National Politics: The 1920 Republican Nomination Race

NATIONAL POLITICS: THE 1920 REPUBLICAN NOMINATION RACE

Potential Candidates

As the party controlling the executive branch in 1920, the Democrats suffered the fallout from postwar restlessness. Moreover, Democratic presidential hopefuls hesitated to launch their candidacies, awaiting President Wood row Wilson's decision about seeking a third term. Not only were Democrats on the defensive but Republicans enjoyed momentum because they had gained congressional seats in the midterm elections of 1918. Given these advantages Republicans seemed poised for victory in 1920, but which Republican would occupy the Oval Office? The choice was not obvious, especially after former president Theodore Roosevelt's death in January 1919. The list of prominent Republicans vying for the nomination included Gen. Leonard Wood of New Hampshire, Sen. Hiram Johnson of California (Roosevelt's Progressive Party running mate in 1912), Gov. Frank O. Lowden of Illinois, Sen. Warren G. Harding of Ohio, and Gov. Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts. These candidates and others competed for delegates during the preconvention selection process.

Republican Primaries

In 1920 only twenty states held presidential preference primaries, and many of them did not bind delegates to the winner, but Republican Party primary voting still surpassed participation in the two previous presidential elections, The primary process yielded confusion rather than a consensus candidate. Candidates did not enter all of the primaries, limiting the public's opportunity to choose. For example, Harding competed in only two primaries—Ohio, his home state, which he won, and Indiana, which he lost.

Republican Hopefuls

Leonard Wood became the early front-runner, having received the endorsement of Theodore Roosevelt. With a promise of tough action against striking labor unions and an emphasis on nationalism and anti-Bolshevism, Wood appealed to party conservatives. His policies earned Wood huge campaign contributions, but he attracted criticism from his opponents for his lavish campaign spending. Hiram Johnson garnered much of the progressive Republican vote with his record of fighting against monopolies, defending civil liberties, and adamantly opposing the League of Nations. Although out of step with party regulars, Johnson made his appeal to the people and regularly criticized Wood and Frank O. Lowden for their large campaign funds. Lowden ran on his effectiveness as governor of Illinois. Unlike Johnson, Lowden favored ratification of the Treaty of Versailles, with reservations. Independently wealthy, he could finance his own campaign, but some Republicans believed that his lack of indebtedness to campaign contributors made him too independent. Lowden appealed to those favoring efficiency and economy in government. Warren G. Harding, a newspaper publisher, had little ambition for the presidency himself, but his campaign manager, Harry M. Daugherty, had more than enough for them both. Harding's reputation for moderation on all issues and his staunch party loyalty stood as his greatest assets.

Republican Platform

On Tuesday, 8 June 1920, Republicans convened in Chicago for their five-day national convention. Debate on the party's platform position on the League of Nations presented the greatest challenge to party unity, but Elihu Root resolved the controversy with a compromise that satisfied those adamantly opposed to the organization and internationalists who were willing to endorse the Treaty of Versailles if Wilson would accept revisions. After resolving the delicate issue of the League of Nations, Republican delegates endorsed a platform that reflected the growing strength of conservatives in the party and the waning influence of its progressive wing, whose minority report met with resounding rejection. Along with the standard condemnation of Democratic policies, the platform advocated governmental economy, tax revision, and deflation of credit and currency to control inflation. It included a plank condemning strikes and lockouts as well as one promising immigration limits, especially for non-Europeans.

Presidential Balloting

Wood arrived at the convention with 124 delegates, more than any of his competitors. Johnson was not far behind with 112 delegates, while Lowden had 72, and Harding came to the convention with 39. No candidate was close to having the 493 delegates necessary for the nomination. On the first ballot, taken Friday evening, Wood maintained his frontrunner's position with 287.5 votes; he was followed by Lowden with 211.5, Johnson with 133.5, and twelve other candidates who shared 351.5 votes. Three more ballots produced similar results. The convention then adjourned for the day despite objections from Wood and Lowden delegates.

"Smoke-Filled Room" Politics

After the adjournment, backroom strategy began in earnest, as old-guard Republicans maneuvered to find a consensus candidate. Johnson's refusal to accept second place on a ticket headed by Wood thwarted the most likely combination, one that would have held Roosevelt supporters together. Increasingly, it became apparent that delegates pledged to the top three candidates were unwilling to commit to rivals. They needed a compromise candidate that all could accept. In the now-famous "smoke-filled room" convention chairman Henry Cabot Lodge allegedly moved to make Harding, one of the minor candidates, the party's nominee. Harding had an unblemished record as a party regular, making it easy for many Republicans to accept him. While he had done nothing to demonstrate presidential capability, he also had done nothing to demonstrate his inability to master the job. Moreover, Harding was from Ohio, an important swing state for the Republicans, especially if the Democrats nominated James Cox, governor of the Buckeye State. While the logic of choosing Harding was compelling for some Republicans, his supporters could not garner enough support to win him the nomination when balloting resumed Saturday morning. Instead the informal deal makers gave Wood, Johnson, and Lowden another chance to break their deadlock. On the fifth, sixth, and seventh ballots the deadlock remained, and support for Harding was slowly mounting. After the eighth ballot (Lowden 307, Wood 299, Harding 133.5, and Johnson 87), Chairman Lodge called a recess. Following a three-hour recess, Harding led on the ninth ballot with 374.5 delegates. He secured the nomination on the tenth and final ballot with a comfortable majority.

Selecting a Running Mate

While maneuvering among inside power brokers characterized Harding's nomination, spontaneity distinguished the vice presidential nomination. The architects of Harding's nomination selected Irvine L. Lenroot of Wisconsin, an unusual choice since Lenroot, who was also a senator and from the same geographic region as Harding, did not offer the traditional balance a vice presidential candidate is expected to bring the ticket. In defiance of these leaders an Oregon delegate unexpectedly nominated Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts, a highly respected candidate who had distanced himself from those running the convention. Delegates demonstrated wildly following Coolidge's nomination, thwarting convention managers' control of the process. With 674.5 votes Coolidge captured the nomination on the first ballot.

THE SOCIALIST CONVENTION OF 1920

A severely weakened Socialist Party opened its convention in New York on 8 May 1920. Many supporters had bolted the party after it took a strong stand against U.S. participation in World War I, a stance that resulted in repression by the Wilson administration during and after the war. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 had also led to party division, and members took different positions on the role of the party in the Communist Third International of 1919. Despite internal dissent and external persecution, the Socialists united to nominate Eugene V. Debs of Indiana for the fifth time as their presidential candidate. Debs, however, was unable to attend the convention because he was serving a ten-year sentence in the federal penitentiary for his opposition to World War I. Seymour Stedman of Ohio, the Socialist vice presidential candidate, campaigned alone for the ticket, which garnered just under 920,000 votes.

Source:

"An Americanized Socialist Party," Nation, 100 (22 May 1920): 675.

Sources:

Richard C. Bain and Judith H. Parris, Convention Decisions and Voting Records, second edition (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 1973);

"Chicago 1920," New Republic, 23 (23 June 1920): 108-110;

Donald R. McCoy, "Election of 1920," in History of American Presidential Elections 1789-1968, edited by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., volume 3 (New York: Chelsea House/McGraw-Hill, 1971), pp. 2349-2455.