected. Presidents' wives have much more influence. Perhaps we should have candidates' wives debate."
McCarthy's running-mate in Montana was Sue Hatt, the McCarthy '76 Committee secretary. Hatt was a resident of Littleton, N.H. They ran under the Independent label. Failing to obtain a place on the ballot, they were an option as write-ins.
One later source named Sally J. Sommer as McCarthy's running-mate in 1976, but newspaper accounts of that time I found definitely identify Hatt as the VP. It is unknown if Hatt had ever actually set foot in Montana at any time in her life, including during the campaign.
Before McCarthy had really started the campaign a reporter visited him in Washington, DC. Hatt warned the writer, "You don't look like other reporters so don't ask him stupid questions ... like why didn't he support Humphrey earlier in 1968. Like why is he like Harold Stassen. Just don't ask him any stupid questions. He's so intelligent, you know."
McCarthy/Hatt won 0.06% of the vote in Montana. Nationally McCarthy won 0.91% of the popular poll.
Election history: none
Other occupations: McCarthy '76 Committee secretary, New Hampshire Elector for John Anderson in 1980, literary translator, author
Buried: ?
Notes:
The reporter had the impression Hatt was something of a "Socialist" without explaining why.
Was an Eisenhower volunteer in 1952.
Supported Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Paul Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic primary elections for US
President
Friend of Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
Her Indiana-born father made his fortune in Mexico, where she was born. She subsequently found
herself moving around a lot internationally as well as in the USA before settling in New Hampshire.
Widow of George Vaillant (1901-1945)
