List of Communist Party USA election results

This is a list of members of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) who have run for elected office in the United States .

Currently, CPUSA does not regularly field candidates, ^[1] aiming to avoid spoiling progressive Democratic candidates. ^[2] Discussions and debates about running candidates have occurred within the party; in 2021, CPSUA chairman Joe Sims said, "We really can’t be a political party if we don’t run candidates". ^[3]

CPUSA has run candidates on an explicit Communist ticket, on tickets of third parties (such as the Nonpartisan League), and on Democratic tickets. ^[1]

As of 2024 ^[update] , no CPUSA member has been elected to federal office, one has been elected to state office, and several have been elected to local government. See also: List of Communist Party USA members who have held office in the United States.

Presidential elections

Communist Party USA candidates for president and vice president

Year	President	Vice president	Votes	Percent	Name
1924	William Z. Foster	Benjamin Gitlow	38,669	0.1%	Workers Party of America
1928	William Z. Foster	Benjamin Gitlow	48,551	0.1%	Workers (Communist) Party of America
1932	William Z. Foster	James W. Ford	103,307	0.3%	Communist Party USA
1936	Earl Browder	James W. Ford	79,315	0.2%
1940	Earl Browder	James W. Ford	48,557	0.1%
1948	No candidate; endorsed Henry Wallace	No candidate; endorsed Glen H. Taylor	N/A
1952	No candidate; endorsed Vincent Hallinan	No candidate; endorsed Charlotta Bass
1968	Charlene Mitchell	Michael Zagarell	1,077	nil%
1972	Gus Hall	Jarvis Tyner	25,597	nil%
1976	Gus Hall	Jarvis Tyner	58,709	0.1%
1980	Gus Hall	Angela Davis	44,933	0.1%
1984	Gus Hall	Angela Davis	36,386	nil%

Congressional elections

Year	Candidate	Chamber	State	District	Votes	%	Result	Notes	Ref
1992	Denise Winebrenner Edwards	House	Pennsylvania	18	3,650	1.44%	Lost	ran as independent	[4]
1992	John Rummel	House	New Jersey	13	1,525	1.05%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[4]
1988	Mark Almberg	House	Illinois	8	1,937	1.34%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[5]
1988	John Rummel	House	New Jersey	14	442	0.29%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[5]
1984	Laura Ross	House	Massachusetts	8	15,810	8.08%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[6]
1984	Ishmael Flory	Senate	Illinois	At-Large	4,802	0.1%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[6]
1984	Lucille Bieger	Senate	Kansas	At-Large	9,380	0.94%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[6]
1984	Samuel Webb	Senate	Michigan	At-Large	1,196	0.03%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[6]
1982	Joelle Fishman	House	Connecticut	3	696	0.38%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[7]
1982	Joelle Fishman	House	Connecticut	3	696	0.38%	Lost	ran as Citizens Party candidate	[7]
1980	Charles Wilson	Senate	Illinois	At-Large	11,453	0.25%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[8]
1980	William Scott	Senate	New York	At-Large	4,161	0.07%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[8]
1980	Frank Kinces	Senate	Pennsylvania	At-Large	3,334	0.08%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[8]
1980	Rick Nagin	Senate	Ohio	At-Large	42,410	1.05%	Lost	ran as independent	[8]
1980	Joelle Fishman	House	Connecticut	3	2711	1.21%	Lost	ran as Citizens Party candidate	[8]
1978	Joelle Fishman	House	Connecticut	3	3,068	1.84%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[9]
1976	Joelle Fishman	House	Connecticut	3	2,947	1.32%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[10]
1976	Matt Savola	Senate	Minnesota	At-Large	2,214	0.12%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[10]
1976	Herbert Aptheker	Senate	New York	At-Large	25,141	0.38%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[10]
1976	Frank Kinces	Senate	Pennsylvania	At-Large	2,097	0.05%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[10]
1976	Margaret Cann	Senate	Rhode Island	At-Large	912	0.23%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[10]
1974	Ishmael Flory	Senate	Illinois	At-Large	5,873	0.2%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]

Statewide elections

Year	Candidate	Office	State	District	Votes	%	Result	Notes	Ref
1990	Evelina Alarcón	Secretary of State	California	At-Large	144,577	1.93%	Lost	ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate	[12] [13]
1986	Helen Kruth	Treasurer	Minnesota	At-Large	13,817	1.03%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[14]
1985	George Fishman	Governor	New Jersey	At-Large	1,901	0.1%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[15]
1984	Marcia Davis	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	56289	0.44%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3	[11]
1984	Richard Giovanoni	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	50724	0.4%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3	[11]
1984	Elsie Rosado	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	37,311	0.29%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3	[11]
1982	Richard Giovanoni	House	Illinois	7	530	2.08%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]
1982	Helen Kruth	Treasurer	Minnesota	At-Large	28,131	1.69%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[16]
1980	Barbara Browne	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	46,956	0.39%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3	[12] [11]
1980	Mark Almberg	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	22,793	0.19%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3	[11]
1980	Richard Rozoff	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	22,406	0.19%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3	[11]
1978	Helen Kruth	Auditor	Minnesota	At-Large	22,576	1.51%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[17]
1976	Ishmael Flory	Governor	Illinois	At-Large	10,091	0.22%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]
1976	Theodore Pearson	Attorney General	Illinois	At-Large	11,154	0.25%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]
1976	Frances Gabow	Secretary of State	Illinois	At-Large	8,271	0.18%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]
1976	Charles Hunter	Comptroller	Illinois	At-Large	10,992	0.25%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]
1976	Mark Almberg	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	25,641	0.21%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]
1976	Altherna Medith	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	18,948	0.16%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]
1976	Jack Kling	Trustee	Illinois	At-Large	17,414	0.14%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]
1972	Ishmael Flory	Governor	Illinois	At-Large	4,592	0.1%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[11]

State legislature elections

Year	Candidate	Office	State	District	Votes	%	Result	Notes	Ref
2006	Kenneth Jones	Senator	Missouri	4	559	3.01%	Lost	Democratic primary	[18]
1996	David Mirtz	Assembly	New York	80	265	0.85%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[19]
1994	Mark Almberg	Senate	Illinois	17	21	0.08%	Lost	write-in	[11]
1992	David Mirtz	Assembly	New York	71	575	2.31%	Lost	ran as "Tax the Rich" candidate	[20]

Local elections

Year	Candidate	Office	City	District	Votes	%	Result	Notes	Ref
2022	Steven Estrada	City Council	Long Beach	1	441	8.53%	Lost	nonpartisan election	[21] [22]
2019	Denise Winebrenner Edwards	Borough Council	Wilkinsburg	3	922	65.34%	Won	ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member	[23] [12] [24]
2019	Tony Pecinovsky	Alderperson	St. Louis	14	622	47.96%	Lost	Democratic primary	[25] [26]
2019	Wahsayah Whitebird	Alderperson	Ashland	6	52	55.32%	Won	nonpartisan election	[27] [28] [29]
2017	Denise Winebrenner Edwards	Borough Council	Wilkinsburg	3	613	55.32%	Won	ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member; opponent was write-in; 2-year seat	[30] [12] [24]
2017	Denise Winebrenner Edwards	Borough Council	Wilkinsburg	3	547	23.77%	Lost	ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member; vote for 2, 3rd place	[30] [12] [24]
2013	Dominic Giannone III	City Council	Weymouth	1	77	9.76%	Lost	nonpartisan primary, did not advance to general	[31] [32] [33] [34] [35]
2005	Denise Winebrenner Edwards	Borough Council	Wilkinsburg				Won		[36]
2002	Gary Dotterman	City Council	Boston	9			Lost	nonpartisan election	[37] [38]
2001	Denise Winebrenner Edwards	Borough Council	Wilkinsburg				Won		[39]
1999	Kenneth Jones	Alderperson	St. Louis	22	1,231	58.93%	Won	ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member	[12] [40] [41]
1997	Denise Winebrenner Edwards	Borough Council	Wilkinsburg				Won		[39]
1995	Kenneth Jones	Alderperson	St. Louis	22	767	55.58%	Won	ran as independent	[12] [40] [41]
1993	Gary Dotterman	City Council	Boston	At-large	5,404	1.81%	Lost	nonpartisan primary, did not advance to general	[42]
1991	Kenneth Jones	Alderperson	St. Louis	22	1,501	72.65%	Won	ran as independent	[12] [40] [41]
1987	Kenneth Jones	Alderperson	St. Louis	22	1,187	53.93%	Won	ran as independent	[12] [40] [41]
1983	Kenneth Jones [a]	Alderperson	St. Louis	22	1,566	60.07%	Won	ran as independent	[12] [40] [41]
1977	Joelle Fishman	Mayor	New Haven	At-Large	417	1.04%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[43]
1975	Joelle Fishman	Mayor	New Haven	At-Large	811	2.38%	Lost	ran as CPUSA candidate	[44]

See also

• Other lists:
  • List of socialist members of the United States Congress
  • List of elected socialist mayors in the United States
  • List of Democratic Socialists of America public officeholders
  • List of Green politicians who have held office in the United States
• History of the socialist movement in the United States
• History of the Communist Party USA

Notes

1. Also called Kenny Jones.

References

1. "Does the CPUSA run candidates for elected office? What is the history of the CPUSA in presidential elections?". Communist Party USA. April 26, 2016.
2. Arney, Michael (April 24, 2019). "Communist election strategy, here and now". Communist Party USA.
3. "It's time to run candidates: A call for discussion and action". Communist Party USA. April 9, 2021.
4. "Federal Elections 92" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. June 1993. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
5. "Federal Elections 88" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. May 1989. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
6. "Federal Elections 84" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. May 1985. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
7. "Federal Elections 82" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. 1983. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
8. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of 1980" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. April 1981. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 1, 2007.
9. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of 1978" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. April 1979. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 1, 2007.
10. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of 1976" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. April 1977. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 1, 2007.
11. "Downloadable Vote Totals". Illinois State Board of Elections.
12. Pecinovsky, Tony (May 8, 2020). "100 years of CPUSA: A critical reply to Jacobin". Communist Party USA. And in 1997, Denise Winebrenner Edwards was elected to the Wilkinsburg, PA, city council.
13. "Statement of Vote General Election November 6, 1990" (PDF). California Secretary of State.
14. "Treasurer, 1986 Election". University of Minnesota Libraries.
15. "Votes Cast for the Office of Governor of the State of New Jersey" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1985.
16. "Treasurer, 1982 Election". University of Minnesota Libraries.
17. "Auditor, 1978 Election". University of Minnesota Libraries.
18. "All Results Official Election Returns State of Missouri Primary Election Primary Election Tuesday, August 08, 2006" (PDF). Missouri Board of State Canvassers. August 23, 2006.
19. "1996 Nov 5 • General Member of Assembly • State Assembly District 80". New York State Board of Elections.
20. "NY Assembly 71". Our Campaigns.
21. Rae, Jackie (15 February 2022). "Long Beach has a City Council candidate hoping to change perceptions of communism". lbpost.com. Long Beach Post. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
22. "Steven Estrada". ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
23. "2019 General Election". Allegheny County.
24. "Ballot Access News". Ballot Access News. December 5, 1997. On November 4, Denise Winebrenner Edwards was elected to the Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania borough council. Although she was a Democratic Party nominee, she is also a leader of the Communist Party, a fact which was well known during the campaign.
25. Lynch, Maicol David; Wood, Roberta (March 15, 2019). "Labor-backed candidate Tony Pecinovsky scores 48 percent in St. Louis race". People's World. Communist Party USA.
26. "Election Summary Report Primary Municipal Election St. Louis, Missouri March 5, 2019" (PDF). St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners. March 11, 2019.
27. Johnson, Earchiel (7 May 2019). "Native American communist topples incumbent council president in Wisconsin town". People's World. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021.
28. Winger, Richard (May 7, 2019). "Communist Party Member Elected to City Council of Ashland, Wisconsin". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021.
29. "2019 Spring Election, City & Village" (PDF). County of Ashland. April 2, 2019.
30. "2017 General Election". Allegheny County.
31. Schiavone, Christian (August 28, 2013). "Weymouth Town Council Candidate Proud to Be a Communist". The Patriot Ledger.
32. Laidler, John (September 12, 2013). "Communist sets his sights on Weymouth Town Council seat". Boston Globe .
33. "Dominic Giannone III". Ballotpedia.
34. Schiavone, Christian (September 18, 2013). "Haugh, Montanez advance in Weymouth Town Council race". The Patriot Ledger.
35. Catinella, Tony (September 18, 2013). "Precinct By Precinct Weymouth Election Results". Archived from the original on 2015-11-21.
36. "California voters rebel against corporate agenda". People's World. Communist Party USA. November 11, 2005.
37. Dotterman, Gary (November 7, 2002). "Dotterman for Boston City Council". People's World. Communist Party USA.
38. Miliard, Mike (July 1–7, 2005). "Mao, more than ever". The Boston Phoenix.
39. "World Editorial Board member wins election". People's World. Communist Party USA. November 10, 2001.
40. Pecinovsky, Tony (July 4, 2002). "Union members serving public interest". People's World. Communist Party USA.
41. "Kenneth Jones". Our Campaigns.
42. Atkins, C.J. (June 22, 2023). "Remembering Gary Dotterman: Anti-racist Oklahoman, Vietnam vet for peace, and irrepressible gay Communist". People's World. Communist Party USA.
43. "Mayor of New Haven". Our Campaigns.
44. "Mayor of New Haven". Our Campaigns.