Mimi Soltysik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mimi Soltysik
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| National Co-Chair of the Socialist Party USA |
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| In office October 26, 2013 – October 18, 2015 Serving with Stephanie Cholensky
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| Preceded by | Billy Wharton |
| Succeeded by | Pat Noble |
| National Vice Chair of the Socialist Party USA |
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| In office October 15, 2011 – October 26, 2013 Serving with Stephanie Gussin
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| Preceded by | Jim Sanders |
| Succeeded by | John Strinka |
| State Chair of the Socialist Party of California |
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| In office June 25, 2011 – February 1, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Lynn Lomibao & Amanda Riggle (as State Co-Chairs) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Emidio Soltysik
October 30, 1974 Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | June 28, 2020 (aged 45) California, U.S. |
| Political party | Socialist |
| Spouse | Lynn Lomibao |
| Alma mater | Troy University |
| Occupation | Political activist |
Emidio "Mimi" Soltysik (born October 30, 1974 – died June 28, 2020) was an American political activist. He was a member of the Socialist Party USA, a political group that believes in a society where everyone shares resources and works together for the good of all.
Mimi Soltysik was chosen by his party to run for President of the United States in the 2016 election. His running mate, who would have been Vice President, was Angela Nicole Walker. Before running for president, Soltysik held important roles within the Socialist Party USA. He was a national co-chair from 2013 to 2015 and a national vice chair from 2011 to 2013. He also led the Socialist Party of California from 2011 to 2017.
Mimi Soltysik's Early Life
Emidio Soltysik was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. When he was younger, he worked as a professional musician. Later, he decided to go back to school to continue his education.
He studied at Troy University and then earned a master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from California State University, Northridge. An MPA degree helps people learn how to manage public services and government programs. Mimi Soltysik once said that he wanted the second half of his life to be about making a positive difference in the world. Sadly, he passed away on June 28, 2020, after a long illness with liver cancer.
Mimi Soltysik's Political Work
Mimi Soltysik became a leader in the Socialist Party USA. In 2013, he was elected as a co-chair for the party, helping to lead it for two years. He also led the Socialist Party of California.
In 2014, Soltysik ran for a seat in the California State Assembly. This is a group of elected officials who make laws for California. In California, there's a special election system where the top two candidates from the first round, called the primary, move on to the final election. Mimi Soltysik finished in 7th place in his district.
In 2015, Soltysik took legal action against the California Secretary of State. This was because California election rules only allowed candidates to list a party that was officially recognized by the state, or "None." Since the Socialist Party wasn't officially recognized in California, he had to list "Party Preference: None" on the ballot. He believed this wasn't fair.
Mimi Soltysik's 2016 Presidential Campaign
On October 17, 2015, the Socialist Party USA held a meeting where they officially chose Mimi Soltysik as their candidate for president. They also chose Angela Nicole Walker as his vice-presidential running mate. The Socialist Party did not have automatic access to ballots in any state. This means they had to work hard to get their names listed on the ballot in each state.
During his campaign, Mimi Soltysik was interviewed by several news organizations. He talked about socialist ideas and his plans for the country. He was even interviewed on CNBC about how more people in the United States were starting to support socialist ideas.
In the 2016 election, the Soltysik/Walker team received 2,704 votes, including votes where people wrote their names in. He also won 4.2% of the votes in a special election in Guam. Guam is a territory of the U.S., not a state. This means that Guam's votes do not count in the Electoral College, which is how the U.S. president is officially chosen.
