Los Angeles elects its Mayor in the spring of the odd years that follow presidential election years. The Socialist Workers Party has run a candidate for Mayor in all Los Angeles elections, starting in 1945, except that it didn’t run in 1997.
At the March 3, 2009 election, the Socialist Workers Party again ran a candidate for Mayor. Also, the new Party for Socialism and Liberation also ran a candidate for Mayor. The two candidates, together, polled 2.01% of the total in a 10-candidate field. Although that may seem to be a small percentage, it is the first time that socialist candidates for Mayor of Los Angeles, together, have polled that much, since the 1930’s.
Socialist Workers Party percentages for Mayor of Los Angeles have been: 1945 .21%, 1949 .38%, 1953 .73%, 1957 1.38%, 1961 .47%, 1965 .07%, 1969 .05%, 1973 .35%, 1977 .19%, 1981 .23%, 1985 .16%, 1989 .41%, 1993 .11%, 1997 no candidate, 2001 .16%, 2005 .48%.
The 2009 results are .90% for James Harris, Socialist Workers candidate; and 1.11% for Carlos Alvarez, Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate. The 2009 election had 10 candidates, 3 of whom had Spanish surnames.
The Socialist Workers Party and the Party for Socialism and Liberation are the only parties with “socialist” , “communist”, or “workers” in their names, that have run candidates for Mayor of Los Angeles since before World War II.
Outside of New England and New York City, there aren’t too many cities more welcoming to socialists of various stripes.
However, let me stress that, in my opinion, even the most radical socialists are probably more deserving of votes than candidates of the two old parties: At least the socialists will be discussing their ideas and principles, not just pandering.