1972
1976
Jarvis Tyner, July 11, 1941 (Philadephia, Penn.) -
VP candidate for Communist Party USA (aka Independent) (1972, 1976)
Running mate with nominee (1972, 1976): Gus Hall (1910-2000)
Popular vote (1972): 25,598 (0.03%)
Popular vote (1976): 58,709 (0.07%)
Electoral vote (1972, 1976): 0/538
The campaign (1972):
After years of numerous splits and intra-Party wars, the Communist Party USA was greatly diminished but enjoying something of a revival in the early 1970s. Even though the Democratic Party had nominated ultra-liberal US Sen. George McGovern (D-SD) who had been a member of Henry Wallace's Progressive Party earlier in his career, the CPUSA felt he would only "nibble" away at the capitalistic system and probably shift to the Right once he was elected.
The CPUSA selected Party veteran Gus Hall in what would be the first of his four runs for President. Jarvis Tyner, who at age 31 by Election Day was under the Constitutionally mandated age (35) to serve, was selected as VP. The ticket represented the pre- and post-WWII generations of the Party, but their orthodox views of Leninism, past enthusiastic support of Stalin, and general ties with the Soviet Union alienated a large swath of those on the American Left.
One area where the CPUSA was far ahead of most 20th century US political parties was in their activism for linking the social and civil rights of African Americans to what the Party viewed as part of their model of inevitable economic evolution. This was symbolized in the composition of their Presidential tickets with Charlene Mitchell as the nominee in 1968, and VPs James W. Ford 1936-1940-1944, Jarvis Tyner 1972-1976, and Angela Davis 1980-1984.
Now to digress a bit with a personal story. In 1972 Gus Hall came to give a campaign speech at a college near me, so being the politically curious young person I was, I went to hear what he had to say. The room was not packed, but I would guess there were about 50 of us at most in attendance. The front row was comprised of maybe a half dozen senior citizens who apparently were local Communists and perhaps active in the 1930s. They were quite vocal in cheering for Mr. Hall. The back rows were filled with Right-wing hecklers. At least a couple Secret Service agents were on either side of the room.
Mr. Hall declared at the outset he would not answer any "rhetorical questions," a rule that came in quite handy when attendees from the back row would ask him a question he didn't like, or at least that was my impression. He apologized for the presence of the Secret Service agents, who he said were there against his wishes.
His demeanor was cheerful and one could see the heckling directed at him was just part of the game and he was clearly not bothered by it. I don't recall him ever using the word "Communist," instead he employed the substitute term of "Scientific Socialism."
One of the bits of trivia he happily shared was that in the 1950s when he was imprisoned he got to know and like the infamous Machine-Gun Kelly (better remembered in 1972 than now).
I asked Mr. Hall how as President he would tolerate those who still advocated for the capitalist system. Rather than brush me aside as a rhetorical questioner he claimed he would pay capitalist apologists to speak in public in order to remind people how bad things used to be.
After the presentation was over I hung about a bit and noticed Mr. Hall was taken away in huge luxury car like a Lincoln or Cadillac.
The 1972 Hall/Tyner campaign was active and had the appearance of being better funded than most of the political parties running from the Left that year but they still trailed behind the Socialist Workers Party, Socialist Labor Party, and the People's Party. On the ballot in at least 15 states, their popular vote strongholds were Ohio 0.16%, District of Columbia 0.15%, Illinois 0.11%, and New York 0.08%.
The campaign (1976):
Same ticket as in 1972 but the political landscape was much different. The Vietnam War was over, Nixon was gone, and America had grown weary of keeping up with the social unrest of the 1960s and early 1970s and wanted a break (hence, Disco music and pet rocks). Since the major candidates President Gerald Ford and Gov. Jimmy Carter were both moderate centrists within their parties the CPUSA was able to claim with some justification that there was not a lot of ideological daylight between the two.
1976 was the best year in the CPUSA 1968-1984 range in terms of votes, but still below any of their showings percentage-wise between 1924-1940. On the ballot in almost half the states, they finished best in Louisiana 0.58%, Illinois 0.20%, Ohio 0.19%, Alabama 0.17%, California and New York 0.16% each.
Election history:
1978 - Governor of New York (Communist Party USA) - defeated
1985 - Mayor of New York City (People Before Profits) - defeated
Other occupations: industrial worker, lecturer, author
Notes:
Winner of the 1978 race was Hugh Carey.
Opponents in 1985 included Ed Koch (winner) and Lenora Fulani.
Moved to New York in 1967.
Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner is his older brother.
Joined the CPUSA in 1961 and remains allied to this day.
