# 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 often field candidates, because it wants to avoid spoiling progressive Democratic candidates. In 2021, CPSUA chair Joe Sims said, "We really can’t be a political party if we don’t run candidates".
CPUSA has run candidates on an explicit Communist ticket, on tickets of third parties (such as the Nonpartisan League), and on Democratic tickets. See also: List of Communist Party USA members who have held office in the United States.
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.

## Congressional elections

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

## Statewide elections

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

## State legislature elections

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

## Local elections

| Year | Candidate | Office | City | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes |
| 2019 | Denise Winebrenner Edwards | Borough Council | Wilkinsburg | 3 | 922 | 65.34% | Won | ran as Democratic candidate and open Communist Party member |
| 2019 | Tony Pecinovsky | Alderperson | St. Louis | 14 | 622 | 47.96% | Lost | Democratic primary |
| 2019 | Wahsayah Whitebird | Alderperson | Ashland | 6 | 52 | 55.32% | Won | nonpartisan election |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2013 | Dominic Giannone III | City Council | Weymouth | 1 | 77 | 9.76% | 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 | 58.93% | 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 | 55.58% | Won | ran as independent |
| 1993 | Gary Dotterman | City Council | Boston | At-large | 5,404 | 1.81% | Lost | nonpartisan primary, did not advance to general |
| 1991 | Kenneth Jones | Alderperson | St. Louis | 22 | 1,501 | 72.65% | Won | ran as independent |
| 1987 | Kenneth Jones | Alderperson | St. Louis | 22 | 1,187 | 53.93% | Won | ran as independent |
| 1983 | Kenneth Jones | Alderperson | St. Louis | 22 | 1,566 | 60.07% | Won | ran as independent |
| 1977 | Joelle Fishman | Mayor | New Haven | At-Large | 417 | 1.04% | Lost | ran as CPUSA candidate |
| 1975 | Joelle Fishman | Mayor | New Haven | At-Large | 811 | 2.38% | Lost | ran as CPUSA candidate |