Sam Webb

Samuel Webb (born June 4, 1945) is an American activist and political leader, who served as the Chairman of the Communist Party USA from 2000 to 2014, succeeding the party's longest running leader, Gus Hall. Webb did not accept nomination to be reelected as chairman at the 30th National Convention of the Communist Party USA in 2014, at which John Bachtell was elected the party's new chairman. Webb continued to serve on the party's National Committee until 2016.

Biography

Samuel Webb was born in Maine and graduated from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1967. He holds an M.A. in economics from the University of Connecticut. He worked as a Communist Party organizer in Michigan from 1978–1988. During the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Webb called then-president Barack Obama a "people's advocate" and said that some of his early decisions, in reversing some of President George W. Bush's policies, were praiseworthy.

In 2005 Webb wrote Reflections on Socialism, a paper reflecting ideas that Webb first presented at the 2005 Left Forum in New York City. This paper points out that socialism is once again being discussed in the trade union and student movements, in popular magazines and certainly in the halls of power worldwide.

Webb traveled to China, United Kingdom, Cuba, and Vietnam, Mexico, Germany as well as the CPUSA Houston club, the Austin Hogan Transit Club of NYC, the CPUSA Tucson Club, the LA Metro Club, and the Communist Party of San Francisco.

In 2014, Webb did not seek reelection as the National Committee's chairman and stepped down from office. At the 30th National Convention of the Communist Party USA, John Bachtell was elected as the new Chairman of the National Committee, thereby ending Webb's 14 years as the party's leader.

At the end of the 2016 Democratic primary, Webb defended Hillary Clinton and urged supporters of Bernie Sanders to support her in the general election.