Working Class Party

{{Short description|Socialist party in the United States}}

{{Infobox political party

| name = Working Class Party

| abbreviation = WCP

| logo = Working Class Party logo.png

| caption =

| colorcode = #e72c2d

| merger =

| split =

| predecessor =

| founders =

| founded = {{start date and age|2014}}

| dissolved =

| merged =

| successor =

| newspaper =

| youth_wing =

| ideology = Progressivism
Socialism

| position = Left-wing

| seats1_title = US House of Representatives

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|13|hex={{party color|Working Class Party}}}}

| seats2_title = US Senate

| seats2 = {{Composition bar|0|2|hex={{party color|Working Class Party}}}}

| seats3_title = Michigan House of Representatives

| seats3 = {{Composition bar|0|110|hex={{party color|Working Class Party}}}}

| seats4_title = Michigan Senate

| seats4 = {{Composition bar|0|38|hex={{party color|Working Class Party}}}}

| seats5_title = Michigan statewide offices

| seats5 = {{Composition bar|0|4|hex={{party color|Working Class Party}}}}

| country = the United States

| website = {{URL |https://www.workingclassfight.com |workingclassfight.com}}

}}

The Working Class Party (WCP) is a left-wing political party in the United States, based in Detroit, Michigan. WCP first gained ballot access in 2016. WCP supports progressive, pro-labor and socialist policies and candidates.

The party was created by Trotskyist newspaper The Spark and its supporters,{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Tristan |title=What Is the Michigan Working Class Party? |url=https://www.leftvoice.org/who-is-the-michigan-working-class-party/ |work=Left Voice |date=9 November 2022}} which continues to endorse the party.{{Cite web |last=Spark |first=The |title=To Cast a Useful Vote November 5 — The Spark #1207 |url=https://the-spark.net/np1207601.html |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=The Spark |language=en}}

History

From 2011 to 2013, The Spark conducted a campaign to encourage the working class to organize independent of the Democratic Party.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} In 2014, five people active in that campaign ran for office as Independent candidates.{{cite news |last1=Dupuis |first1=Mary |title=What's the WC on the Ballot? Mary Anne Hering Explains the Working Class Party |url=https://oaklandcounty115.com/2022/10/31/whats-the-wc-on-the-ballot-mary-anne-hering-explains-the-working-class-party/ |work=Oakland County Times |date=31 October 2022}}{{Cite web|title=Who are Gary Walkowicz and the Working Class Party?|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/11/02/walk-n02.html|access-date=2020-11-03|website=World Socialist Web Site|date=2 November 2018 |language=en}} Four candidates lost. David Roehrig won his campaign for Wayne County Community College Trustee, due to his only opponent (the Democratic incumbent) being disqualified before the election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.workingclassfight.com/blog/2014-election-results/|title=2014 Election Results, Michigan | Working Class Fight|website=www.workingclassfight.com|access-date=2018-09-05|archive-date=2018-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906013938/https://www.workingclassfight.com/blog/2014-election-results/|url-status=live}}

In 2016, several dozen WCP volunteers turned in more than 50,000 signatures, above the required 31,566, which enabled WCP candidates to appear as party candidates on Michigan ballots.{{Cite web|url=http://ballot-access.org/2016/08/18/working-class-party-petition-in-michigan-has-enough-valid-signatures/|title=Working Class Party Petition in Michigan Has Enough Valid Signatures | Ballot Access News|date=18 August 2016 |access-date=2017-01-25|archive-date=2017-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202024859/http://ballot-access.org/2016/08/18/working-class-party-petition-in-michigan-has-enough-valid-signatures/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.michiganradio.org/post/michigan-s-newest-political-party-gets-certified-today|title=Michigan's newest political party gets certified today|first=Stateside|last=Staff|website=www.michiganradio.org|date=22 August 2016 |access-date=2021-06-01|archive-date=2021-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225222744/https://www.michiganradio.org/post/michigan-s-newest-political-party-gets-certified-today|url-status=live}}

In 2016, Mary Anne Hering won enough votes for Board of Education for WCP to keep ballot access in the 2018 Michigan elections.{{Cite web|title=STATE OF MICHIGAN POLITICAL PARTY STATUS AUGUST 4, 2020 PRIMARY NOVEMBER 3, 2020 GENERAL ELECTION|url=https://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Political_Party_Status_482649_7.pdf|website=Michigan State Bureau of Elections|access-date=August 30, 2018|archive-date=March 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309021801/https://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Political_Party_Status_482649_7.pdf|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Political_Party_Status_482649_7.pdf|title=Political_Party_Status_482649_7.pdf|access-date=2018-08-30|archive-date=2021-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309021801/https://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Political_Party_Status_482649_7.pdf|url-status=live}}

Ideology

The WCP argues that no working class party exists, because both the Democrats and the Republicans are controlled by the bosses.{{Cite web|url=https://www.workingclassfight.com/blog/gary-walkowicz-main-speech-of-the-working-class-party-convention/|title=Gary Walkowicz: Main Speech of the WCP Convention | Working Class Fight|website=www.workingclassfight.com|access-date=2018-08-30|archive-date=2018-08-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831035323/https://www.workingclassfight.com/blog/gary-walkowicz-main-speech-of-the-working-class-party-convention/|url-status=live}} In the WCP's party program, it supports a living wage tied to inflation and full employment through reductions in working time.{{cite web |title=A Working Class Program To Combat the Crisis of Capitalism |publisher=Working Class Party |date=2022 |url=https://workingclassfight.com/blog/a-working-class-program-to-combat-the-crisis-of-capitalism/ |url-status=live |archive-date=November 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113125214/https://workingclassfight.com/blog/a-working-class-program-to-combat-the-crisis-of-capitalism/}} The WCP holds that the working class "won't change our situation with an election", but can "use this election to say there are [...] tens of thousands of people[ ]who agree with this program for the crisis".

Election results

The WCP has fielded electoral candidates in the United States for local, state, and federal offices. WCP candidates usually run as official WCP candidates on their own ballot line.

No WCP candidate has yet won a contested election, however one WCP candidate won an uncontested election for the Wayne County Community College Board in 2014.

As of November 2022, the party has ballot access in Illinois, Maryland, and Michigan.{{Cite web |title=Working Class Party on the Ballot in Illinois, Maryland & Michigan {{!}} Working Class Fight |url=https://www.workingclassfight.com/blog/working-class-party-on-the-ballot-in-illinois-maryland-and-michigan/ |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=www.workingclassfight.com}} As of December 2020, 2,102 voters were affiliated with the WCP in Maryland.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Maryland State Board of Elections Summary of Voter Registration Activity Report December 2020|url=https://elections.maryland.gov/pdf/vrar/2020_12.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127220249/https://elections.maryland.gov/pdf/vrar/2020_12.pdf|archive-date=2021-01-27|access-date=|website=Maryland State Board of Elections}}

= Congressional elections =

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%"

! Year

! Candidate

! Chamber

! State

! District

! Votes

! %

! Result

! Notes

! Ref

2024

|Ed Hershey

|10,704

|{{Percentage bar|5.2|hex=FF0000}}

|{{no2}} Lost

|

|{{Cite web |title=Working Class Party on the Ballot in Michigan, Illinois, California, 2024 {{!}} Working Class Fight |url=https://www.workingclassfight.com/blog/working-class-party-on-the-ballot-throughout-michigan-2024/ |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=www.workingclassfight.com}}{{Cite web |title=Illinois House District 4 Election 2024 Live Results |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/illinois-us-house-district-4-results |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=www.nbcnews.com |language=en}}

|Simone R. Coleman

|13th

|13,367

|{{Percentage bar|4.2|hex=FF0000}}

|{{no2}} Lost

|

|

|Gary Walkowicz

|12th

|9,401

|{{Percentage bar|2.6|hex=FF0000}}

|{{no2}} Lost

|

|

|Andrea L. Kirby

|10th

|11,162

|{{Percentage bar|2.6|hex=FF0000}}

|{{no2}} Lost

|

|

|Jim Walkowicz

|9th

|12,169

|{{Percentage bar|2.6|hex=FF0000}}

|{{no2}} Lost

|

|

|Kathy Goodwin

|8th

|8,492

|{{Percentage bar|2.0|hex=FF0000}}

|{{no2}} Lost

|

|

|Louis Palus

|3rd

|5,546

|{{Percentage bar|1.3|hex=FF0000}}

|{{no2}} Lost

|

|

|Liz Hakola

|1st

|8,497

|{{Percentage bar|1.8|hex=FF0000}}

|{{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Juan Rey

|44,450

| {{Percentage bar|21.7|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

| General Election

|{{Cite news |date=2024-12-16 |title=California 37th District election results 2024 live updates |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/results/2024/11/05/california-house-district-37/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-03-08 |work=The Washington Post}}

| Juan Rey

| 8,910

| {{Percentage bar|10.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{Yes2|Advanced to general election}}

| Nonpartisan blanket primary

| {{Cite web |title=Juan Rey: A Worker on the Ballot! {{!}} Working Class Fight |url=https://www.workingclassfight.com/blog/juan-rey-on-the-ballot/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=www.workingclassfight.com}}

| Simone R. Coleman

| 8,811

| {{Percentage bar|3.8|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Gary Walkowicz

| 8,046

| {{Percentage bar|2.9|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Andrea L. Kirby

| 5,905

| {{Percentage bar|1.8|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Jim Walkowicz

| 6,570

| {{Percentage bar|1.8|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Kathy Goodwin

| 9,077

| {{Percentage bar|2.7|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Louis Palus

| 4,192

| {{Percentage bar|1.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Liz Hakola

| 5,480

| {{Percentage bar|1.4|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=2022 Michigan Unofficial General Election Results - 11/08/2022 |url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2022GEN_CENR.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=mielections.us}}

| Ed Hershey

| 4,503

| {{Percentage bar|3.4|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=DDHQ Election Results |url=https://results.decisiondeskhq.com/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=results.decisiondeskhq.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp|title=Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago|website=chicagoelections.gov|access-date=2021-06-01|archive-date=2021-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202131617/https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp|url-status=live}}

| Philip Kolody

| 2,534

| {{Percentage bar|0.7|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Sam Johnson

| 5,284

| {{Percentage bar|1.8|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Gary Walkowicz

| 11,147

| {{Percentage bar|2.9|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Andrea Kirby

| 8,970

| {{Percentage bar|2.2|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Kathy Goodwin

| 8,180

| {{Percentage bar|2.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=2020 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/03/2020 |url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2020GEN_CENR.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=mielections.us}}

| Philip Kolody

| 4,761

| {{Percentage bar|1.8|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Sam Johnson

| 22,186

| {{Percentage bar|11.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Gary Walkowicz

| 6,712

| {{Percentage bar|2.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Andrea Kirby

| 6,797

| {{Percentage bar|2.2|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Kathy Goodwin

| 12,646

| {{Percentage bar|4.6|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Juan Rey

| 944

| {{Percentage bar|1.4|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

| Nonpartisan blanket primary

| {{Cite web |title=Statement of Vote JUNE 5, 2018 STATEWIDE DIRECT PRIMARY ELECTION |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-primary/sov/2018-complete-sov.pdf}}{{cite web |url=http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-primary/sov/82-congress.pdf |title=California Secretary of State, Statewide Direct Primary Election - Statement of the Vote, June 5, 2018 - United States Representative in Congress by District, see page 10 in the 82-congress.pdf file |access-date=September 5, 2018 |archive-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906052556/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-primary/sov/82-congress.pdf |url-status=live }}

| Sam Johnson

| 8,835

| {{Percentage bar|3.4|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Gary Walkowicz

| 9,183

| {{Percentage bar|2.8|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=2016 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/08/2016 |url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2016GEN_CENR.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=mielections.us}}

| Gary Walkowicz

| 5,039

| {{Percentage bar|2.4|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Sam Johnson

| 3,466

| {{Percentage bar|2.1|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=2014 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/04/2014 |url=https://mielections.us/election/results/14GEN/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=mielections.us}}

= Statewide elections =

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%"

! Year

! Candidate

! Office

! State

! District

! Votes

! %

! Result

! Notes

! Ref

2024

| Suzanne Roehrig

| Wayne State University Board of Governors

| At-Large

|

|

|

|

|

2024

| Mary Ann Hering

| Board of Education

| At-Large

|

|

|

|

|

2022

| Mary Anne Hering

| Board of Education

| At-Large

| 135,442

| {{Percentage bar|1.6|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| David Harding

| At-Large

| 17,154

| {{Percentage bar|0.86|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web

| title=Official 2022 Election Results

| url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/general_results/gen_results_2022_1.html

| access-date=March 8, 2023

| website=elections.maryland.gov}}

| Mary Anne Hering

| Board of Education

| At-Large

| 147,345

| {{Percentage bar|1.4|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Hali McEachern

| Board of Education

| At-Large

| 82,700

| {{Percentage bar|0.8|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

2018

| Mary Anne Hering

| Board of Education

| At-Large

| 125,693

| {{Percentage bar|1.7|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

2018

| Logan Smith

| Board of Education

| At-Large

| 91,077

| {{Percentage bar|1.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=2018 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/06/2018 |url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2018GEN_CENR.html}}

2016

| Mary Anne Hering

| Board of Education

| At-Large

| 224,392

| {{Percentage bar|2.66|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

= State legislature elections =

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%"

! Year

! Candidate

! Office

! State

! District

! Votes

! %

! Result

! Notes

! Ref

2024

| Linda Green Harris

| 16th district

|

|

|

|

|

2024

| Hashim Malik Bakari

| 13th district

|

|

|

|

|

2024

| Logan Ausherman

| 8th district

|

|

|

|

|

2024

| Linda Rayburn

| 7th district

|

|

|

|

|

2024

| Larry Darnell Betts

| 3rd district

|

|

|

|

|

2024

| Mark DaSacco

| 2nd district

|

|

|

|

|

| Kimberly Givens

| 3,396

| {{Percentage bar|3.1|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Linda Rayburn

| 10,214

| {{Percentage bar|14.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Larry Darnell Betts

| 1,636

| {{Percentage bar|2.6|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Louis Palus

| 75th district

| 1,234

| {{Percentage bar|3.0|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Larry Darnell Betts

| 15th district

| 970

| {{Percentage bar|2.4|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Simone R. Coleman

| 14th district

| 1,937

| {{Percentage bar|4.7|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Kimberly Givens

| 1,224

| {{Percentage bar|3.5|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Linda Rayburn

| 1,023

| {{Percentage bar|3.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Louis Palus

| 29th district

| 1,445

| {{Percentage bar|1.2|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Thomas Repasky

| 18th district

| 2,954

| {{Percentage bar|2.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Larry Betts

| 3,944

| {{Percentage bar|4.4|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

| Hali McEachern

| 2,095

| {{Percentage bar|2.9|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

|

= Local elections =

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%"

! Year

! Candidate

! Office

! Area

! District

! Votes

! %

! Result

! Notes

! Ref

| David Harding

| Baltimore, MD

| At-Large

| 3,973

| {{Percentage bar|1.7|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=2020 Election Results |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2020/results/general/gen_results_2020_4_by_county_030.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=elections.maryland.gov}}

2016

| David Harding

| Baltimore City Council

| 14th district

| 1,426

| {{Percentage bar|8.3|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=2016 Election Results |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2016/results/general/gen_results_2016_4_by_county_030.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=elections.maryland.gov}}{{Cite web|url=https://boe.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/EL45A_Election%20Summary.pdf|title=Baltimore City Board of Elections, 2016 General Election Results - Election Summary Report|access-date=2018-09-05|archive-date=2018-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014049/https://boe.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/EL45A_Election%20Summary.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.workingclassfight.com/elections/baltimore-2016/|title=David Harding, Working Class Candidate|access-date=2018-08-30|archive-date=2018-08-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831035312/https://www.workingclassfight.com/elections/baltimore-2016/|url-status=live}}

| Ed Hershey

| 25th ward

| 614

| {{Percentage bar|8.2|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

|

| {{Cite web |title=Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago |url=https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp?election=10&race=37 |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=chicagoelections.gov}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.workingclassfight.com/elections/chicago-2015/i-stand-for-a-working-class-fight/|title=I Stand for a Working Class Fight | Working Class Fight|website=www.workingclassfight.com|access-date=2018-09-05|archive-date=2018-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905214906/https://www.workingclassfight.com/elections/chicago-2015/i-stand-for-a-working-class-fight/|url-status=live}}

2014

| Mary Anne Hering

| At-Large

| 5,153

| {{Percentage bar|9.93|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

| 3 seats to be filled

| {{Cite web |title=November 4, 2014 General Election Results {{!}} Clerk |url=https://www.waynecounty.com/elected/clerk/november-4-2014-general.aspx |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=www.waynecounty.com}}

2014

| Kenneth Jannot

| At-Large

| 2,431

| {{Percentage bar|4.69|hex=FF0000}}

| {{no2}} Lost

| 3 seats to be filled

|

2014

| David A. Roehrig

| Community College Board

| Wayne County, MI

| 2nd

| 15,661

| {{Percentage bar|96.5|hex=FF0000}}

| {{yes2}} Won

| ran unopposed

|

See also

The Spark (US Trotskyist group associated with the Lutte Ouvrière tendency)

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

[https://the-spark.net/ Spark's homepage]

{{United States political parties}}

Category:2016 establishments in Michigan

Category:Organizations based in Detroit

Category:Political parties established in 2014

Category:Political parties in Michigan

Category:Progressive parties in the United States

Category:Socialist parties in the United States

Category:Socialism in Maryland

Category:Political parties in Maryland

Category:State and local socialist parties in the United States

Category:Socialism in Illinois

Category:Socialism in Michigan