VP candidate for McCarthy '76 (1976)
Running mate with nominee: Eugene McCarthy (1916-2005)
Popular vote: 50,584 (0.06%)
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 Pennsylvania was Sally L. Wheaton of Selinsgrove. She had been a McCarthy volunteer in the Democratic Party primaries of 1968 and 1972. They were on the ballot under the McCarthy '76 label.
Wheaton told the press: "I first met him (McCarthy) in February. He gave a speech at the university. When it was over he stopped by our house. The next day a member of his campaign staff called and asked if I'd like to stand in as vice president. I had to think it over. I was afraid it would be misinterpreted, that people would think I actually was running for vice president. The whole idea of any independent running without a party and without a ticket was something I had to think about. But I finally said yes."
McCarthy/Wheaton won 1.09% of the vote in the Keystone State. Nationally McCarthy won 0.91% of the popular poll.
Election history:
1975 - Selinsgrove (Penn.) Area School District Director - primary - defeated
1977 - Selinsgrove (Penn.) Area School District Director - defeated
Other occupations: librarian, Selinsgrove Penn. Planning Commission
Notes:
Moved to Lolo, Mont.
The author of this blog is a retired librarian who shares the initials SLW and lives in the Pacific Northwest. Pretty neat, eh?
