The election of 1916 stands out as a crucial presidential contest during a time of global conflict—World War I. The incumbent president needed to pull out all the stops to secure re-election in what turned out to be one of the closest battles for the White House up to that point.
Wilson’s Time in Office
Before diving into the election of 1916, it’s important to understand the background leading into the race. Woodrow Wilson, who won the presidency in the four-way contest of 1912, faced significant challenges during his term.
Wilson’s presidency saw both significant achievements and controversies. On the positive side, Wilson supported child labor laws, oversaw the creation of the Federal Trade Commission, and acquired the Virgin Islands in 1916. His legislative accomplishments included the Revenue Act and Federal Reserve Act of 1913. The former reduced tariff rates and initiated federal income tax for the wealthiest Americans, while the latter established a centralized banking system.
On the negative side, Wilson’s record on race relations was troubling. He reinstated racial segregation in federal agencies, resulting in widespread job losses for African Americans and the enforcement of discriminatory practices. Wilson also initially resisted women’s suffrage and was involved in controversial interventions in Latin America, notably sending troops to Mexico during the Mexican Revolution.
The War to End All Wars
During Wilson’s presidency, the world was engulfed in “The Great War” or World War I, which began in 1914. The conflict saw new technologies like flamethrowers, tanks, and machine guns, and the use of poison gas, submarines, and airplanes. The Battle of the Somme in 1916 exemplified the war’s staggering casualties, with over a million soldiers killed.
Despite these events, the U.S. initially maintained a neutral stance. However, the sinking of the RMS Lusitania by a German submarine, which killed nearly 1,200 passengers including Americans, swayed public opinion against Germany. Nonetheless, there was significant opposition to entering the war, with figures like Henry Ford advocating for diplomatic solutions.
The Republican Nominee
After the Republican defeat in the election of 1912, the GOP aimed to reclaim the presidency and make Wilson a one-term president. They sought a candidate who could appeal to both conservative and progressive wings of the party. Charles Evans Hughes, former Governor of New York and Supreme Court Justice, was chosen as the Republican nominee. His running mate was Charles Fairbanks, former vice president under Theodore Roosevelt. Hughes’s Supreme Court experience gave him an edge, but his moderate positions and refusal to support an eight-hour workday impacted his campaign.
The Progressive Party’s Decline
Despite his strong performance in 1912, Theodore Roosevelt declined to run in the election of 1916. He chose to endorse Hughes, hoping to shift progressive support towards the Republican candidate. However, many progressives were disillusioned and the party struggled to find a replacement candidate. John Milliken Parker’s decision to run for vice president but keep the presidential spot open led to further confusion, eventually leading to the Progressive Party’s decline.
The Socialist Party
Eugene Debs, who had been a prominent Socialist candidate, did not run in the election of 1916, opting instead for a congressional run. The Socialist Party nominated Allen Benson for president and George Ross Kirkpatrick for vice president. Their campaign focused on opposition to U.S. involvement in the war and proposed a national referendum to decide on the matter. Despite their efforts, the absence of Debs’s leadership diminished their impact.
The Campaigns
The election of 1916 was marked by a stark contrast in foreign policy platforms. Hughes advocated for military preparedness, preparing the nation for potential involvement in the war. In contrast, Wilson campaigned on his isolationist stance with the slogan “He Kept Us Out of War,” despite his administration’s involvement in Latin America.
Wilson’s campaign capitalized on his successful record and framed Hughes as the pro-war candidate. Hughes’s moderate views and his failure to support an eight-hour workday were seen as weaknesses. Wilson even planned a strategy where, if he lost, he would appoint Hughes as Secretary of State, thus making Hughes president if Wilson and his VP resigned—a testament to how closely contested the race was.
The Results
In the election of 1916, Wilson narrowly secured re-election with 277 electoral votes and 49.2% of the popular vote, compared to Hughes’s 254 electoral votes and 46.1%. Wilson won 30 states to Hughes’s 18, with the race in states like California being exceptionally close. The Socialist Party received 3.2% of the popular vote, while the Progressive Party’s influence dwindled.
Wilson’s victory marked him as the first Democratic president since Andrew Jackson to win two consecutive terms, despite receiving less than 50% of the popular vote, a feat previously achieved by Grover Cleveland. The election of 1916 thus stands as a pivotal moment in American history, reflecting the turbulent times and the intense political rivalry of the period.
