William Samuel Pick, March 15, 1936 (Santa Fe, NM) -
VP candidate for Mutual Happiness Society (1988)
Running mate with nominee: Tomaso Silvestri Macaione (1907-1992)
Popular vote: at least 93 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Tommy Macaione was a barber who moved from New London, Conn. to Santa Fe, NM in 1952 where he settled. He was a long time devoted plein air painter and his second passion-- running for public office-- began in 1962. Known as "Macaroni" or "El Diferente," he became a living icon in the city (along with the Rubber Lady) and a perennial candidate at election time.
Starting with the office of Mayor of Santa Fe, Macione's political aspirations went up the ladder of bureaucracy until he made two runs for President. At age 81 he made his second attempt for the Big Office in 1988. One of his political ads consisted of a giant billboard that implored, "Beloved voters, if you believe in world peace, general well-being and fairness, write in your vote for USA president Thomas S. Macaione." His political party, if you can call it that, was named the Mutual Happiness Society.
Macaione had previously run for President in 1984, but if he had a running mate in that election the information was overshadowed by the extensive news coverage of the neighborhood nuisance created by his out-of-control menagerie of homeless dogs and cats he had taken in. That story did not end well for him or many of the animals.
He announced his second Presidential run in July 1988. In the previous month he was photographed being hugged by the Rev. Jesse Jackson as the Democrat visited New Mexico in the primaries.
Some Macaione quotes from the 1988 campaign:
I urge everybody to run for president or congressman or senator, so, once every four years, the people can let out steam.
I am the mirror of the whole humanity that aspires deep in its secret heart -- even those who register Democrat or Republican -- deep in their hearts they're craving and praying for world peace and general well-being.
I would not stop people going to the moon or Mars or whatever, as long as they don't use it to make war.
Long live freedom and thoughtfulness.
As president I would talk to my fellow citizens and have lots of fireside chats. I'd say we have to change our life styles. We don't need to live luxuriously. We can still live joyously and be creative.
On Rev. Jesse Jackson: I like what he stands for, but the approach is better done by me.
Although I found no primary documents naming Santa Fe Mayor Sam Pick as Macaione's running-mate, I did find an article that mentioned the ticket in hindsight.
At Macaione's memorial in 1992 Pick recalled that Tommy "was quite the terror of city hall." But when Macaione asked him to be his running mate in 1988 Pick looked back, "I consider that to be one of the greatest accolades I have received." Pick had also been the State Chair of the Democratic Party until April 1988, when he stepped down and endorsed Gov. Dukakis.
They did have a bond. Both of the nominees were the children of Europeans. Pick's father was an immigrant from Austria, his mother from Germany. Macaione's parents came from Italy and his father had Greek heritage.
Macaione earned 93 write-in votes in New Mexico. It is unknown if there were write-ins from other states but it was possible since he had a little bit of national exposure.
If the Macaione/Pick team had been elected, Sam Pick would have served as President during the last few months of the term after Macaoine's death on Oct. 28, 1992. However, since they were both residents of the same state, there would have been a Constitutional barrier for both of them attaining office in the first place.
Election history:
1970-1976 - Santa Fe (NM) City Council (Nonpartisan)
1976-1978 - Mayor of Santa Fe, NM (Nonpartisan)
1986-1994 - Mayor of Santa Fe, NM (Nonpartisan)
1998 - Mayor of Santa Fe, NM (Nonpartisan) - defeated
Other occupations: soldier US Army, laundry business,
Notes:
Jewish.
Was viewed as a "pro-growth, pro-business, pro-tourism" mayor.
Also called Samuel W. Pick.
