Terence J. Spencer, October 10, 1928 (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) - April 1, 2008 (Pultneyville, NY)
VP candidate for Independence Party (aka Independent Party) (1976)
Running mate with nominee: Eugene McCarthy (1916-2005)
Popular vote: 4303 (0.00%)
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 New York was Terence J. Spencer who loved in a mobile home upstate in Bristol. They ran under the Independence Party label but failed to obtain ballot status at the last minute, an official government decision that no doubt helped Jimmy Carter carry the state. Their names had even appeared in sample ballots and stickers had to be produced to cover the McCarthy/Spencer ticket already printed on most ballots. Electors were already selected so in fantasy theory McCarthy could have won in a write-in sweep.
Spencer was quoted as saying the difference between McCarthy's bid and "those of the entrenched parties is that we take very seriously the country's persistent problems, such as unemployment, non-constitutional government and militarism. The other candidates take themselves seriously."
McCarthy/Spencer won 0.07% of the vote in New York as write-ins. Nationally McCarthy won 0.91% of the popular poll.
The Ford-Carter result was very close in New York (Carter 51.87% - Ford 47.45%). Politicos like to point out that pre-election polls indicted if McCarthy had been allowed on the ballot in the Empire State there was strong possibility Ford would have won the state's 41 Electors, and with it the Presidency in 1976.
Election history:
1972 - US House of Representatives (NY) (Democratic) - defeated
1974 - US House of Representatives (NY) (Democratic) - primary - defeated
1974 - US House of Representatives (NY) (Independent) - defeated
Other occupations: college teacher, consulting and public relations, soldier (WWII, Korea), Peace Corps volunteer, playwright, newspaper columnist
Buried: Mount Calvary Cemetery (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Notes:
Has a cool name for Spaghetti Western fans, combining the classic duo of Terence Hill and Bud
Spencer.
In 1974 listed to voters all the reasons why they might NOT want to vote him including divorce and
not being in combat while in the US Army.
Ph.D. in English, Stanford 1957
Known for his tongue-in-cheek humor, died on April Fools Day.
Buried in the same cemetery as Fran Allison.
His play Jonah was produced off-Broadway in 1967
In the general election of 1974 ran as a write-in.
