The Socialist Party of the United States of America (also Socialist Party USA or SPUSA) is a socialist political party in the United States. SPUSA formed in 1973, one year after the Socialist Party of America splintered into three: Social Democrats, USA (legal successor); the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (split); and SPUSA.

SPUSA describes itself as a multi-tendency socialist party which hopes to win socialism through a "democratic revolution from below". In contrast to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), SPUSA advocates for "uncompromising independence" from the Democratic Party. SPUSA describes socialism as "radical democracy", in opposition to "capitalist and authoritarian statist systems".

Notable members include David McReynolds, Frank Zeidler, and Dan La Botz. Former members include Ben Burgis.

Membership In 1975, chairman Frank Zeidler claimed that SPUSA had around 500 members nationwide. SPUSA saw growth during the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s, expanding from around 600 members to around 1,700 members. In 2008, WMNF claimed that SPUSA had around 3,000 members. However, in 2010, CommonDreams wrote that SPUSA had only 1,000 members, and party members described that as an increase in membership. In May 2011, The New York Times stated that SPUSA had "about 1,000 members nationally". In February 2012, The Root stated that SPUSA had "around 1,500" members.

Ideology SPUSA argues that socialism can only come through social revolution. SPUSA tendencies include both democratic socialism, for a gradual transformation of society, and revolutionary socialism, for a rapid transformation following a slow "socialist transformation from below" through radically democratic "people's organizations". SPUSA describes socialism as a radically democratic system which "places people's lives under their own control—a classless, feminist, socialist society free of racism, sexism, homophobia or transphobia," and in which "the people own and control the means of production and distribution through democratically controlled public agencies, cooperatives, or other collective groups"; "full employment is realized for everyone who wants to work"; "workers have the right to form unions freely, and to strike and engage in other forms of job actions"; and "production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few."

Socialist Party candidates support expanding social spending and social ownership of capital. In 2009, Greg Pason's proposals included socializing the United States health care system, a steeply graduated income tax, universal rent control and the elimination of all educational debts and tuition fees. In 1997, Pason called auto insurance "a regressive tax against working people". Moore was also vocal of his support for socialized medicine. Moore supported economic democracy through social ownership and workers' control of reigning industrial and financial institutions.

History

Background

In 1958, the Independent Socialist League, led by Max Shachtman, dissolved and joined the Socialist Party of America (SPA), which was founded by Eugene V. Debs. Shachtman had written that Soviet communism was a new form of class society, bureaucratic collectivism, in which the ruling class exploited and oppressed the population, and therefore he opposed the spread of communism.2008, p. 63.: Shachtman argued that democratic socialists should work with labor unions and civil rights organizations to build a social democratic "realignment" of the Democratic Party. "Shachmanites" had a great amount of influence on the SPA.

In its 1972 convention, the SPA changed its name to Social Democrats, USA by a vote of 73 to 34, supported by both Co-Chairmen, Bayard Rustin and Charles S. Zimmerman.

The New York Times reported on the Convention for other days, e.g.

Gerald Sorin, The Prophetic Minority: American Jewish Immigrant Radicals, 1880-1920. Bloomington. Indiana University Press. 1985. p. 155. This rename was meant to be "realistic". The New York Times observed that the Socialist Party had last sponsored Darlington Hoopes as its candidate for president in the 1956 election, who received only 2,121 votes, in just six states. The majority report noted that the name "party" was "misleading" because the SPA no longer sponsored presidential candidates, and also hindered recruitment of activists who participated in the Democratic Party. The name "Socialist" was replaced by "Social Democrats" because many American associated the word "socialism" with Soviet communism. The party also wished to distinguish itself from two small Marxist parties.

The convention elected a national committee of 33 members, with 22 seats for the majority caucus, 8 seats for Harrington's Coalition Caucus, 2 for the Debs caucus, and one for the "independent" Samuel  H. Friedman. These minority caucuses all opposed the name change. The convention voted on and adopted proposals for its program by a two-one vote, with the majority caucus winning every vote.

Founding After their defeat at the convention, members of the two minority caucuses helped to found new socialist organizations. Harrington's Coalition Caucus created the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee.

The Debs Caucus, led by David McReynolds, formed the Union for Democratic Socialism. On May 30, 1973, the UDS incorporated the Socialist Party of the United States of America.Busky 2000, pp. 165. Many activists from the local and state branches of the old Socialist Party of America, including the party's Wisconsin, California, Illinois, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. organizations, participated in the reconstitution of SPUSA.Busky 2000, pp. 164.

After its founding, the party promoted itself as the legitimate heir of the Socialist Party of America. SPUSA elected Frank Zeidler, former Mayor of Milwaukee, as its first national chairperson. Later, SPUSA nominated Zeidler for President. Zeidler believed the party would be able to collaborate with other socialist parties nationwide to spread the message of socialism.

Subsequent history In 2008, SPUSA candidate for President Brian Moore vocally opposed the idea that Barack Obama was a socialist of any kind, saying it was "misleading of the Republicans" to spread that message.

In 2009, the Socialist Party of Connecticut protested in Hartford against Obama's troop surge in Afghanistan.

In 2010, SPUSA Co-Chair Billy Wharton called Obama's 2010 State of the Union Address a "public relations ploy". Wharton criticized the Affordable Care Act as designed "to protect the profit margins of private insurance companies".

In 2012, SPUSA member Pat Noble was elected to the Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education. Noble ran openly as a Socialist, despite the race being nonpartisan.

Election results SPUSA has fielded electoral candidates for local, state, and federal offices. SPUSA candidates usually run on a SPUSA ballot line, as independent, or as Green Party candidates.

SPUSA has often endorsed members of the Vermont Progressive Party (VPP), such as Peter Diamondstone. Most of these individuals were members of the Vermont socialist Liberty Union Party, but not members of SPUSA. These endorsees-but-not-members of SPUSA are not included below.

SPUSA has won several local offices, but never a state legislature, statewide, or federal office.

Elected officials Three candidates endorsed by SPUSA currently hold elected office.

Name Office Area State District Term start Term end Adriana Cerrillo Board of Education Minneapolis Minnesota 4th January 4, 2021 January 6, 2029 Pat Noble Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education Monmouth County New Jersey At-large January 1, 2013 January 1, 2028 Joyner Emerick Board of Education Minneapolis Minnesota At-large January 2, 2023 January 4, 2027 Samantha Pree-Stinson Board of Estimate and Taxation Minneapolis Minnesota At-Large January 1, 2022 January 1, 2026 Matt Erard Downtown District Citizens District Council Detroit Michigan At-Large May 1, 2011 May 1, 2014 Jon Osborne Town Council Hopkinton Rhode Island At-Large January 3, 2011 January 2, 2013 Karen Kubby City Council Iowa City Iowa At-Large January 2, 1996 January 3, 2000

Presidential elections Year Presidential candidate Vice presidential candidate Popular votes % Electoral votes Result Ballot access Notes Ref 2024 Bill Stodden Stephanie Cholensky 364 0 Lost 2020 Howie Hawkins Angela Nicole Walker 405,034 0 Lost 2016 Mimi Soltysik Angela Nicole Walker 4,061 0 Lost 2012 Stewart Alexander Alejandro Mendoza 4,430 0 Lost 2008 Brian Moore Stewart Alexander 6,581 0 Lost 2004 Walt Brown Mary Alice Herbert 10,822 0 Lost 2000 David McReynolds Mary Cal Hollis 5,602 0 Lost 1996 Mary Cal Hollis Eric Chester 4,764 0 Lost 1992 J. Quinn Brisben Barbara Garson 3,057 0 Lost 1988 Willa Kenoyer Ron Ehrenreich 3,882 0 Lost Freeman 2008, p. 96. 1984 Sonia Johnson Richard J. Walton 72,161 0 Lost 1980 David McReynolds Diane Drufenbrock 6,898 0 Lost Smallwood 1983, p. 56. 1976 Frank Zeidler J. Quinn Brisben 6,038 0 Lost 1991, p. 150. In the 1984 presidential election, SPUSA nominated the Citizens Party candidate for president, Sonia Johnson.

In the 2020 presidential election, the SPUSA nominated the Green Party nominee Howie Hawkins for president. Hawkins also received various state-level party endorsements, such as the Liberty Union Party in Vermont, in a bid to unite the "non-sectarian independent Left" behind a single campaign.

Congressional elections Year Candidate Chamber State District Votes % Result Notes Ref 2016 Jarrod Williams Senate Nevada At-Large 6,888 Lost ran as Independent 2014 Susan Purviance House Ohio 9th n/a Lost write-in 2012 Greg Pason Senate New Jersey At-Large 2,249 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2010 Dan La Botz Senate Ohio At-Large 26,454 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2008 Todd Vachon House Connecticut 2 15 Lost write-in 2008 Marc Luzietti House Florida 20 9 Lost write-in 2008 Jean Treacy House Michigan 1st 2,669 Lost ran as Green 2006 Greg Pason Senate New Jersey At-Large 2,490 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2006 Willie Norwood House New Jersey 2nd 385 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2006 Willie Norwood House Massachusetts 1st n/a Lost write-in 2004 Lisa Weltman House Michigan 14th 2,224 Lost ran as Green candidate 2004 Greg Pason House New Jersey 5th 574 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2004 Costantino Rozzo House New Jersey 2nd 595 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2004 Walt Brown House Oregon 3rd 10,678 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2004 Dorman Hayes House Rhode Island 2nd 3,303 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2002 Willie Norwood House Massachusetts 1st n/a Lost write-in 2002 Greg Pason Senate New Jersey At-Large 2,702 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2002 Costantino Rozzo House New Jersey 2nd 771 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2002 Walt Brown House Oregon 3rd 6,588 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2000 Greg Pason Senate New Jersey At-Large 3,365 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2000 Costantino Rozzo House New Jersey 2nd 788 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2000 Walt Brown House Oregon 3rd 4,703 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 2000 David Duemler House Oregon 4th 421 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate 1994 Greg Pason House New Jersey 9th 1,490 Lost ran as SPUSA candidate

Statewide elections