▁and ▁cand ida cies ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁from ▁Indian apolis , ▁Kennedy ▁joined ▁the ▁social ist ▁movement ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁in ▁Louis ville , ▁Kentucky . ▁She ▁has ▁worked ▁in ▁coal ▁mines ▁in ▁Alabama , ▁Colorado , ▁Ut ah , ▁and ▁West ▁Virginia . ▁Today ▁she ▁works ▁at ▁a ▁Wal mart ▁in ▁Dallas . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁she ▁ran ▁as ▁the ▁SW P ▁candidate ▁for ▁mayor ▁of ▁Cleveland , ▁Ohio ▁against ▁inc umb ent ▁Republican ▁Ralph ▁Per k , ▁gar ner ing ▁ 1 , 2 2 5 ▁votes ▁and ▁losing ▁by ▁a ▁wide ▁margin ▁to ▁Dennis ▁K uc in ich . ▁She ▁first ▁joined ▁the ▁United ▁Mine ▁Work ers ▁of ▁America ▁( UM WA ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁leaders ▁of ▁a ▁strike ▁in ▁Ut ah ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁also ▁being ▁involved ▁in ▁lit ig ation . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁she ▁ran ▁for ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁as ▁a ▁cert ified ▁write - in ▁candidate ▁in ▁a ▁race ▁prompt ed ▁by ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁candidate ▁and ▁former ▁Governor ▁of ▁Missouri ▁Mel ▁Car nah an . ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁President ial ▁election ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁Vice - Pres ident ial ▁nom ine e ▁of ▁two ▁parties , ▁Kennedy ▁ran ▁a ▁campaign ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁youth . ▁There ▁were ▁two ▁different ▁candidates ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁ticket , ▁Roger ▁Cal ero ▁and ▁James ▁Harris ; ▁Harris ▁was ▁an ▁alternate ▁in