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, CPUSA 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, 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
2025 Christopher Semok City Council Columbia Falls At-Large 509
21.6%
 Won nonpartisan election [21]
2025 Hannah Shvets Common Council Ithaca 5 243
64.12%
 Won ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member [22]
2025 Daniel Carson City Council Bangor At-large 2,512
14.3%
 Won nonpartisan election [23]
2025 Luisa de Paula Santos School Committee Cambridge At-large 2,399
10.29%
 Won nonpartisan election [23]
2025 Luke Rotello City Council Northampton 5 592
42.92%
 Lost nonpartisan election [23]
2025 Colton Baldus Park Board Minneapolis 5 1,661
6.17%
 Lost nonpartisan election [23]
2022 Steven Estrada City Council Long Beach 1 441
8.53%
 Lost nonpartisan election [24][25]
2019 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg 3 922
65.34%
 Won ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member [26][12][27]
2019 Tony Pecinovsky Alderperson St. Louis 14 622
47.96%
 Lost Democratic primary [28][29]
2019 Wahsayah Whitebird Alderperson Ashland 6 52
55.32%
 Won nonpartisan election [30][31][32]
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 [33][12][27]
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 [33][12][27]
2013 Dominic Giannone III City Council Weymouth 1 77
9.76%
 Lost nonpartisan primary, did not advance to general [34][35][36][37][38]
2005 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg Won [39]
2002 Gary Dotterman City Council Boston 9 Lost nonpartisan election [40][41]
2001 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg Won [42]
1999 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 1,231
58.93%
 Won ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member [12][43][44]
1997 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg Won [42]
1995 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 767
55.58%
 Won ran as independent [12][43][44]
1993 Gary Dotterman City Council Boston At-large 5,404
1.81%
 Lost nonpartisan primary, did not advance to general [45]
1991 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 1,501
72.65%
 Won ran as independent [12][43][44]
1987 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 1,187
53.93%
 Won ran as independent [12][43][44]
1983 Kenneth Jones[a] Alderperson St. Louis 22 1,566
60.07%
 Won ran as independent [12][43][44]
1977 Joelle Fishman Mayor New Haven At-Large 417
1.04%
 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate [46]
1975 Joelle Fishman Mayor New Haven At-Large 811
2.38%
 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate [47]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Also called Kenny Jones.

References

  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "Federal Elections 92" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. June 1993. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Federal Elections 88" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. May 1989. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d "Federal Elections 84" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. May 1985. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Federal Elections 82" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. 1983. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e "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. ^ a b c d e "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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Downloadable Vote Totals". Illinois State Board of Elections.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. ^ "Christopher Semok (Columbia Falls City Council At-large, Montana, candidate 2025)". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  22. ^ "First of the City and Last of the State: Benjamin Nichols and Ithaca's Flirtations with Socialism". Cosmonaut. Archived from the original on 2025-10-01. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  23. ^ a b c d Atkins, C.J. "Communist Party members run for office, strengthening communities and building coalitions". People's World. Longview Publishing Inc. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  24. ^ 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.
  25. ^ "Steven Estrada". ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  26. ^ "2019 General Election". Allegheny County.
  27. ^ a b c "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.
  28. ^ 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.
  29. ^ "Election Summary Report Primary Municipal Election St. Louis, Missouri March 5, 2019" (PDF). St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners. March 11, 2019.
  30. ^ 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.
  31. ^ 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.
  32. ^ "2019 Spring Election, City & Village" (PDF). County of Ashland. April 2, 2019.
  33. ^ a b "2017 General Election". Allegheny County.
  34. ^ Schiavone, Christian (August 28, 2013). "Weymouth Town Council Candidate Proud to Be a Communist". The Patriot Ledger.
  35. ^ Laidler, John (September 12, 2013). "Communist sets his sights on Weymouth Town Council seat". Boston Globe.
  36. ^ "Dominic Giannone III". Ballotpedia.
  37. ^ Schiavone, Christian (September 18, 2013). "Haugh, Montanez advance in Weymouth Town Council race". The Patriot Ledger.
  38. ^ Catinella, Tony (September 18, 2013). "Precinct By Precinct Weymouth Election Results". Archived from the original on 2015-11-21.
  39. ^ "California voters rebel against corporate agenda". People's World. Communist Party USA. November 11, 2005.
  40. ^ Dotterman, Gary (November 7, 2002). "Dotterman for Boston City Council". People's World. Communist Party USA.
  41. ^ Miliard, Mike (July 1–7, 2005). "Mao, more than ever". The Boston Phoenix.
  42. ^ a b "World Editorial Board member wins election". People's World. Communist Party USA. November 10, 2001.
  43. ^ a b c d e Pecinovsky, Tony (July 4, 2002). "Union members serving public interest". People's World. Communist Party USA.
  44. ^ a b c d e "Kenneth Jones". Our Campaigns.
  45. ^ 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.
  46. ^ "Mayor of New Haven". Our Campaigns.
  47. ^ "Mayor of New Haven". Our Campaigns.
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