V.R. Dunne Archive | Trotskyist Writers Index | ETOL Main Page
From Socialist Appeal, Vol. 4 No. 48, 30 November 1940, p. 1.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’ Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The state canvassing board which met November 19 in the state capitol has released the following official figures for the minority parties:
|
U.S. Senator |
|
|---|---|
|
Grace Carlson (Trotskyist) |
8,761 |
|
Carl Winter (C.P. sticker candidate) |
256 |
|
President |
|
|
Aiken-Orange (S.L.P.) |
2,553 |
|
Thomas-Krueger (S.P.) |
5,454 |
|
Browder-Ford (C.P.) |
2,711 |
|
Governor |
|
|
John Castle (S.L.P.) |
3,175 |
|
Martin Mackie (C.P. sticker candidate) |
360 |
|
Lieutenant-Governor |
|
|
William Herron (C.P. sticker candidate) |
306 |
|
Secretary of State |
|
|
Clara Jorgenson (C.P. sticker candidate) |
278 |
Because the candidate of the Socialist Workers Party appeared on the ballot as the Trotskyist Antiwar Party candidate, it is certain that the 8,761 votes for Comrade Carlson represent conscious support of a proletarian revolutionary anti-Stalinist program.
The support for the Trotskyist candidate is thus even greater than earlier figures had Indicated. The candidate not only topped the Tjiomas-Krueger vote but received a vote larger than the combined vote for Thomas and Browder.
Each of the 87 counties in the state furnished votes for our candidate. This would indicate that the ideas of Trotsky have penetrated the American consciousness even deeper than our most optimistic supporters have hitherto estimated. Fittingly the largest number of Trotskyist votes came from the three industrial counties – Hennepin (Minneapolis), 1,755; Ramsey (St. Paul), 1,034; St. Louis (Duluth), 525.
Following this general pattern other counties showing a heavy registration of votes were those outlying counties in which there are industrial workers such as packinghouse workers, miners, timber workers, and where union organization has penetrated.
Although it was impossible because of meager finances to carry our campaign outside the Twin Cities to any extent, the record of the Trotskyists in the union and unemployed movement has obviously made a deep impression upon the workers in the state.
Among the iron miners on the Range, there are a large number of former Communist Party members who have for years supported the Russian revolution. There were many who voted for our candidate, a Trotskyist, and not for the Stalinist candidates.
Counties where the militant Farm-Holiday movement once had great prestige and power also furnished a substantial vote to the Trotskyist Anti-war candidate.
Those counties in which state institutions are located and whose employees belong to the State, County and Municipal Employees Union (in which our candidate, Grace Carlson, was active for a number of years and is a well-known figure) also recorded an impressive total.
With complete precinct votes available from St. Paul and Minneapolis a gratifyingly close correlation is shown between the distribution of Socialist Appeals and the vote for the Trotskyist candidate. Our Socialist Appeal had been distributed in these precincts over a period of months. Excellent use was also made of the special Minnesota election edition of the Appeal, and the leaflets and other literature issued in the campaign.
The total vote, though indicative of oar support, is of course not the chief value of the election campaign. Many people have been brought closer to us by hearing for the first time in this campaign the revolutionary Marxist program.
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Last updated: 16 November 2020