Wynonia Brewington Burke, June, 1950 (Sampson County, NC) -
VP candidate for New Alliance Party (1988)
Running mate with nominee: Lenora Fulani (b. 1950)
Popular vote: 11,888 (0.01%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
In 1988 Lenora Fulani was the nominee for the New Alliance Party. She managed to achieve the nearly impossible task of gaining ballot status in all 50 states + DC. In some cases the NAP worked with already existing third parties such as the Solidarity Party and United Citizens Party. In California they tried but failed to take over the Peace and Freedom Party and in the process temporarily derailed the PFP for that election year.
Meanwhile, Dennis L. Serrette the NAP Presidential nominee for 1984, denounced the Party as a toxic cult during the 1988 election season. This point of view would be shared by several in the cultbusting community.
Fulani had eight running-mates in 1988, stating "If we got elected, we'd figure it out." Wynonia Brewington Burke, a resident of Arizona but originally from North Carolina was on the ballot with Fulani in four states. Burke's parents had Cherokee and Coharie tribal heritage, making her the third Indigenous American woman to be nominated for Vice-President in US history. She was usually identified in the media as part of the Coharie community.
Although in 1988 Burke was also running as a member of the NAP for a position in the Arizona State House, she still went out of state to campaign for the national ticket.
In 1987 Fulani said the NAP was prepared to endorse Jesse Jackson in the event he won the Democratic nomination, but in case he didn't her campaign was forging ahead.
The NAP platform included national health care, support for AIDS victims, recognition of Native American treaty rights, stronger environmental regulations, a freeze on military spending, ending aid to South Africa-Contras in Central America-Israel, support of pro-choice laws, support of public transportation.
Burke told a reporter, "We're going to cost Dukakis the election with two million votes he has taken for granted." But as it turned out Dukakis lost the election without the help of the NAP.
Nationally Fulani gained 217,221 votes (0.24%) and placed 4th, a truly impressive and historic finish on many levels-- for openers, Fulani was the first African American woman to be listed on every US ballot. The Fulani/Burke ticket earned 11,888 votes with the percentage result being Alaska 0.51%, North Carolina 0.27%, Washington 0.19%, Arizona 0.14%.
Election history:
1988 - Arizona House of Representatives (New Alliance Party) - defeated
Other occupations: artist, special needs care provider
Notes:
Moved to Tucson, Ariz. in 1983.
As a voter in Washington in 1988 I must confess I do not recall the Fulani/Burke campaign
registering on my radar. Full disclosure, I was an uncomitted delegate at the Grays Harbor County
Democratic convention that year. It was final time I ever participated as member of any political
party and I have regarded myself as an independent ever since.
