This exhibit examines Jane Tolmach's connection with the two-time Democratic nominee for President, Adlai Stevenson.
Born in Havre, Montana, November 12, 1921, Jane McCormick's family moved to Ventura County when she was two years old. A graduate of UCLA and Smith College, she married Dr. Daniel Tolmach. The couple settled in Oxnard, California, in 1948.
Her involvement in national politics began by hosting coffee fundraisers for Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Estes Kefauver (TN) in 1954. She supported Stevenson for the nomination in 1956, raising funds for the Stevenson-Kefauver ticket and attending the 1956 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
Her collection includes several compelling pieces from this period.
John Flynn, a long-serving member of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors told the Ventura County Star that Tolmach "got people to follow her because of her unassuming nature." Tolmach, Flynn continued "didn’t think she was better than anyone else..."
It may be that her modesty, intellect, and concern for ordinary people is what drew her support for Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson shared these same qualities. In 1956 Tolmach was an active supporter of Stevenson.
This exhibit examines the Democratic Losers who ran for presidency among the 1960's. Through the use of the Jane Tolmach collection, we will be discussing what their tactics were and what they did while running for election. The "losers" we will be focusing on include Stevenson, McGovern, Pat Brown, and Humphrey.
