A perennial candidate, Gloria La Riva has spent decades running for office on socialist platforms.
In short: Gloria La Riva is a fixture of American third-party politics, having appeared on ballots for president or vice president ten consecutive times. A communist activist and founding member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, her career spans decades of campaigns, international advocacy, and media production focused on global socialist movements.
Born in Albuquerque in 1954, La Riva began her political trajectory while attending Brandeis University in 1972. Her electoral history is extensive, beginning with a 1983 run for San Francisco Mayor. Over the following decades, she became a consistent presence in American politics, representing the Workers World Party and later the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Her campaigns have spanned local, state, and federal levels, including multiple bids for Governor of California and a 2010 congressional run against Nancy Pelosi.
Beyond her electoral efforts, La Riva has maintained a career as an activist and media producer. She served as the director for the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five and held a leadership role within the Northern California Media Workers Union. Her work extends into literature and film, where she has translated works by Fidel Castro and produced several documentary videos covering topics such as NATO, Iraqi sanctions, and Cuban governance. In 2010, the Cuban Council of State recognized her efforts by presenting her with the Friendship Medal.
La Riva’s presidential runs have often involved complex party dynamics. In 2012, she acted as a ballot stand-in for Peta Lindsay, who was ineligible in certain states due to age requirements. By 2020, she secured nominations from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Peace and Freedom Party, and the Liberty Union Party. Despite her consistent presence on the ballot, her electoral impact remains marginal in terms of vote totals, yet she remains a dedicated figure in the American socialist movement, often campaigning alongside figures like Leonard Peltier and Sunil Freeman.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Gloria La Riva
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