George A. Nelson, November 15, 1873 (Polk County, Wis.) – May 4, 1962 (St. Croix Falls, Wis.)
VP candidate for Socialist Party of America (1936)
Running mate with nominee: Norman M. Thomas (1884-1968)
Popular vote: 187,910 (0.41%)
Electoral vote: 0/531
The campaign:
As the Socialist Party of America continued their slow downward spiral to oblivion, the once mighty third party nominated Norman Thomas for President on his third run for the office, and in a bid to appeal to agrarian and Midwest voters, George A. Nelson of Wisconsin was tapped as the running mate.
At the SPA convention, the delegates voted to seek cooperation with labor groups in creating a broader based party, but they drew the line at working with the Communist Party USA in forming a united front against fascism and rejected the appeal of the CPUSA to unite in a joint effort.
The SPA itself was still going through major generational, philosophical, political, and personality conflicts. A significant number of old guard right wing Socialists split away and in 1936 were forming their own group, the Social Democratic Federation of the United States of America. They endorsed Roosevelt in 1936, a nod to just how far one of the major parties had integrated the SPA's past platforms into mainstream politics.
On the other end of the spectrum, the SPA absorbed a wave of new members when the Workers Party of the United States dissolved in 1936. These were mainly Trotskyists and rather than transitioning into one happy Big Tent the SPA was becoming increasingly factionalized and dysfunctional.
Thomas and Nelson ran a very energetic campaign, and sometimes it seemed that they were running against Lemke's Union Party more than were against FDR. Although Thomas warned the country against the fascist and antisemitic leanings of the Union Party, the more militant wings of the SPA itself included paramilitary uniformed followers (blue shirts, red ties) with their own special salute (raised arm, clenched fist). It was the political fashion of the era.
With votes recorded in 38 states, the SPA only cracked 1% in New York with 1.55%. Nelson's home state of Wisconsin was next with 0.84% and it went downhill from there. As meager as their national result of 0.41% was, in the five presidential elections remaining for the SPA they would never again finish with a percentage as high.
Election history:
1921-1922 - Wisconsin State Assembly (Republican)
1925-1928 - Wisconsin State Assembly (Republican)
1926 - Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly during Special Session (Republican)
1934 - Governor of Wisconsin (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1938 - Lt. Governor of Wisconsin (Farmer-Labor Progressive Federation) - defeated
1942 - Treasurer of Wisconsin (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1944 - Governor of Wisconsin (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
Other occupations: miner, machinist, dairy farmer, author, school clerk, University of Wisconsin Regent, Delegate to the Republican National Convention 1928
Buried: Milltown Cemetery (Milltown, Wis.)
Notes:
Son of Danish immigrants.
Found enough gold during the Yukon Gold Rush of 1898 to purchase a farm in Wisconsin.
Joined the Social Democratic Party in 1899.
Was born under the name George A. Nielsen, but it was changed when he was in school "to enable
his Irish teacher to keep it straight."
Was considered a "Progressive Republican" in the 1920s.
