# Socialist Party USA

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.

## Organization

SPUSA is headquartered at the A. J. Muste Institute. As of September 2024, the Socialist Party had 11 local and state parties. Active SPUSA state parties include Michigan, New Jersey, Wisconsin. Inactive state parties include California, Maine, Kansas.

### 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.

## 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. 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. 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. 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.
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".

## 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 our reigning industrial and financial institutions.

## 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.

### Current elected members

* Pat Noble, member of the Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education
* Samantha Pree-Stinson, member of the Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation

### Presidential elections

| Year | Presidential candidate | Vice presidential candidate | Popular votes | % | Electoral votes | Result | Ballot access |
| 2024 | Bill Stodden | Stephanie Cholensky | 364 | 0.0% | 0 | Lost | 1 / 51 |
| 2020 | Howie Hawkins | Angela Nicole Walker | 405,034 | 0.3% | 0 | Lost | 29 / 51 |
| 2016 | Mimi Soltysik | Angela Nicole Walker | 4,061 | 0.00% | 0 | Lost | 3 / 51 |
| 2012 | Stewart Alexander | Alejandro Mendoza | 4,430 | 0.00% | 0 | Lost | 3 / 51 |
| 2008 | Brian Moore | Stewart Alexander | 6,581 | 0.01% | 0 | Lost | 8 / 51 |
| 2004 | Walt Brown | Mary Alice Herbert | 10,822 | 0.01% | 0 | Lost | 8 / 51 |
| 2000 | David McReynolds | Mary Cal Hollis | 5,602 | 0.01% | 0 | Lost | 7 / 51 |
| 1996 | Mary Cal Hollis | Eric Chester | 4,764 | 0.01% | 0 | Lost | 5 / 51 |
| 1992 | J. Quinn Brisben | Barbara Garson | 3,057 | 0.00% | 0 | Lost | 4 / 51 |
| 1988 | Willa Kenoyer | Ron Ehrenreich | 3,882 | 0.00% | 0 | Lost | 6 / 51 |
| 1980 | David McReynolds | Diane Drufenbrock | 6,898 | 0.01% | 0 | Lost | 10 / 51 |
| 1976 | Frank Zeidler | J. Quinn Brisben | 6,038 | 0.01% | 0 | Lost | 7 / 51 |
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 |
| 2016 | Jarrod Williams | Senate | Nevada | At-Large | 6,888 | 0.62% | Lost | ran as Independent |
| 2014 | Susan Purviance | House | Ohio | 9th | n/a | 0% | Lost | write-in |
| 2012 | Greg Pason | Senate | New Jersey | At-Large | 2,249 | 0.07% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2010 | Dan La Botz | Senate | Ohio | At-Large | 26,454 | 0.69% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2008 | Todd Vachon | House | Connecticut | 2 | 15 | 0% | Lost | write-in |
| 2008 | Marc Luzietti | House | Florida | 20 | 9 | 0% | Lost | write-in |
| 2008 | Jean Treacy | House | Michigan | 1st | 2,669 | 0.81% | Lost | ran as Green |
| 2006 | Greg Pason | Senate | New Jersey | At-Large | 2,490 | 0.1% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2006 | Willie Norwood | House | New Jersey | 2nd | 385 | 0.21% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2006 | Willie Norwood | House | Massachusetts | 1st | n/a | 0% | Lost | write-in |
| 2004 | Lisa Weltman | House | Michigan | 14th | 2,224 | 0.87% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2004 | Greg Pason | House | New Jersey | 5th | 574 | 0.19% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2004 | Costantino Rozzo | House | New Jersey | 2nd | 595 | 0.22% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2004 | Walt Brown | House | Oregon | 3rd | 10,678 | 3.08% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2004 | Dorman Hayes | House | Rhode Island | 2nd | 3,303 | 1.59% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2002 | Willie Norwood | House | Massachusetts | 1st | n/a | 0% | Lost | write-in |
| 2002 | Greg Pason | Senate | New Jersey | At-Large | 2,702 | 0.13% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2002 | Costantino Rozzo | House | New Jersey | 2nd | 771 | 0.46% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2002 | Walt Brown | House | Oregon | 3rd | 6,588 | 2.80% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2000 | Greg Pason | Senate | New Jersey | At-Large | 3,365 | 0.11% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2000 | Costantino Rozzo | House | New Jersey | 2nd | 788 | 0.34% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2000 | Walt Brown | House | Oregon | 3rd | 4,703 | 1.73% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2000 | David Duemler | House | Oregon | 4th | 421 | 0.14% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 1994 | Greg Pason | House | New Jersey | 9th | 1,490 | 0.93% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |

### Statewide elections

| Year | Candidate | Office | State | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes |
| 2020 | Robin Laurain | University Trustee | Michigan State University | At-Large | 74,495 | 0.76% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2018 | Mary Alice Herbert | Secretary of State | Vermont | At-Large | 9,706 | 3.6% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |
| 2016 | Mary Alice Herbert | Secretary of State | Vermont | At-Large | 29,711 | 10.4% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |
| 2014 | Mary Alice Herbert | Secretary of State | Vermont | At-Large | 17,460 | 10.3% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |
| 2014 | Adam Adrianson | University Trustee | Michigan State University | At-Large | 33,914 | 0.62% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2013 | Maynor Moreno | Governor | New Jersey | At-Large | n/a | 0% | Lost | write-in |
| 2012 | Dwain Reynolds | Board of Education | Michigan | At-Large | 66,123 | 0.81% | Lost | ran as Green |
| 2012 | Mary Alice Herbert | Secretary of State | Vermont | At-Large | 34,105 | 13.1% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |
| 2010 | Diana Demers | University Regent | University of Michigan | At-Large | 80,365 | 1.41% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2009 | Greg Pason | Governor | New Jersey | At-Large | 2,085 | 0.09% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2008 | Dwain Reynolds | Board of Education | Michigan | At-Large | 94,663 | 1.12% | Lost | ran as Green |
| 2006 | Jacob Woods | Board of Education | Michigan | At-Large | 60,684 | 0.91% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2006 | Mary Alice Herbert | Governor | Vermont | At-Large | 2,995 | 1.2% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |
| 2005 | Costantino Rozzo | Governor | New Jersey | At-Large | 2,078 | 0.09% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2004 | Ben Burgis | University Trustee | Michigan State University | At-Large | 75,047 | 0.92% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2001 | Costantino Rozzo | Governor | New Jersey | At-Large | 1,537 | 0.07% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 1997 | Greg Pason | Governor | New Jersey | At-Large | 2,800 | 0.12% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 1996 | Mary Alice Herbert | Governor | Vermont | At-Large | 4,156 | 1.6% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |
| 1994 | Mary Alice Herbert | Secretary of State | Vermont | At-Large | 9,368 | 4.6% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |
| 1992 | Mary Alice Herbert | Secretary of State | Vermont | At-Large | 21,161 | 8.0% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |
| 1990 | Mary Alice Herbert | Secretary of State | Vermont | At-Large | 14,555 | 7.4% | Lost | ran as SPUSA and Liberty Union candidate |

### State legislature elections

| Year | Candidate | Office | State | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes |
| 2020 | Jonny Meade | House | Washington | 22nd | 3,000 | 5.14% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2020 | Rick Sauermilch | House | Michigan | 110th | 543 | 1.21% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2018 | Matt Kuehnel | House | Michigan | 22nd | 999 | 3.3% | Lost | a libertarian socialist who ran as a Libertarian Party candidate |
| 2018 | Maia Dendinger | Senate | Maine | 5th | 1,109 | 7.1% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2018 | David Elliot Pritt | House | West Virginia | 32nd | 2,384 | 6.04% | Lost | ran as a Mountain Party candidate |
| 2016 | Seth Baker | Senate | Maine | 27th | 3,712 | 16.7% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2016 | Michael Anderson | House | Michigan | 70th | 1,584 | 4.8% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2014 | Mimi Soltysik | California State Assembly | California | 62nd | 922 | 2.5% | Lost | ran as No Party Preference |
| 2012 | Alex Mendoza | House | Texas | 65th | 6,763 | 19.06% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2012 | Alex Mendoza | House | Texas | 65th | 1,224 | 2.31% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2012 | Jeff Peress | Assembly | New York | 13th | 395 | 0.74% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2012 | John Longhurst | House | Michigan | 106th | 1,178 | 2.51% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2012 | Sean Haggard | House | Michigan | 54th | 0 | 0% | Lost | write-in |
| 2012 | Ron Haldeman | House | Indiana | 94th | 752 | 3.35% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2012 | John Strinka | House | Indiana | 39th | 2,862 | 9.8% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2008 | Matt Erard | House | Michigan | 53rd | 2,200 | 4.55% | Lost | ran as Green |
| 2008 | Jon Osborne | Senate | Rhode Island | 34th | 2,494 | 21.6% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2006 | Matt Erard | House | Michigan | 53rd | 847 | 2.51% | Lost | ran as Independent |
| 2006 | Jeff Brindle | Assembly | Pennsylvania | 26th | 2,873 | 17.33% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2005 | Sharon Chiorazzo | Assembly | New Jersey | 2nd | 832 | 0.77% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2005 | Willie Norwood | Assembly | New Jersey | 10th | 665 | 0.61% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 2005 | Scott Baier | Assembly | New Jersey | 2nd | 584 | 0.46% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |
| 1982 | William Shakalis | Senate | Massachusetts | Suffolk and Middlesex | 4,417 | 12.3% | Lost | ran as SPUSA candidate |

### Local elections

| Year | Candidate | Office | City | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes |
| 2024 | Joshua Bradley | City Council | Raleigh | At-Large | 26,727 | 7.7% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2022 | Joshua Bradley | City Council | Raleigh | At-Large | 18,143 | 6.9% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2022 | Sonya Emerick | Board of Education | Minneapolis | At-Large district | 52,365 | 25.43% | Won | nonpartisan election, elect 2 |
| 2022 | Troy Thompson | Mayor | Floodwood | At-Large | 51 | 31.5% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2021 | Pat Noble | Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education | Monmouth County | | 1,893 | 99.2% | Won | nonpartisan election, uncontested |
| 2021 | Samantha Pree-Stinson | Board of Estimate and Taxation | Minneapolis | At-Large | 25,547 | 26.8% | Won | nonpartisan election, elect 2, ranked-choice voting (single transferable vote) |
| 2020 | Adriana Cerrillo | Board of Education | Minneapolis | 4th district | 15,935 | 50.06% | Won | nonpartisan election |
| 2020 | Andy Argo | Public Library Trustee | Kalamazoo | At-Large | 15,965 | 14.6% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2020 | David Robbins | City Council | Redding | | | | Lost | |
| 2019 | Joshua Bradley | City Council | Raleigh | A | 10.4 | 10.4% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2019 | Andy Argo | City Commissioner | Kalamazoo | At-Large | 1,449 | 5.7% | Lost | nonpartisan election, elect 3 |
| 2018 | Andrew Saturn | Public Utility Commissioner | Thurston County | | 41,664 | 41.7% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2018 | Pat Noble | Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education | Monmouth County | | 2,539 | 98.6% | Won | nonpartisan election, uncontested |
| 2018 | Reuben Dendinger | City Council | Orono | | | | Lost | |
| 2018 | Maia Dendinger | City Council | Orono | | | | Lost | |
| 2018 | Reuben Dendinger | Sheriff | Los Angeles County | | | | Lost | |
| 2017 | Chris DiLoreto | Peterborough Library Trustee | Hillsborough County | | | | Lost | |
| 2017 | Allen Braun | City Council | Bangor | | | | Lost | |
| 2017 | Chelsea Rustad | City Council | Tumwater | 5 | 1,153 | 26.36% | Lost | nonpartisan |
| 2015 | Jeff Peress | County Assembly | Dutchess County, New York | 23rd | 206 | 13.72% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2015 | Pat Noble | Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education | Monmouth County | | 1,103 | 98.6% | Won | nonpartisan election, uncontested |
| 2012 | Joel Benavidez | Justice of the Peace | Bexar County | 2nd | 4,843 | 3.09% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2012 | Pat Noble | Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education | Monmouth County | | 1,187 | 53.6% | Won | nonpartisan election |
| 2012 | Troy Thompson | Mayor | Floodwood | At-Large | 60 | 26.9% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2011 | Matt Erard | Downtown District Citizens District Council | Detroit | At-Large | | | Won | nonpartisan election |
| 2011 | Peter Ponzetti | Board of Education | Grand Blanc | At-Large | 424 | 10.8% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2011 | Edgar Brandon Collins | City Council | Charlottesville City | Charlottesville | 1,480 | 7.5% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 2010 | Jon Osborne | Town Council | Hopkinton | At-Large | 1,597 | 14.3% | Won | ran as Independent, elect 5 |
| 2010 | James Arnoldi | Board of Governors | Wayne State University | At-Large | 46,757 | 0.84% | Lost | ran as Green candidate |
| 2008 | Peter Moody | Borough Council | Madison | | | | Lost | write-in |
| 2004 | Carl Williams | Board of Trustees | Oakland Community College | | | | Lost | |
| 2003 | Bert Zipperer | Mayor | Madison | At-Large | 6,610 | 16.22% | Lost | nonpartisan election, first-round |
| 2000 | Wendell Harris | Mayor | Milwaukee | At-Large | 7,624 | 18.3% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 1995 | Karen Kubby | City Council | Iowa City | At-Large | 5,307 | 52.6% | Won | nonpartisan election |
| 1991 | Karen Kubby | City Council | Iowa City | At-Large | 6,380 | 80% | Won | nonpartisan election |
| 1989 | Karen Kubby | City Council | Iowa City | At-Large | 3,519 | 50.7% | Won | nonpartisan election |
| 1987 | Karen Kubby | City Council | Iowa City | At-Large | 2,645 | 48% | Lost | nonpartisan election |
| 1985 | Karen Kubby | City Council | Iowa City | At-Large | 1,974 | 43% | Lost | nonpartisan election |

## National conventions

| Name | Location | Date | Notes |
| 2023 National Convention | Virtual | October 20-22, 2023 | Organizer issue |
| 2021 National Convention | Virtual | October 22-24, 2021 | Organizer issue |
| 2019 National Convention | Newark, New Jersey | October 25-27, 2019 | Organizer issue |
| 2017 National Convention | New York City, New York | October 25-27, 2017 | Organizer issue |
| 2015 National Convention | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | October 16-18, 2015 | Organizer issue |
| 2013 National Convention | New York City, New York | October 25-27, 2013 | Organizer issue |
| 2011 National Convention | Los Angeles, California | October 14-16, 2011 | Organizer issue |
| 2009 National Convention | | October 9-11, 2009 | Organizer issue |
| 2007 National Convention | St. Louis, Missouri | October 19-21, 2007 | Organizer issue |