Thomas Jefferson Anderson, November 10, 1910 (Nashville, Tenn.) – August 30, 2002 (Raleigh, NC)
VP candidate for American Independent Party (aka American Party aka Constitutional Party aka Independent aka Independent Party aka Conservative aka George Wallace Party) (1972)
Running mate with nominee: John G. Schmitz (1930-2001)
Popular vote: 1,100,896 (1.42%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
As it happens so often with radical political movements that are personality-driven, when that personality is no longer around a vicious battle for supremacy takes place to fill the power vacuum. So it was with the American Independent Party when George Wallace returned to the Democratic Party after his unsuccessful third party bid in 1968.
Wallace was rather cagey about whether he would return to the AIP or not in the event he failed to win the Democratic nomination, but an assassination attempt gravely crippling the candidate on May 15, 1972 derailed all of his electioneering plans for that year. Several Wallace loyalists felt the AIP was really a one-man party, while others were ready to forge ahead on a policy-driven agenda.
Where the 1968 version of AIP had a populist and segregationist regional appeal in the South, the 1972 version reflected the fact that the ticket was occupied by John Birchers and their message played well in the Far West. But not all was rosey in the Party. Some of the disgruntled Ohio AIP delegates went home and formed their own ticket of Edward Wallace and Robert B. Mess.
John G. Schmitz outpolled segregationist Lester Maddox and fellow John Birch Society member and author Tom Anderson for the AIP Presidential nomination. Anderson became the running mate. Schmitz and Anderson were both well known in the art of sharp-tongued wisecracks.
Their campaign slogan: "When you're out of Schmitz, you're out of gear" was a takeoff on the well-known ad jingle at the time, "When you're out of Schlitz, you're out of beer."
To describe Schmitz as an ultra-conservative would be putting it mildly. In 2004 Schmitz was selected as the third most conservative member of the House and Senate between 1937-2002, behind only Ron Paul and Larry McDonald. Eventually he grew too extreme for even the John Birch Society and was expelled from the organization. A decade later the scandals of his personal life caught up to him, ending his political career. Tom Anderson would run for President in 1976 from the splinter American Party.
The Schmitz/Anderson ticket placed third nationally. Although not nearly as successful as George Wallace was in 1968, they did have some impressive results, actually placing second in a few counties. They were on the ballot in over 30 states. Strongest vote percentages: Idaho 9.3%, Alaska 7.25%, Utah 5.97%, Oregon 4.98%, Louisiana 4.95%, Montana 4.23%, Washington 4.00%, Arizona 3.25%, California 2.78%.
Election history:
1972 - American Independent Party nomination for US President - defeated
1976 - US President (American Party) - defeated
1978 - US Senate (Tenn.) (Independent) - defeated
Other occupations: sailor (US Navy WWII), securities salesman, journalist, author, radio commentator, John Birch Society activist
Buried: Mt. Hope Cemetery (Franklin, Tenn.)
Notes:
Winner of the 1978 race was Howard Baker.
Buried in the same cemetery as Minnie Pearl (Sara Ophelia Colley Cannon)
Methodist.
"America has a great mission to perform: to save the world from slavery and to save the world for Christianity."--Tom Anderson ca1962
