Laura Garza is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 socialist

Socialism

Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...

 politician, a garment worker and a member of UNITE HERE

UNITE HERE

UNITE HERE is a labor union in the United States and Canada with more than 265,000 active members The union's members work predominantly in the hotel, food service, laundry, warehouse, and casino gaming industries...

 Local 187.

Garza ran as the Socialist Workers Party

Socialist Workers Party (United States)

The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba...

 candidate for Vice President

Vice President of the United States

The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...

 in 1996. She and running mate James Harris

James Harris (politician)

James Harris is an African American communist politician and member of the National Committee of the Socialist Workers Party. He was the party's candidate for President of the United States in 1996 receiving 8,463 votes and again in 2000 when his ticket received 7,378 votes...

 received 8,463 votes. She was the 2006 SWP candidate for Congress

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 in Massachusetts's 8th congressional district

Massachusetts's 8th congressional district

Massachusetts's 8th congressional district is in eastern Massachusetts, including part of Boston and the immediately adjacent cities of Cambridge, Somerville, and Chelsea. With an area of just , it is the smallest by area of Massachusetts's ten congressional districts. It is currently represented...

, which includes Cambridge

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...

, Chelsea

Chelsea, Massachusetts

Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...

, Somerville

Somerville, Massachusetts

Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...

 and about three quarters of Boston. She was the sole challenger to Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 incumbent Mike Capuano

Mike Capuano

Michael Everett "Mike" Capuano is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, which was once represented by John F. Kennedy and Tip O'Neill, includes the northern three-fourths of Boston, as well as Somerville and Cambridge...

, to whom she lost, receiving 12,390 votes, 9% of the total.

See also

• Massachusetts general election, 2006
  Massachusetts general election, 2006
  A Massachusetts general election was held on November 7, 2006 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.The election included:* statewide elections for U.S. Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer, and Auditor;* district elections for U.S...
  
  
• Massachusetts congressional elections, 2006
  Massachusetts congressional elections, 2006
  The Massachusetts Congressional elections of 2006 were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. The terms of all ten Representatives to the United States House of Representatives were to expire on January 3, 2007, and therefore all were put up for contest...
  
  
• United States presidential election, 1996
  United States presidential election, 1996
  The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Housing Secretary Jack...
  
  

External links

• Ted Leonard, "Socialist candidates in Massachusetts: U.S. hands off Cuba!", The Militant 70(33), 4 September 2006.
• James Harris and Laura Garza, "'Anti-Terrorist' Measures Aimed At Working Class", The Militant 69(20), 19 August 1996.
• Laura Garza(photos)