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, aiming to avoid spoiling progressive Democratic candidates. 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". In 2025, CPUSA declared that it had candidates "on the ballot in at least four states".
CPUSA has run candidates on an explicit Communist ticket, on tickets of third parties (such as the Nonpartisan League), and on Democratic tickets.
, 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 presidentYear President Vice president Votes Percent Name1924William Z. FosterBenjamin Gitlow38,6690.1%Workers Party of America1928William Z. FosterBenjamin Gitlow48,5510.1%Workers (Communist)Party of America1932William Z. FosterJames W. Ford103,3070.3%Communist Party USA1936Earl BrowderJames W. Ford79,3150.2%1940Earl BrowderJames W. Ford48,5570.1%1948No candidate;endorsed Henry WallaceNo candidate;endorsed Glen H. TaylorN/A1952No candidate;endorsed Vincent HallinanNo candidate;endorsed Charlotta Bass1968Charlene MitchellMichael Zagarell1,077nil%1972Gus HallJarvis Tyner25,597nil%1976Gus HallJarvis Tyner58,7090.1%1980Gus HallAngela Davis44,9330.1%1984Gus HallAngela Davis36,386nil%
Congressional elections Year Candidate Chamber State District Votes % Result Notes Ref 1992 Denise Winebrenner Edwards House Pennsylvania 18 3,650 Lost ran as independent 1992 John Rummel House New Jersey 13 1,525 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1988 Mark Almberg House Illinois 8 1,937 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1988 John Rummel House New Jersey 14 442 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1984 Laura Ross House Massachusetts 8 15,810 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1984 Ishmael Flory Senate Illinois At-Large 4,802 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1984 Lucille Bieger Senate Kansas At-Large 9,380 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1984 Samuel Webb Senate Michigan At-Large 1,196 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1982 Joelle Fishman House Connecticut 3 696 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1982 Joelle Fishman House Connecticut 3 696 Lost ran as Citizens Party candidate 1980 Charles Wilson Senate Illinois At-Large 11,453 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1980 William Scott Senate New York At-Large 4,161 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1980 Frank Kinces Senate Pennsylvania At-Large 3,334 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1980 Rick Nagin Senate Ohio At-Large 42,410 Lost ran as independent 1980 Joelle Fishman House Connecticut 3 2711 Lost ran as Citizens Party candidate 1978 Joelle Fishman House Connecticut 3 3,068 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Joelle Fishman House Connecticut 3 2,947 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Matt Savola Senate Minnesota At-Large 2,214 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Herbert Aptheker Senate New York At-Large 25,141 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Frank Kinces Senate Pennsylvania At-Large 2,097 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Margaret Cann Senate Rhode Island At-Large 912 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1974 Ishmael Flory Senate Illinois At-Large 5,873 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1974 Laura Ross House Massachusetts 8 6,421 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1942 Albert Jason Lima House California 1 5,703 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1942 Walter Raymond Lambert House California 5 6,749 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1942 Clarence Patton House California 6 8,532 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1940 Anita Whitney Senate California At-Large 97,478 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1940 Albert Jason Lima House California 1 5,647 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1940 Earl Browder House New York 14 3,080 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1938 Nora Conklin House California 3 8,271 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1938 Dave L. Saunders House California 6 7,015 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1936 Lawrence Ross House California 5 4,545 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1934 Patrick Chambers Senate California At-Large 1,025 Lost ran as write-in candidate and open Communist Party member 1934 Alexander Noral House California 5 5,933 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1946 Alice Burke Senate Virginia At-Large 3,318 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1942 Alice Burke Senate Virginia At-Large 2,041 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1940 Alice Burke Senate Virginia At-Large 8,250 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1936 Donald Burke Senate Virginia At-Large 8,907 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1934 Max Bedacht Senate New York At-Large 45,396 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1930 Sherman Bell Senate Tennessee At-Large 3,392 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1924 Antoinette Konikow Senate Massachusetts At-Large 12,716 Lost ran as Workers Party candidate
Statewide elections Year Candidate Office State District Votes % Result Notes Ref 1990 Evelina Alarcón Secretary of State California At-Large 144,577 Lost ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate 1986 Helen Kruth Treasurer Minnesota At-Large 13,817 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1985 George Fishman Governor New Jersey At-Large 1,901 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1984 Marcia Davis Trustee Illinois At-Large 56289 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3 1984 Richard Giovanoni Trustee Illinois At-Large 50724 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3 1984 Elsie Rosado Trustee Illinois At-Large 37,311 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3 1982 Richard Giovanoni House Illinois 7 530 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1982 Helen Kruth Treasurer Minnesota At-Large 28,131 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1980 Barbara Browne Trustee Illinois At-Large 46,956 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3 1980 Mark Almberg Trustee Illinois At-Large 22,793 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3 1980 Richard Rozoff Trustee Illinois At-Large 22,406 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate; vote for 3 1978 Helen Kruth Auditor Minnesota At-Large 22,576 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Ishmael Flory Governor Illinois At-Large 10,091 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Theodore Pearson Attorney General Illinois At-Large 11,154 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Frances Gabow Secretary of State Illinois At-Large 8,271 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Charles Hunter Comptroller Illinois At-Large 10,992 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Mark Almberg Trustee Illinois At-Large 25,641 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Altherna Medith Trustee Illinois At-Large 18,948 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1976 Jack Kling Trustee Illinois At-Large 17,414 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1972 Ishmael Flory Governor Illinois At-Large 4,592 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1950 Bernadette Doyle Superintendent of Public Instruction California At-Large 605,393 Lost nonpartisan primary; open Communist Party member 1946 Archie Brown Governor California At-Large 22,606 Lost ran as write-in candidate and open Communist Party member 1942 Pettis Perry Secretary of State California At-Large 37,972 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1942 Anita Whitney Controller California At-Large 89,520 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1942 Kenneth May Treasurer California At-Large 80,435 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1938 Leo Gallagher Secretary of State California At-Large 150,760 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1938 Anita Whitney Controller California At-Large 98,791 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1938 Pettis Perry Board of Equalization California 4 62,745 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1934 Samuel Adams Darcy Governor California At-Large 5,826 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1934 Pettis Perry Lieutenant Governor California At-Large 10,528 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1934 Harold J. Ashe Secretary of State California At-Large 47,585 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1934 Anita Whitney Controller California At-Large 100,820 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1934 Archie Brown Treasurer California At-Large 25,725 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1934 Pete Garcia Board of Equalization California 2 20,424 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate
State legislature elections Year Candidate Office State District Votes % Result Notes Ref 2006 Kenneth Jones Senator Missouri 4 559 Lost Democratic primary 1996 David Mirtz Assembly New York 80 265 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1994 Mark Almberg Senate Illinois 17 21 Lost ran as write-in candidate 1992 David Mirtz Assembly New York 71 575 Lost ran as "Tax the Rich" candidate 1942 Thomas R. Farrell Assembly California 15 3,546 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1938 Herbert Nugent Assembly California 26 1,989 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1936 Sam Jaye Assembly California 20 1,307 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate
Local elections Year Candidate Office City District Votes % Result Notes Ref 2025 Christopher Semok City Council Columbia Falls At-Large 509 Won nonpartisan election 2025 Hannah Shvets Common Council Ithaca 5 243 Won ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member 2025 Daniel Carson City Council Bangor At-large 2,512 Won nonpartisan election 2025 Luisa de Paula Santos School Committee Cambridge At-large 2,399 Won nonpartisan election 2025 Luke Rotello City Council Northampton 5 592 Lost nonpartisan election 2025 Colton Baldus Park Board Minneapolis 5 1,661 Lost nonpartisan election 2022 Steven Estrada City Council Long Beach 1 441 Lost nonpartisan election 2019 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg 3 922 Won ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member 2019 Tony Pecinovsky Alderperson St. Louis 14 622 Lost Democratic primary 2019 Wahsayah Whitebird Alderperson Ashland 6 52 Won nonpartisan election 2017 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg 3 613 Won ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member; opponent was write-in; 2-year seat 2017 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg 3 547 Lost ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member; vote for 2, 3rd place 2013 Dominic Giannone III City Council Weymouth 1 77 Lost nonpartisan primary, did not advance to general 2005 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg Won 2002 Gary Dotterman City Council Boston 9 Lost nonpartisan election 2001 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg Won 1999 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 1,231 Won ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member 1997 Denise Winebrenner Edwards Borough Council Wilkinsburg Won 1995 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 767 Won ran as independent 1993 Gary Dotterman City Council Boston At-large 5,404 Lost nonpartisan primary, did not advance to general 1991 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 1,501 Won ran as independent 1987 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 1,187 Won ran as independent 1983 Kenneth Jones Alderperson St. Louis 22 1,566 Won ran as independent 1977 Joelle Fishman Mayor New Haven At-Large 417 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate 1975 Joelle Fishman Mayor New Haven At-Large 811 Lost ran as CPUSA candidate
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
References