In the election of 1924, incumbent President Calvin Coolidge sought re-election but faced two significant challengers to secure his place in the Oval Office.
Harding’s Presidency & The Teapot Dome Scandal
As covered in the 1920 presidential election article, Ohio Senator Warren G. Harding won the presidency with a sweeping victory and aimed to restore normalcy after years of turmoil following World War I. Harding advocated for anti-lynching laws and racial equality, particularly in the South, where the Ku Klux Klan was resurging. His administration focused on improving infrastructure, balancing the budget, and withdrawing U.S. troops from Cuba.
However, Harding’s presidency was marred by the Teapot Dome Scandal, where Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall leased government-owned oil reserves in Wyoming to private companies in exchange for bribes. This scandal became one of the largest political scandals in U.S. history until Watergate in the 1970s.
President Harding died suddenly on August 2, 1923, while his wife, Florence, was reading to him. Though theories about his cause of death ranged from food poisoning to poisoning by his wife, it was ultimately a heart attack that ended his life. Harding’s health issues, exacerbated by his lifestyle and previous influenza, contributed to his untimely death.
The New President – Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge, Harding’s Vice President, was sworn in as the 30th President on August 3, 1923. Coolidge quickly launched investigations into the Teapot Dome Scandal and other corruption within Harding’s administration. Although Harding was largely unaware of the corruption, the scandal tainted his legacy. Coolidge’s efforts to clean up the White House bolstered his reputation as a capable leader during a time of economic prosperity.
By the time Coolidge assumed the presidency, the economy was thriving, marking the beginning of the “Roaring Twenties.” Continuing Harding’s laissez-faire policies, Coolidge aimed to win a presidential term of his own. At the 1924 Republican Convention, Coolidge secured the party’s nomination, fending off challengers like Hiram Johnson. Initially, Coolidge sought Frank Orren Lowden as his running mate, but Lowden declined. The GOP selected Charles Dawes, known for the Dawes Plan, as Coolidge’s VP.
A Death in the Family
Coolidge’s term was marked by personal tragedy. Shortly after winning the Republican nomination, his son, Calvin Coolidge Jr., died from sepsis following a minor tennis injury. This loss deeply affected Coolidge, leading him to cope with depression by taking long naps. Despite this, he remained dedicated to his presidential duties and focused on winning a full term.
Chaos in the Democratic Convention
The Democrats faced a contentious convention, with William Gibbs McAdoo and Al Smith as leading contender amidst the Election of 1924. McAdoo, a Protestant Southerner who supported Prohibition, clashed with Smith, a Roman Catholic Northerner opposed to Prohibition. The deadlock resulted in the nomination of John W. Davis, a former Ambassador to the UK and U.S. Representative from West Virginia. Davis’s running mate was Charles Wayland Bryan, Governor of Nebraska and brother of William Jennings Bryan.
Fighting Bob to the Rescue
Amid dissatisfaction with both major party candidates, Robert La Follette Sr., a prominent progressive senator from Wisconsin, emerged as a third-party alternative. La Follette founded a new Progressive Party and ran on a platform advocating for reduced U.S. imperialism, government ownership of railroads, and anti-corruption measures. With Burton Wheeler as his running mate, La Follette aimed to draw votes from disenchanted Democrats and Republicans.
The Results
In the Election of 1924, Calvin Coolidge won decisively with 382 electoral votes and 54% of the popular vote, securing his position as President. John W. Davis finished second with 136 electoral votes and 28.8% of the popular vote, while La Follette garnered 13 electoral votes from Wisconsin and 16.6% of the popular vote. La Follette’s performance was the best for a third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.
Coolidge’s victory was bolstered by a robust economy and his successful efforts to address corruption. This win solidified his presidency and set the stage for the election of 1928, which will be explored in the next article.
