Socialist Action (United States)

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Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Infobox political party Template:Socialism US Socialist Action is a Trotskyist political party in the United States. SAct formed in 1983, when its members were expelled from the Socialist Workers Party.

SAct describes itself as a revolutionary socialist party fighting for true democracy, because capitalist states "cannot be used as tools of the working class, but have to be smashed".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Notable members include Jeff Mackler.

History

Origins

In 1983, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) expelled two groups: First, the Fourth Internationalist Tendency (FIT). Second, the group that would coalesce around the Socialist Action (SAct) newspaper. SAct argued that they were expelled for defending Trotskyist ideas of Permanent Revolution, class independence, and continued support for the Fourth International.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The first issue of its newspaper contained no listing of an editorial board.<ref name="Alexander">Template:Cite book</ref>

Subsequent history

In 1985, SAct split in two. Those who split created Socialist Unity (SU).<ref name="Alexander" /> In 1986, SU merged with Workers Power and the International Socialists to form Solidarity.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

After the split, SAct reorganized as a Trotskyist party.<ref name="Alexander" /><ref name="Klehr">Template:Cite book</ref> SAct planned a Central America solidarity conference.<ref name="Klehr" />

In 2004, SAct won the right to refuse to disclose its campaign donors, because of demonstrable government harassment of socialist candidates, as did Communist Party USA, Freedom Socialist Party, and Socialist Workers Party.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1992, during the Gulf War, SAct was active in the San Francisco Bay Area antiwar movement through the National Campaign Against the War in the Middle East, which competed with the Workers World Party-led Coalition Against a Vietnam War in the Middle East.<ref name=Epstein>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In 2019, a minority faction was expelled or resigned membership from Socialist Action and re-established as Socialist Resurgence.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ideology

Socialist Action is a Trotskyist and Revolutionary socialist party.

The party has claimed that the Euromaidan revolution in Ukraine was a "US-backed fascist coup", alongside claiming that Ukraine banned the Russian language.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Fourth International congress deemed positions of Socialist Action campist and decided to break off relations with the organisation in 2025.<ref name="4Int" />

Election results

Socialist Action (SA) has fielded electoral candidates in the United States for local, state, and federal offices.

One SA member, Adam Ritscher, won an uncontested election.<ref name=BAN2006 /> No SA member has won a contested election.

Presidential elections

Year Presidential candidate Vice presidential candidate Popular votes % Electoral votes Result Ballot access Notes Ref
2020 Jeff Mackler Heather Bradford 0 Template:Percentage bar 0 Template:No2 Lost Template:Composition bar SA failed to achieve ballot access or official write-in access in any state citation CitationClass=web

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2016 Jeff Mackler Karen Schraufnagel 15 Template:Percentage bar 0 Template:No2 Lost Template:Composition bar SA only obtained official write-in access in New York citation CitationClass=web

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In 2020, SAct again nominated Mackler.<ref name=SAMackler2020>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> SAct again gained no ballot access or write-in status in any state, and thus received zero votes.

In 2016, SAct nominated their first presidential ticket, selecting national secretary Jeff Mackler for president and Karen Schraufnagel for vice-president.<ref name=SAMackler2016>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Congressional elections

Year Candidate Chamber State District Votes % Result Notes Ref
2018 Fred Linck Senate Connecticut At-Large 70 Template:Percentage bar Template:No2 Lost write-in candidate citation CitationClass=web

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2010 Christopher Hutchinson House Connecticut CT-1 955 Template:Percentage bar Template:No2 Lost write-in candidate citation CitationClass=web

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2006 Jeff Mackler Senate California At-Large 108 Template:Percentage bar Template:No2 Lost write-in candidate citation CitationClass=web

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In 2018, SA member and Iraq War veteran<ref name=Courant2018>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Fred Linck hoped to run as Socialist Action candidate for United States Senate in Connecticut. The party submitted over 11,000 signatures to the Connecticut Secretary of State, but too many were disqualified for Linck to be placed on the November ballot. Linck asserted that local officials incorrectly invalidated signatures.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite being left off the ballot, Linck continued to run for office as an official write-in candidate, and ultimately received 70 votes, or 0.01%.<ref name=CTEMS2018>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Local elections

Year Candidate Office Area State District Votes % Result Notes Ref
2006 Adam Ritscher Board of Supervisors Douglas County Wisconsin 6th 42 Template:Percentage bar Template:Yes2 Won Uncontested election citation CitationClass=web

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In 1988, SA member Sylvia Weinstein ran for San Francisco Board of Education, in which she won 21,000 votes. Weinstein also ran in 1985 and 1986.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

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References

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