William Daniel Dyke

William Daniel Dyke, April 25, 1930 (Princeton, Ill.) – March 10, 2016 (Dodgeville, Wis.)

VP candidate for American Independent Party (aka Conservative Party aka George Wallace Party aka American Party aka Independent aka Constitutional Party aka Concerned Citizens Party) (1976)

Running mate with nominee: Lester Maddox (1915-2003)
Popular vote: 162,657 (0.19%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

By the 1976 election the American Party and the American Independent Party were two separate political entities, both claiming to be the rightful philosophical heir to George Wallace's 1968 significant third party effort.

While the American Party was more influenced by the John Birch Society, the American Independent Party had taken a couple steps into the past and in a contentious and bitter convention battle nominated the publicity-grabbing arch-bigot and pickaxe handle wielding ex-Governor of Georgia, Lester Maddox. Many delegates who considered themselves to be serious conservatives walked out of the convention upon his nomination as they regarded Maddox to be a populist buffoon and throwback to an era while inflaming an issue that most of America, including many in this Right-wing party, wanted to put behind them and move on.

To balance the ticket the VP position was given to former Madison, Wis. Mayor Bill Dyke, who made his mark as a controversial conservative law and order Republican during the anti-war demonstrations in his city. He had been a member of the American Independent Party for only a few hours before he won the nomination.

Upon being selected as the Veep, Dyke said, "We're going to effect the outcome, sure we are. I have no illusions about this. This is not a major party and I'm aware of that." When asked if he shared Maddox's views on race, Dyke replied, "Certainly not. I am not a segregationist." Since the words "Lester Maddox" and "segregation" were solidly welded together by 1976 one is left wondering why Dyke agreed to be the running mate or associated with Maddox in any way. Needless to say, many of Dyke's past Republican supporters were shocked and dismayed. And many of Dyke's former progressive opponents pointed to this action as proof Dyke had always been the extremist they said he was.

The AIP platform opposed abortion, the ERA, pornography, homosexuality, gun control, legal marijuana, and busing for school segregation, U.S. involvement with the United Nations, amnesty for Vietnam War draft evaders, and releasing the Panama Canal. It supported the governments of Taiwan, South Africa, and Rhodesia.

George Wallace, the Godfather of the AIP, endorsed Jimmy Carter in the course of the campaign. Maddox was livid. He said southern Democrats who endorse Carter were "southern pseudo-conservatives" who "have betrayed the people and betrayed the South." Of Wallace in particular Maddox declared the Carter endorsement was "The greatest blow to the conservative cause in this nation's experience." Maddox predicted a Ford victory.

The Maddox/Dyke ticket was on the ballot or had recorded write-ins in 23 states and placed 5th nationally, closely tucked after the Libertarian Party and in front of the American Party. Maddox had a different running mate in the state of New Jersey, Edmund O. Matzal.

Maddox/Dyke polled 1.74% in Idaho. The runner up states were Louisiana 0.79%, Alabama 0.78%, California 0.65%, Mississippi 0.63%, Nebraska 0.56%, Pennsylvania and Washington 0.55% each, and Connecticut 0.51%. An argument could be made that the AIP cost President Ford the State of Ohio but that would not have changed the final outcome of the national contest.

Other occupations: children's TV host, TV news panel show moderator, general contractor, horse breeder, attorney, judge, children's book illustrator, movie producer

Election history:
1967 - Mayor of Madison, Wis. (Nonpartisan) - defeated
1969-1973 - Mayor of Madison, Wis. (Nonpartisan)
1973 - Mayor of Madison, Wis. (Nonpartisan) - defeated
1974 - Governor of Wisconsin (Republican) - defeated

Buried: ?

Notes:
He had a past and future third party VPs as opponents in the 1974 race: Patrick Lucey (winner) and
 Georgia Cozzini.
An uncredited executive producer of the 1975 film The Giant Spider Invasion.
Illustrator of the children's book The General's hat, or why the bell tower stopped working / by Kay
 Price (Sauk City, WI : Geranium Press, 1990)

Thomas Jefferson Anderson

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

Samuel Marvin Griffin

 Griffin, Lester Maddox, George Wallace

Samuel Marvin Griffin, September 4, 1907 (Bainbridge, Ga.) - June 13, 1982 (Tallahassee, Fla.)

VP candidate for American Independent Party (aka Independent aka American Party aka George Wallace Party aka George C. Wallace Party aka Conservative Party aka Independent American Party aka Courage Party aka George Wallace Independent Party aka Petition Party) (1968)

Running mate with nominee: George C. Wallace (1919-1998)
Popular vote: 8,588,201 (11.73%) 
Electoral vote: 25/538 (Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi)

The campaign:

The American Independent Party was created in Bakersfield, Calif. in 1967 as a Presidential vehicle for George Wallace, the former Democratic Governor of Alabama who was a segregationist in the Right-wing populist tradition. As the campaign became national Wallace's plan was to drive the election into the US House where his forces could negotiate with the major parties for policy concessions.

The AIP managed to co-opt most of the extremist Right-wing political parties and continue the process started by Barry Goldwater in the previous election of delivering conservative Democratic Party voters of the Southern States into the ranks of the Republican Party-- a process that would be complete by the next election in 1972.

Wallace's campaign managed to place his name on the ballot in all 50 states. The Party was filed under a variety of names but they all traced back to the same organization. In order to qualify for some of the Byzantine requirements frequently encountered by third parties (and designed to discourage them), Wallace had to name a running mate before he was ready. So as a stand-in VP he chose another former Democratic Governor who was a segregationist, S. Marvin Griffin of Georgia.

It had been almost a decade since Griffin had held an elected office, but he had hoped to be on the ticket permanently. The Wallace people felt that Griffin was basically the Georgia version of Wallace and they wanted someone who would broaden the ticket and appeal to more mainstream voters. When Gen. Curtis LeMay was announced as the real-life VP nominee in early Oct. 1968, Griffin was disappointed.

Because of the lateness in naming LeMay, it was Griffin's name that appeared with Wallace on the ballot in 44 states. Although the Electors were said to be pledged to LeMay, most of the AIP voters selected a ticket that read George C. Wallace-Marvin Griffin.

Of the 9,901,118 votes cast for Wallace, 8,599,201 of those were on the ballot as the Wallace/Griffin ticket. Wallace won 13.53% of the national total, and 11.73% of that was with Griffin. 25 of Wallace's 46 Electoral votes were with Griffin.

1968 would be the last year to date where a third party would win the popular vote of any state. Ross Perot in 1992 would be the only third party candidate to outpoll Wallace (Perot's 18.91% to Wallace's 13.53%) but the later effort failed to win any states as it did not have the regional concentration of the AIP.

Election history:
1934-1936 - Georgia General Assembly (Democratic)
1936 - US House of Representatives (Democratic) - primary - defeated
1946 - Lt. Governor of Georgia (Democratic) - primary - defeated
1948-1955 - Lt. Governor of Georgia (Democratic)
1955-1959 - Governor of Georgia (Democratic)
1962 - Governor of Georgia (Democratic) - primary - defeated

Other occupations: school teacher, newspaper editor, soldier (WWII), real estate

Buried: Oak City Cemetery (Bainbridge, Ga.)

Notes:
Buried in the same cemetery as Miriam Hopkins.
"I quit politics because of ill health. Yes sir, the voters got sick of me."--Marvin Griffin