Louisiana gubernatorial election, 1924
Encyclopedia
The Louisiana gubernatorial election of 1924 was held in two rounds on January 15 and February 19, 1924. Like most Southern states between Reconstruction and the civil rights era, Louisiana
's Republican Party was virtually nonexistent in terms of electoral support. This meant that the two Democratic Party
primaries held on these dates were the real contest over who would be governor
. The 1924 election saw Henry L. Fuqua
defeat Hewitt Bouanchaud
to become Governor of Louisiana, and saw the beginning of the political rise of Huey P. Long, who came in a surprisingly strong third.
of Baton Rouge, the manager of Louisiana State Penitentiary
, had the support of former governors Jared Y. Sanders and Ruffin G. Pleasant, and of the Regular Democratic Organization
, a powerful New Orleans-based political machine. He also received funding from the oil industry.
Hewitt Bouanchaud
, a French-speaking lawyer from Pointe Coupee Parish, was the handpicked candidate of outgoing governor John M. Parker
.
Huey Long
, an ambitious young Railroad Commissioner from Winnfield
, had announced his intention to run for governor as early as 1922.
, which had surged in popularity across the state in the early 1920s. Long was reluctant to address the issue; his political support was strongest in Protestant north Louisiana, the heartland of the Klan. A strong condemnation of the Klan would alienate many of these supporters. Long ducked this issue, instead arguing that Standard Oil
and corporate domination was the true threat to Louisiana. Long was not affiliated with the Klan, but his defensiveness cast doubts among some voters. Fuqua favored an antimasking law to combat the Klan, but did not take a strong stance on the issue. Bouanchaud, a Catholic, made a strong denunciation of the Klan his main campaign issue.
Without the organized support enjoyed by his two opponents, Long built his campaign around printed circulars and frequent campaign stops in rural areas of the state. He campaigned for increased educational funding, road improvement, and the right of unions to organize. He condemned the concentration of wealth and the domination of large corporations over the state, arguing they needed to pay their fair share of taxes. Long’s opponents called him a radical demagogue with “Bolshevistic
tendencies.”
Bouanchaud ran strongest in rural southern Louisiana, where Catholic voters were attracted to his French background and his strong anti-Klan position. Fuqua’s strongest vote came from the cities. The real surprise of the election was Long’s unexpectedly strong showing; he won all but three parishes in northern and central Louisiana.
Second Democratic Primary – February 19, 1924
Even though Long refused to endorse either candidate, most of his supporters went to Fuqua in the runoff.
General Election – April 22, 1924
Williams, T. Harry. Huey Long. Knopf, 1969.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
's Republican Party was virtually nonexistent in terms of electoral support. This meant that the two Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primaries held on these dates were the real contest over who would be governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
. The 1924 election saw Henry L. Fuqua
Henry L. Fuqua
Henry Luse Fuqua was a Baton Rouge businessman Fuqua defeated both Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Lieutenant Governor Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1924 to succeed the term-limited John M. Parker...
defeat Hewitt Bouanchaud
Hewitt Bouanchaud
Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud was born in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana in 1877. Mr. Bouanchaud was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1908. He was reelected in 1912 and 1916. In 1916 Bouanchaud was named Speaker of the House. In 1920 he was elected Lieutenant Governor...
to become Governor of Louisiana, and saw the beginning of the political rise of Huey P. Long, who came in a surprisingly strong third.
Candidates
Henry L. FuquaHenry L. Fuqua
Henry Luse Fuqua was a Baton Rouge businessman Fuqua defeated both Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Lieutenant Governor Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1924 to succeed the term-limited John M. Parker...
of Baton Rouge, the manager of Louisiana State Penitentiary
Louisiana State Penitentiary
The Louisiana State Penitentiary is a prison farm in Louisiana operated by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. It is the largest maximum security prison in the United States with 5,000 offenders and 1,800 staff...
, had the support of former governors Jared Y. Sanders and Ruffin G. Pleasant, and of the Regular Democratic Organization
Regular Democratic Organization
The Regular Democratic Organization , or Old Regulars, or the New Orleans Ring, is a conservative political organization based in New Orleans. It has existed for 130 years and as of 2006 is still active. The symbol of the RDO is the rooster...
, a powerful New Orleans-based political machine. He also received funding from the oil industry.
Hewitt Bouanchaud
Hewitt Bouanchaud
Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud was born in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana in 1877. Mr. Bouanchaud was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1908. He was reelected in 1912 and 1916. In 1916 Bouanchaud was named Speaker of the House. In 1920 he was elected Lieutenant Governor...
, a French-speaking lawyer from Pointe Coupee Parish, was the handpicked candidate of outgoing governor John M. Parker
John M. Parker
John Milliken Parker was an American Democratic politician from Louisiana, who served as the state's 37th Governor from 1920–1924. He was a friend and admirer of President Theodore Roosevelt....
.
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...
, an ambitious young Railroad Commissioner from Winnfield
Winnfield, Louisiana
Winnfield is a city in and the parish seat of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census. It has long been associated with the Long faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party and was home to three governors of Louisiana.-Geography:Winnfield is located at ...
, had announced his intention to run for governor as early as 1922.
Campaign
The major emerging issue of the campaign was the Ku Klux KlanKu Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, which had surged in popularity across the state in the early 1920s. Long was reluctant to address the issue; his political support was strongest in Protestant north Louisiana, the heartland of the Klan. A strong condemnation of the Klan would alienate many of these supporters. Long ducked this issue, instead arguing that Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
and corporate domination was the true threat to Louisiana. Long was not affiliated with the Klan, but his defensiveness cast doubts among some voters. Fuqua favored an antimasking law to combat the Klan, but did not take a strong stance on the issue. Bouanchaud, a Catholic, made a strong denunciation of the Klan his main campaign issue.
Without the organized support enjoyed by his two opponents, Long built his campaign around printed circulars and frequent campaign stops in rural areas of the state. He campaigned for increased educational funding, road improvement, and the right of unions to organize. He condemned the concentration of wealth and the domination of large corporations over the state, arguing they needed to pay their fair share of taxes. Long’s opponents called him a radical demagogue with “Bolshevistic
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
tendencies.”
Results
First Democratic Primary - January 15, 1924| Candidate | Votes received |
|---|---|
| Hewitt Bouanchaud Hewitt Bouanchaud Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud was born in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana in 1877. Mr. Bouanchaud was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1908. He was reelected in 1912 and 1916. In 1916 Bouanchaud was named Speaker of the House. In 1920 he was elected Lieutenant Governor... |
84,162 |
| Henry L. Fuqua Henry L. Fuqua Henry Luse Fuqua was a Baton Rouge businessman Fuqua defeated both Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Lieutenant Governor Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1924 to succeed the term-limited John M. Parker... |
81,382 |
| 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... |
73,985 |
Bouanchaud ran strongest in rural southern Louisiana, where Catholic voters were attracted to his French background and his strong anti-Klan position. Fuqua’s strongest vote came from the cities. The real surprise of the election was Long’s unexpectedly strong showing; he won all but three parishes in northern and central Louisiana.
Second Democratic Primary – February 19, 1924
| Candidate | Votes received |
|---|---|
| Henry L. Fuqua Henry L. Fuqua Henry Luse Fuqua was a Baton Rouge businessman Fuqua defeated both Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Lieutenant Governor Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1924 to succeed the term-limited John M. Parker... |
125,880 |
| Hewitt Bouanchaud Hewitt Bouanchaud Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud was born in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana in 1877. Mr. Bouanchaud was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1908. He was reelected in 1912 and 1916. In 1916 Bouanchaud was named Speaker of the House. In 1920 he was elected Lieutenant Governor... |
92,006 |
Even though Long refused to endorse either candidate, most of his supporters went to Fuqua in the runoff.
General Election – April 22, 1924
| Candidate | Votes received |
|---|---|
| Henry L. Fuqua Henry L. Fuqua Henry Luse Fuqua was a Baton Rouge businessman Fuqua defeated both Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Lieutenant Governor Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1924 to succeed the term-limited John M. Parker... (Democratic) |
66,203 |
| James S. Millikin (Republican) | 1,420 |
Sources
Compilation of Primary Election Returns of the Democratic Party, State of Louisiana. 1924.Williams, T. Harry. Huey Long. Knopf, 1969.