1932 Democratic National Convention
Encyclopedia
The 1932 Democratic National Convention
was held in Chicago, Illinois from June 27 - July 2, 1932. The convention resulted in the nomination of Governor Franklin Roosevelt of New York
for President and Speaker of the House John Nance Garner
of Texas
for Vice-President. Beulah Rebecca Hooks Hannah Tingley
was a member of the Democratic National Committee
and Chair of the Democratic Party of Florida. She seconded the nomination of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, becoming the first woman to address a Democratic National Convention.
The three major contenders for the presidential nomination were Roosevelt, Garner and former governor of New York and 1928 presidential candidate, Al Smith
. They roughly represented three competing factions of the Democratic Party. Smith was supported by the Tammany Hall
machine in New York City, and had many supporters in the Democratic National Committee
, as well as in Chicago. Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak
packed the hall with Smith supporters.
Roosevelt was supported by a solid majority of the delegates, and had the support of Senators Burton Wheeler, Cordell Hull
, Alben Barkley, and Huey Long
, who held the Deep South
for Roosevelt. The new Democratic coalition would begin at this convention: Roosevelt brought into the Democratic fold western progressives, ethnic minorities, rural farmers, and intellectuals.
Garner had support from newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst
and Senator William Gibbs McAdoo
. He was never a serious threat, and never bothered to campaign for the position. However, the faction that supported Garner was important because it could break a potential deadlock between Smith and Roosevelt.
After three ballots, Roosevelt had not secured the two-thirds vote necessary for the nomination. At this point, Smith believed the delegates were anxious about a deadlocked convention, and attempted to stampede all the delegates' votes toward his surrogate, Cleveland Mayor Newton D. Baker
. The stalemate lingered for several days, however, until a late night call was made by leading Democrat Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.
(then a Roosevelt supporter) to Hearst. Kennedy reminded Hearst that if the convention continued in the same way, Smith or Baker would be nominated, two people who embodied all the political beliefs diametrically opposed to Hearst's own. Kennedy managed to convince Hearst to notify Garner to bow out of the race, and to support Roosevelt. When McAdoo learned of this decision, he threw California's delegates to Roosevelt, and the other states fell in line behind Roosevelt.
In his acceptance speech, Roosevelt broke tradition and established the precedent of formally accepting the nomination in person at the convention. In his speech, he pledged "a new deal
for the American people."
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
was held in Chicago, Illinois from June 27 - July 2, 1932. The convention resulted in the nomination of Governor Franklin Roosevelt of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
for President and Speaker of the House John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner, IV , was the 32nd Vice President of the United States and the 44th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives .- Early life and family :...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
for Vice-President. Beulah Rebecca Hooks Hannah Tingley
Beulah Rebecca Hooks Hannah Tingley
Beulah Rebecca Hooks Hannah Tingley was born in 1894 in Clermont, Florida. She was the daughter of Thomas Jefferson Hooks, who served in the Florida Legislature from 1893 to 1895. Tingley was a member of the Democratic National Committee and Chair of the Democratic Party of Florida and a member of...
was a member of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
and Chair of the Democratic Party of Florida. She seconded the nomination of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, becoming the first woman to address a Democratic National Convention.
The three major contenders for the presidential nomination were Roosevelt, Garner and former governor of New York and 1928 presidential candidate, Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
. They roughly represented three competing factions of the Democratic Party. Smith was supported by the Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
machine in New York City, and had many supporters in the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, as well as in Chicago. Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak
Anton Cermak
Anton Joseph Cermak was the mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1931 until his assassination by Giuseppe Zangara in 1933.-Early life and career:...
packed the hall with Smith supporters.
Roosevelt was supported by a solid majority of the delegates, and had the support of Senators Burton Wheeler, Cordell Hull
Cordell Hull
Cordell Hull was an American politician from the U.S. state of Tennessee. He is best known as the longest-serving Secretary of State, holding the position for 11 years in the administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during much of World War II...
, Alben Barkley, and Huey Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
, who held the Deep South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
for Roosevelt. The new Democratic coalition would begin at this convention: Roosevelt brought into the Democratic fold western progressives, ethnic minorities, rural farmers, and intellectuals.
Garner had support from newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
and Senator William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo
William Gibbs McAdoo, Jr. was an American lawyer and political leader who served as a U.S. Senator, United States Secretary of the Treasury and director of the United States Railroad Administration...
. He was never a serious threat, and never bothered to campaign for the position. However, the faction that supported Garner was important because it could break a potential deadlock between Smith and Roosevelt.
After three ballots, Roosevelt had not secured the two-thirds vote necessary for the nomination. At this point, Smith believed the delegates were anxious about a deadlocked convention, and attempted to stampede all the delegates' votes toward his surrogate, Cleveland Mayor Newton D. Baker
Newton D. Baker
Newton Diehl Baker, Jr. was an American politician who belonged to the Democratic Party. He served as the 37th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1912 to 1915 and as U.S. Secretary of War from 1916 to 1921.-Early years:...
. The stalemate lingered for several days, however, until a late night call was made by leading Democrat Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.
Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.
Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kennedy, Sr. was a prominent American businessman, investor, and government official....
(then a Roosevelt supporter) to Hearst. Kennedy reminded Hearst that if the convention continued in the same way, Smith or Baker would be nominated, two people who embodied all the political beliefs diametrically opposed to Hearst's own. Kennedy managed to convince Hearst to notify Garner to bow out of the race, and to support Roosevelt. When McAdoo learned of this decision, he threw California's delegates to Roosevelt, and the other states fell in line behind Roosevelt.
| Presidential Balloting, DNC 1932 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ballot | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war... | 666.25 | 677.75 | 682.79 | 945 |
| Former Gov. Al Smith Al Smith Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928... | 201.75 | 194.25 | 190.25 | 190.25 |
| Former Mayor Newton D. Baker Newton D. Baker Newton Diehl Baker, Jr. was an American politician who belonged to the Democratic Party. He served as the 37th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1912 to 1915 and as U.S. Secretary of War from 1916 to 1921.-Early years:... | 8.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 5.5 |
| Gov. Albert Ritchie Albert Ritchie Albert Cabell Ritchie , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 49th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1920 to 1935... | 21 | 23.5 | 23.5 | 3.5 |
| Governor George White George White (Ohio politician) George White was the 52nd Governor of Ohio.Born in Elmira, New York, White attended Princeton College. After mining in the Klondike, White settled in Marietta, Ohio to drill for oil.... | 52 | 50.5 | 52.5 | 3 |
| Former Gov. James M. Cox James M. Cox James Middleton Cox was the 46th and 48th Governor of Ohio, U.S. Representative from Ohio and Democratic candidate for President of the United States in the election of 1920.... | - | - | - | 1 |
| Speaker of the U.S. House John Nance Garner John Nance Garner John Nance Garner, IV , was the 32nd Vice President of the United States and the 44th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives .- Early life and family :... | 90.25 | 90.25 | 101.25 | - |
| Melvin Alvah Traylor Melvin Alvah Traylor Melvin Alvah Traylor , the eldest of seven children of James Milton Traylor and Kitty Frances Traylor née Harvey... | 42.25 | 40.25 | 40.25 | - |
| Sen. James A. Reed James A. Reed James Alexander Reed was an American Democratic Party politician from Missouri.-Biography:Reed was born on a farm in Richland County, Ohio. He moved with his family to Cedar Rapids, Iowa at the age of 3. He went to public schools and attended Coe College... | 24 | 18 | 27.5 | - |
| Former Gov. Harry F. Byrd Harry F. Byrd Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. of Berryville in Clarke County, Virginia, was an American newspaper publisher, farmer and politician. He was a descendant of one of the First Families of Virginia... | 25 | 24 | 24.96 | - |
| Will Rogers Will Rogers William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s.... | - | 22 | - | - |
| Gov. William "Alfalfa Bill" Murray William H. Murray William Henry Davis "Alfalfa Bill" Murray was an American teacher, lawyer, and politician who became active in Oklahoma before statehood as legal adviser to Governor Douglas H. Johnston of the Chickasaw Nation... | 23 | - | - | - |
In his acceptance speech, Roosevelt broke tradition and established the precedent of formally accepting the nomination in person at the convention. In his speech, he pledged "a new deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
for the American people."
See also
- 1932 Republican National Convention1932 Republican National ConventionThe 1932 Republican National Convention was held at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, from June 14 to June 16, 1932. It renominated President Herbert Hoover and Vice President Charles Curtis for their respective positions....
- United States presidential election, 1932United States presidential election, 1932The United States presidential election of 1932 took place as the effects of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, the Revenue Act of 1932, and the Great Depression were being felt intensely across the country. President Herbert Hoover's popularity was falling as...
- Democratic National ConventionDemocratic National ConventionThe Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...