Janice Hart
Encyclopedia
Janice Hart was an unsuccessful candidate for the office of Illinois Secretary of State in 1986.
Hart, a political unknown and a LaRouche movement
activist since the age of 17, unexpectedly won the Democratic Party's nomination. Her opponent, Aurelia Pucinski, came from a politically-prominent family and was supported by the party organization. On March 19, 1986, Hart celebrated her victory of the previous day, saying "I'm going to revive the spirit of Abraham Lincoln and General Patton. We're going to roll our tanks down State Street."
Prominent Democrats nationwide opposed Hart's candidacy, with Democratic National Committee chairman Paul Kirk saying "Good Lord, we have a problem here." Democratic gubernatorial candidate Adlai Stevenson III
refused to run on the same slate with Hart and the LaRouche-supported candidate for Lieutenant Governor
, Mark J. Fairchild. He described Hart, who is Jewish, and Fairchild as "neo-Nazis... who preach anti-Semitism, who cavort with the Ku Klux Klan, and who want to destroy labour unions." Instead, Stevenson formed the Solidarity Party
and ran with Jane Spirgel as the Secretary of State nominee. Hart achieved 15% of the vote, with Spirgel taking 17%. Hart and Spirgel's opponent, Republican incumbent Jim Edgar
, won the election by the largest margin in any state-wide election in Illinois history, with 1.574 million votes (67%). Following the election Hart defiantly said, "Victory is not defined by your petty election."
Hart appeared in the news again in the summer of '86 when she threw a pound of raw liver, as a symbolic "pound of flesh," at the feet of Milwaukee Archbishop
Rembert Weakland
, to protest what she perceived as his support for the International Monetary Fund
. After initially failing to appear to answer the charges, she was fined $500 for disorderly conduct.
Hart opposed Pucinski again in 1987, this time for circuit court
clerk, which Pucinski won. When Hart applied for the nomination for Secretary of State again in 1990 she did not qualify due to insufficient signatures on her petition. She subsequently retired from public life. In 2007, one-time running mate Fairchild told a reporter that Hart was no longer with the LaRouche movement.
where needed," investigation of supposed drug smuggling cartels protected by Henry Kissinger
and Katharine Graham
, and strong support for the Strategic Defense Initiative
and nuclear power
. Ever since the 1986 election the Hart candidacy has been discussed and studied by academics, and journalists. One theory is that she won the 1986 Democratic nomination over Pucinski because "[N]o one had heard those foreign-sounding names [Sangmeister and Pucinski] ... people voted for white bread and American-sounding (i.e., WASP) names, knowing absolutely nothing about the candidates." A similar theory is that she won because her name caused voters to connect her with then-prominent Democrat Gary Hart
. Others blame Stevenson for his inept campaigning for the ticket and voters for their apathy. Dennis King in Lyndon LaRouche and the New American Fascism (1989) cites evidence that some of Hart's support resulted from below-the-radar organizing and campaigning in farm communities and rust belt towns.
Hart, a political unknown and a LaRouche movement
LaRouche movement
The LaRouche movement is an international political and cultural network that promotes Lyndon LaRouche and his ideas. It has included scores of organizations and companies around the world. Their activities include campaigning, private intelligence gathering, and publishing numerous periodicals,...
activist since the age of 17, unexpectedly won the Democratic Party's nomination. Her opponent, Aurelia Pucinski, came from a politically-prominent family and was supported by the party organization. On March 19, 1986, Hart celebrated her victory of the previous day, saying "I'm going to revive the spirit of Abraham Lincoln and General Patton. We're going to roll our tanks down State Street."
Prominent Democrats nationwide opposed Hart's candidacy, with Democratic National Committee chairman Paul Kirk saying "Good Lord, we have a problem here." Democratic gubernatorial candidate Adlai Stevenson III
Adlai Stevenson III
Adlai Ewing Stevenson III is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented the state of Illinois in the United States Senate from 1970 until 1981.-Education, military service, and early career:...
refused to run on the same slate with Hart and the LaRouche-supported candidate for Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
, Mark J. Fairchild. He described Hart, who is Jewish, and Fairchild as "neo-Nazis... who preach anti-Semitism, who cavort with the Ku Klux Klan, and who want to destroy labour unions." Instead, Stevenson formed the Solidarity Party
Solidarity Party
The Solidarity Party was an American political party in the state of Illinois. It was named after Lech Wałęsa's Solidarity movement in Poland, which was widely-admired in Illinois at the time .The party was founded in 1986 by Senator Adlai Stevenson III in reaction to the Democratic Party's...
and ran with Jane Spirgel as the Secretary of State nominee. Hart achieved 15% of the vote, with Spirgel taking 17%. Hart and Spirgel's opponent, Republican incumbent Jim Edgar
Jim Edgar
James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...
, won the election by the largest margin in any state-wide election in Illinois history, with 1.574 million votes (67%). Following the election Hart defiantly said, "Victory is not defined by your petty election."
Hart appeared in the news again in the summer of '86 when she threw a pound of raw liver, as a symbolic "pound of flesh," at the feet of Milwaukee Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Rembert Weakland
Rembert Weakland
Rembert George Weakland was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Milwaukee from 1977 to 2002. He is the author of A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church: Memoirs of a Catholic Archbishop, which explores Church reform issues, his homosexuality, and the child abuse crisis....
, to protest what she perceived as his support for the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
. After initially failing to appear to answer the charges, she was fined $500 for disorderly conduct.
Hart opposed Pucinski again in 1987, this time for circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
clerk, which Pucinski won. When Hart applied for the nomination for Secretary of State again in 1990 she did not qualify due to insufficient signatures on her petition. She subsequently retired from public life. In 2007, one-time running mate Fairchild told a reporter that Hart was no longer with the LaRouche movement.
Political significance
Hart ran on the LaRouche platform, including measures to classify AIDS as a communicable disease "and give health officials the power to test and quarantinewhere needed," investigation of supposed drug smuggling cartels protected by Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
and Katharine Graham
Katharine Graham
Katharine Meyer Graham was an American publisher. She led her family's newspaper, The Washington Post, for more than two decades, overseeing its most famous period, the Watergate coverage that eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon...
, and strong support for the Strategic Defense Initiative
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic...
and nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
. Ever since the 1986 election the Hart candidacy has been discussed and studied by academics, and journalists. One theory is that she won the 1986 Democratic nomination over Pucinski because "[N]o one had heard those foreign-sounding names [Sangmeister and Pucinski] ... people voted for white bread and American-sounding (i.e., WASP) names, knowing absolutely nothing about the candidates." A similar theory is that she won because her name caused voters to connect her with then-prominent Democrat Gary Hart
Gary Hart
Gary Hart is an American politician, lawyer, author, professor and commentator. He served as a Democratic Senator representing Colorado , and ran in the U.S...
. Others blame Stevenson for his inept campaigning for the ticket and voters for their apathy. Dennis King in Lyndon LaRouche and the New American Fascism (1989) cites evidence that some of Hart's support resulted from below-the-radar organizing and campaigning in farm communities and rust belt towns.