Clip from the Past: McCormack for President

In 1976, a housewife from New York, Ellen McCormack ran for President.  In 18 states, her name appeared on primary election ballots as a Democrat.  Her platform was strictly based on a pro-life approach to the issue of abortion.  Even though she did not win any primaries, McCormack’s campaign was successful enough to have raised money for federal matching funds and for Secret Service protection.  The extra campaign dollars also allowed for the creation of television spots that would promote McCormack’s pro-life beliefs.

Would a commercial, such as this one, work in today’s political climate?

Clip from the Past: Ellen McCormack for President

In 1976, a housewife from New York, Ellen McCormack ran for President.  In 18 states, her name appeared on primary election ballots as a Democrat.  Her platform was strictly based on a pro-life approach to the issue of abortion.  Even though she did not win any primaries, McCormack’s campaign was successful enough to have raised money for federal matching funds and for Secret Service protection.  The extra campaign dollars also allowed for the creation of television spots that would promote McCormack’s pro-life beliefs.

Would a commercial, such as this one, work in today’s political climate?

Social Issues in Politics

Here is an ad from the 1976 Presidential season.  It is from the Presidential campaign of Ellen McCormack, a New York housewife, who was able to raise enough money to run television spots such as this in states that she qualified for in the Democratic Party primaries.  She did not win any primaries, but McCormack did receive 22 delegate votes at the Democratic National Convention.  The Democratic nominee for President in 1976 was Jimmy Carter.

This ad brings up several questions:
1.  Can any candidate run on social issues and expect to win in election?  For McCormack, she ran almost exclusively as an anti-abortion candidate.
2.  Today, the Democratic Party supports more a pro-choice platform and the Republican Party favors a pro-life platform.  Is there a place for both platforms in each party?
3.  Would candidates today venture and run an ad like this today?