Alyson Kennedy, June 11, 1950 (Indianapolis, Ind.) -
VP candidate for Party for Socialist Workers Party (2008, 2012)
Running mate with nominee (2008): Róger Calero (b. 1969), James Edward Harris Jr. (b. 1948)
Running mate with nominee (2012): James Edward Harris Jr. (b. 1948)
Popular vote (2008): 7,577 (0.01%)
Popular vote (2012): 2,324 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2008, 2012): 0/538
The campaign (2008):
The Socialist Workers Party launched their national ticket of Róger Calero and Alyson Kennedy in Jan. 2008. There was one slight problem-- Calero, who was born in Nicaragua, was ineligible to hold the office he sought. Many states would not allow him to be listed on their ballots, so the stalwart perennial James E. Harris returned as a stand-in. Kennedy remained the running-mate in all states.
Calero was not only not born a US citizen, but he had nearly been deported stemming from an arrest back in 1988 concerning a felony-level sale of marijuana. This case came up in 2002 when Calero attempted to re-enter the US after a journalistic trip to Cuba.
The Calero/Kennedy ticket made the ballot in Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. They were write-ins in Connecticut. The Harris/Kennedy ticket made the ballot in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, and Washington. They were write-ins in California and Georgia.
In a decline from the previous election, the SWP tickets had their best showings in New York and Vermont (0.05%), Louisiana (0.04%), Minnesota (0.03%), Iowa and Washington (0.02%). Official popular vote tallies vary somewhat depending on the source.
The campaign (2012):
In keeping with what was becoming a tradition of nominating ineligible candidates, the SWP selected James E. Harris with under-35 years of age Maura DeLuca as his running-mate. Kennedy was called in to act as the stand-in VP in a half dozen instances. Kennedy was simultaneously running for Cook County State's Attorney (Ill.).
The SWP appeared to be in sort of a cryogenic holding pattern, not helped by the growing number of ex-members who charged the Party with using cultish methods of manipulation over their dedicated followers.
The Harris/Kennedy ticket won 2,324 popular votes out of the 4,120 cast for the Party as whole. They were on the ballot in Washington (0.04%), Iowa (0.03%), Louisiana (0.02%), and Colorado (0.01%). They were also write-ins for California and Georgia.
Election history:
1977 - Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio (Nonpartisan) - primary - defeated
2000 - US Senate (Mo.) (Independent) - defeated
2012 - Cook County State's Attorney, Ill. (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
2016 - US President (Socialist Workers Party) - defeated
2019 - Mayor of Dallas, Tex. (Nonpartisan) - defeated
2020 - US President (Socialist Workers Party) - pending
Other occupations: coal miner, teacher, Walmart worker, garment worker
Notes:
Winner of the 1977 election was Dennis Kucinich.
Was a write-in candidate in 2000.
A member of the SWP since 1975.
