Sheila Grace Coyne-Carnac, July 4, 1926 (San Francisco, Calif.) -
VP candidate for Independent (1976)
Running mate with nominee: Eugene McCarthy (1916-2005)
Popular vote: 58,412 (0.07%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
After US Sen. Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) failed to secure the Democratic Party's nomination for President in 1968, a number of his followers campaigned for him as a third party candidate. McCarthy himself did not approve and in many but not all cases was able to have his name removed from the ballot. Different states ran his name under various party names with a variety of running mates, some of whom who were also not too thrilled to be listed: Coretta Scott King, Paul Newman, Dick Gregory, Paul O'Dwyer, and John Lindsay.
McCarthy made a brief foray into the Democratic Party primaries of 1972 but did not generate a lot of excitement. At some point after he dropped out of the race he left the Party, declared himself an Independent, and began a political journey to what could be described as libertarian centrism. As an Independent Presidential candidate in 1976 he is frequently better remembered for his high-profile legal battles to gain ballot access for third parties than for his political platform.
His 1976 VP situation made 1968 look tame. He was on the ballot in 29 states and a registered write-in in a few others. He had over 20 running mates. McCarthy himself said, "Vice-presidential candidates just clutter up the campaign. We should not ask the country to make two judgments. Everyone knows vice presidents have no influence on presidents once elected. Presidents' wives have much more influence. Perhaps we should have candidates' wives debate."
McCarthy's running-mate in California was Sheila Coyne-Carnac of Santa Cruz where they ran under the Independent label. Unable to achieve ballot status, an energetic campaign was waged as a registered write-in. When accused of being spoilers against Jimmy Carter the "gentlevoiced" Sheila replied, "What's to spoil? I'm a little frightened of Carter. The known is safer than the unknown."
They won 0.74% of the vote in California, which looks pretty small until you realize these were 58,412 write-in votes and suddenly it becomes much more impressive. It was the second largest state-wide block of popular votes McCarthy won in 1976. He took 0.91% of the national popular vote.
Election history: none
Other occupations: homemaker
Notes:
Active with Irish-based and philanthropic groups in the Bay Area.
Known today as Sheila O'Day Kiernan
