Picking A President: The 1920 Republican Nomination
The first presidential primaries were held in 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and Robert La Follette battled it out for the Republican Party's presidential nomination, ultimately won by Taft at the convention. In those early years of the primary system, the primaries weren't as influential or decisive in choosing a nominee for president as they are today. In fact in 1920, the Republican Party's presidential nominee, Warren Harding, only won one primary (in his home state of Ohio), even though the party held twenty such contests that year. It is said that Harding was chosen as the winning candidate in the "smoke-filled rooms" at the GOP Convention in June of 1920, on the 10th ballot after the convention became deadlocked.
Many had expected that Theodore Roosevelt would be the Republican Party candidate in 1920. But TR died in January of 1919. The two leading contenders for the party's presidential candidate were two men with close ties to the Old Lion. Leonard Wood had been Roosevelt's Commanding Officer in the Roughriders during the Spanish-American War. He had later served as Army Chief of Staff under Roosevelt and the two had been good friends. The other contender was Senator Hiram Johnson of California. In 1912 when Roosevelt had run for President under the banner of the Progressive (or "Bull Moose") Party, Johnson had been his running mate. Johnson had been one of the leaders of the Republican Party's progressive wing, and it was widely believed that a snub of Johnson by Republican Party Presidential Candidate Charles Evan Hughes in 1916 had cost Hughes the election.
Wood got off to a good start in the primaries in 1920, scoring strong victories in his home state of New Hampshire on March 9th (with 53%) and South Dakota on March 23rd (where Wood finished first in a close three way race with 36.5%, compared to 31.5% for Illinois Governor Frank Lowden and 30.7% for Johnson.) Johnson won a strong victory in North Dakota on March 16 (with 96%). He would go on to win six other primaries: Michigan on April 5 (38.4%), Nebraska on April 20 (46.2%), Montana on April 23 (52.4%), his home state of California on May 4 (63.9%), Oregon on May 21 (38.4%) and North Carolina on June 5 (73.3%).
Besides his first two early victories, Wood also won primaries in Wisconsin on April 6 (where he was able to finish first amide a crowded field with just 15%), New Jersey on April 27 (with 50.2%), Maryland on May 3 (with 66.4%), Indiana on May 4 (with 37.9%), Vermont on May 18 (with 66.1%) and West Virginia on May 18 (with 44.6%). Lowden won his home state of Illinois on April 13 with 51.1%. Favorite son Edward Wood of Pennsylvania won that state's primary on May 18 (with 92.3%) while Harding won his home state of Ohio on April 27 (with 47.6%). No winner was declared in New York (April 6) or Massachusetts (April 27).
The Republican convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, at the Chicago Coliseum from June 8 to June 12, 1920, with 940 voting delegates. Under convention rules, a majority plus one, or at least 471 of the 940 delegates, was necessary for a nomination. At the start of the convention, none of the three main candidates had a commanding lead, Wood, Lowden and Johnson all possible nominees. Harding was considered a longshot. Because none of the three candidates looked like he could garner a majority of delegates, some people predicted that a dark horse candidate would be chosen. Possibilities for this role included Pennsylvania Governor William Cameron Sproul, Pennsylvania Senator Philander C. Knox, Kansas Governor Henry Justin Allen, Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, or even the 1916 nominee Charles Evans Hughes. Sproul was acceptable to the conservative wing of the party, which had been supporting Lowden.
The convention adjourned for the night after four ballots produced no clear leader, and many states stuck to favorite-son candidates. When balloting continued the next day, Wood, Lowden, and Johnson all remained in the lead, with no significant erosion in support. Party leaders worked to find a candidate acceptable to both the progressive and conservative wings of the party. Conservatives were strongly opposed to Wood and Johnson. Wood and Johnson would not support one another. Progressives would not accept Lowden. As the deadlock continued, Harding emerged as a moderately conservative candidate who was also acceptable to the progressive wing of the party. Harding had been careful not to alienate or offend either faction, and he soon emerged as a strong compromise candidate. After the eighth ballot, the convention recessed. During the recess, Harding's managers lobbied Lowden's supporters and others to support Harding.
Harding was also helped by the fact that the Democrats had nominated James M. Cox of Ohio. Ohio was then, as now, seen as an important swing state and the Republicans did not want to give the Democrats a home state advantage in such an electorally critical state. Harding jumped into the lead on the ninth ballot, and clinched the nomination on the tenth ballot. Johnson might have stopped the Harding nomination by throwing his support behind Knox, but he was too stubborn to abandon his desire for the nomination, even though he disliked Harding personally. Johnson never released his supporters, allowing Harding to win the nomination thanks to defections from other candidates.
Many had expected that Theodore Roosevelt would be the Republican Party candidate in 1920. But TR died in January of 1919. The two leading contenders for the party's presidential candidate were two men with close ties to the Old Lion. Leonard Wood had been Roosevelt's Commanding Officer in the Roughriders during the Spanish-American War. He had later served as Army Chief of Staff under Roosevelt and the two had been good friends. The other contender was Senator Hiram Johnson of California. In 1912 when Roosevelt had run for President under the banner of the Progressive (or "Bull Moose") Party, Johnson had been his running mate. Johnson had been one of the leaders of the Republican Party's progressive wing, and it was widely believed that a snub of Johnson by Republican Party Presidential Candidate Charles Evan Hughes in 1916 had cost Hughes the election.
Wood got off to a good start in the primaries in 1920, scoring strong victories in his home state of New Hampshire on March 9th (with 53%) and South Dakota on March 23rd (where Wood finished first in a close three way race with 36.5%, compared to 31.5% for Illinois Governor Frank Lowden and 30.7% for Johnson.) Johnson won a strong victory in North Dakota on March 16 (with 96%). He would go on to win six other primaries: Michigan on April 5 (38.4%), Nebraska on April 20 (46.2%), Montana on April 23 (52.4%), his home state of California on May 4 (63.9%), Oregon on May 21 (38.4%) and North Carolina on June 5 (73.3%).
Besides his first two early victories, Wood also won primaries in Wisconsin on April 6 (where he was able to finish first amide a crowded field with just 15%), New Jersey on April 27 (with 50.2%), Maryland on May 3 (with 66.4%), Indiana on May 4 (with 37.9%), Vermont on May 18 (with 66.1%) and West Virginia on May 18 (with 44.6%). Lowden won his home state of Illinois on April 13 with 51.1%. Favorite son Edward Wood of Pennsylvania won that state's primary on May 18 (with 92.3%) while Harding won his home state of Ohio on April 27 (with 47.6%). No winner was declared in New York (April 6) or Massachusetts (April 27).
The Republican convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, at the Chicago Coliseum from June 8 to June 12, 1920, with 940 voting delegates. Under convention rules, a majority plus one, or at least 471 of the 940 delegates, was necessary for a nomination. At the start of the convention, none of the three main candidates had a commanding lead, Wood, Lowden and Johnson all possible nominees. Harding was considered a longshot. Because none of the three candidates looked like he could garner a majority of delegates, some people predicted that a dark horse candidate would be chosen. Possibilities for this role included Pennsylvania Governor William Cameron Sproul, Pennsylvania Senator Philander C. Knox, Kansas Governor Henry Justin Allen, Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, or even the 1916 nominee Charles Evans Hughes. Sproul was acceptable to the conservative wing of the party, which had been supporting Lowden.
The convention adjourned for the night after four ballots produced no clear leader, and many states stuck to favorite-son candidates. When balloting continued the next day, Wood, Lowden, and Johnson all remained in the lead, with no significant erosion in support. Party leaders worked to find a candidate acceptable to both the progressive and conservative wings of the party. Conservatives were strongly opposed to Wood and Johnson. Wood and Johnson would not support one another. Progressives would not accept Lowden. As the deadlock continued, Harding emerged as a moderately conservative candidate who was also acceptable to the progressive wing of the party. Harding had been careful not to alienate or offend either faction, and he soon emerged as a strong compromise candidate. After the eighth ballot, the convention recessed. During the recess, Harding's managers lobbied Lowden's supporters and others to support Harding.
Harding was also helped by the fact that the Democrats had nominated James M. Cox of Ohio. Ohio was then, as now, seen as an important swing state and the Republicans did not want to give the Democrats a home state advantage in such an electorally critical state. Harding jumped into the lead on the ninth ballot, and clinched the nomination on the tenth ballot. Johnson might have stopped the Harding nomination by throwing his support behind Knox, but he was too stubborn to abandon his desire for the nomination, even though he disliked Harding personally. Johnson never released his supporters, allowing Harding to win the nomination thanks to defections from other candidates.