Harry Adolph Romer, December 9, 1895 (Ohio) - March 24, 1953 (St. Henry, Ohio)
VP candidate for America First Party (1944)
VP candidate for Christian Nationalist Party (1948)
Running mate with nominee (1944, 1948): Gerald L. K. Smith (1898-1976)
Popular vote (1944): 1780 (0.00%)
Popular vote (1948): 42 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (1944, 1948): 0/531
The campaign (1944):
Gerald L.K. Smith-- Disciples of Christ minister, isolationist, fascist sympathizer, anti-Semite, white supremacist, and Holocaust denier-- split from the Republicans and formed his America First Party in 1944. He appropriated the name of the America First Committee (who denied any connection with Smith).
Charles Lindbergh was Smith's first choice as a the Presidential nominee, but as that failed to materialize Smith took the helm instead. Ultraconservative Ohio Gov. John Bricker was chosen as the running mate. Trouble was, Bricker was already the Republican vice-presidential nominee, and he did not take kindly to being associated with the America First Party. Here are some of the Governor's reactions:
"I know nothing about it. I know no one connected with it. I shall not permit my name to be used in any such connection. I am a candidate for vice-president on the Republican ticket only."
"The act of Smith, in associating my name with his on a spurious ticket without any notice of any kind whatsoever, is the cheapest of demagoguery. I denounce it and shall not have my name used in any such connection."
"I hate demagoguery, religious intolerance and racial prejudice. They can destroy our free government, as they have destroyed liberty around the world. I shall fight them as long as I am in public office or as long as I live."
"The right of religious worship according to one’s own conscience is protected to every American citizen in the bill of rights. The men and women of our armed forces are fighting and dying to preserve that precious right. We must preserve it here at home."
Bricker's replacement on the ticket was found in the person of Harry A. Romer, based in St. Henry, Ohio and one of Father Coughlin's associates and organizers.
Some selections from Romer's acceptance speech:
-We cannot entrust the making of a lasting peace to a controlled press and radio, present day educators and unchristian politicians. We must entrust the making of a lasting peace to a religious teaching of all Christian denominations, world minded statesmen, and Christian minded politicians. Our party believes in a Christian educational system for our public schools controlled by local school boards.
-In closing I want to say it and want to say it with pride. I was an ardent follower of Father Charles E. Coughlin. He has been and still is the greatest educator we have in the United States of America, and I hope we will soon hear his educational voice again over our National airways. I further hope he will sit in at our peace conference because it's men like him, men like the late Huey P. Long and our present day statesmen such as Nye, Wheeler, Reynolds, LaFollette, O'Daniels, Hoffman, Langer, Ford, Lindbergh, Fish, O'Connor, Holt, Lemke, Smith and others like them who are able to write a true and lasting peace.
In September Smith endorsed the Republican Dewey/Bricker ticket, saying by doing so he was simply laying the groundwork for an America First Party victory in 1948. The reasoning was not made clear.
On the ballot in two states: Michigan (0.06%) and Texas (0.02%) with a total of 1515 votes. Their remaining 200+ votes nationwide were write-ins. Smith claimed they were merely using Michigan as a "test" run.
The campaign (1948):
With a new party name-- the Christian Nationalist Party-- Smith made another attempt for the presidency. Romer was once again the running mate.
The platform opposed communism and "zionism." It supported segregation. It also called for closing the American borders to immigrants who were Jewish or non-white.
Just how far to the Populist Right on the racist and bigot chart this campaign had reached can be revealed by none other than pro-segregation South Carolina Gov. Strom Thurmond, the 1948 Dixiecrat nominee for President. When Smith and company attempted to form a political bridge with the Dixiecrats, Thurmond said, "We do not invite and do not need the support of Gerald L.K. Smith or any other rabble-rousers who use race prejudice and class hatred to inflame the emotions of the people." Yes, that's from Strom Thurmond.
The Smith/Romer ticket appears not to have been included in any ballots in spite of their efforts, so their result of a whopping 42 votes nationwide must have been write-ins. Supporters said 1952 would be their victorious year.
Election history: none.
Other occupations: machinist, merchant, funeral director, President of United Farmers of America, local American Legion commander and chaplain
Buried: Saint Henry Church Cemetery (Saint Henry, Ohio)
Notes:
Catholic.
Was an active Republican.
Felt that all Communists should be shot.
