1924 United States presidential election
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| 1924 United States presidential election | |
|---|---|
 derivative work: SteveSims
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| Election name | 1924 United States presidential election |
| Country | United States |
| Type | presidential |
| Previous election | 1920 United States presidential election |
| Previous year | 1920 |
| Next election | 1928 United States presidential election |
| Next year | 1928 |
| Votes for election | 531 members of the Electoral College |
| Needed votes | 266 electoral |
| Turnout | 48.9% ▼ 0.3 pp |
| Election date | November 4, 1924 |
| Nominee1 | Calvin Coolidge |
| Party1 | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home state1 | Massachusetts |
| Running mate1 | Charles G. Dawes |
| Electoral vote1 | 382 |
| States carried1 | 35 |
| Popular vote1 | 15,723,789 |
| Percentage1 | 54.0% |
| Nominee2 | John W. Davis |
| Party2 | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Home state2 | West Virginia |
| Running mate2 | Charles W. Bryan |
| Electoral vote2 | 136 |
| States carried2 | 12 |
| Popular vote2 | 8,386,242 |
| Percentage2 | 28.8% |
| Nominee3 | Robert M. La Follette |
| Party3 | Progressive Party |
| Home state3 | Wisconsin |
| Running mate3 | Burton K. Wheeler |
| Electoral vote3 | 13 |
| Popular vote3 | 4,831,706 |
| Percentage3 | 16.6% |
| Title | President |
| Before election | Calvin Coolidge |
| Before party | Republican Party (United States) |
| After election | Calvin Coolidge |
| After party | Republican Party (United States) |
1924 United States presidential election was held on November 4, 1924. Incumbent Republican President Calvin Coolidge, who had assumed office following the death of Warren G. Harding, decisively won a term in his own right. He defeated the conservative Democratic nominee, John W. Davis, and the insurgent third-party campaign of Progressive Robert M. La Follette. The contest was defined by a fractured Democratic Party, public satisfaction with postwar prosperity, and a significant protest vote against the political establishment.
Background
The political landscape was shaped by the Teapot Dome scandal and other controversies from the Warren G. Harding administration, though the sitting president, Calvin Coolidge, was largely unscathed by the corruption. The nation was experiencing the economic boom of the Roaring Twenties, which bolstered the incumbent's platform. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party was deeply divided between its urban, often Catholic, "wet" wing and its rural, Protestant, "dry" and pro-Klan factions. This internal strife set the stage for a contentious nominating convention in New York City.
Nominations
The 1924 Republican National Convention in Cleveland was a harmonious affair, quickly renominating President Calvin Coolidge and selecting banker Charles G. Dawes as his running mate. The 1924 Democratic National Convention, held at Madison Square Garden, became infamous for its length and discord. Delegates deadlocked for 103 ballots between William Gibbs McAdoo and Al Smith, leading to a compromise on the conservative John W. Davis of West Virginia; Charles W. Bryan, brother of William Jennings Bryan, was chosen for Vice President. Dissident liberals, led by Robert M. La Follette of Wisconsin, bolted to form a new Progressive Party, nominating La Follette and Burton K. Wheeler on a platform condemning monopolies and supporting organized labor.
General election
The campaign saw Coolidge running on a platform of limited government, fiscal conservatism, and the slogan "Keep Cool with Coolidge." John W. Davis struggled to unite the warring Democratic factions and offered a similarly conservative economic message. Robert M. La Follette's vigorous third-party campaign, endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and the Socialist Party of America, attacked corporate power and called for public ownership of railroads. Key issues included Prohibition, corruption, farm relief, and isolationism in foreign policy following World War I.
Results
Calvin Coolidge won a commanding victory, securing 382 electoral votes from 35 states and 54.0% of the popular vote. John W. Davis carried only the Solid South, winning 136 electoral votes from 12 states. Robert M. La Follette won his home state of Wisconsin and its 13 electoral votes, finishing a strong second in eleven Western states. The national popular vote totals were Coolidge 15,723,789, Davis 8,386,242, and La Follette 4,831,706. Voter turnout was a relatively low 48.9%, reflecting the lack of a galvanizing contest between the two major party candidates.
Aftermath
Coolidge's victory affirmed Republican dominance during the 1920s and the public's endorsement of his quiet, pro-business leadership. The disastrous showing for the Democrats deepened their internal divisions, which would not be fully resolved until the New Deal coalition formed under Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Progressive Party dissolved after 1924, though La Follette's strong showing demonstrated persistent populist and reformist sentiment. The election is often cited as a high-water mark for isolationist and laissez-faire politics before the Great Depression fundamentally altered the American political landscape.
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