THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1932

Gevenny Fernandez

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The Republicans controlled the White House

In 1930, the Democrats took over the House of Representatives with a majority of 51%, for the first time in over a decade

They were also one seat away from gaining Senate majority

INCUMBENT NOMINEE- HERBERT HOOVER 8 negative keys according to The Keys to the

White House According to the keys, need 6 or more

negative keys for the incumbent president to be defeated

Negative keys: 1- incumbent-party mandate, 5- short-term economy, 6- long-term economy, 7- policy change, 8- social unrest, 11-foreign/military success, 12- incumbent charisma, 13-challenger charisma

HISTORICAL CONTEXT- ISSUES

The Great Depression was the biggest issue of that time From 1921-1929: many economic

advances, which Hoover expected to continue

However, over the next 3 years, the economy and market declined steadily

Prohibition was also a prominent issue People wanted to bring back alcohol for the

tax revenues

HISTORICAL CONTEXT- SOCIAL CLIMATE Social Unrest

Protests by farmers, unemployed workers, and displaced individuals (“wandering population”) in 1931 and 1932

“Bonus Expeditionary Force”- veterans demanding to be allowed to cash in their veterans’ bonuses set up camp in the capital

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Incumbent president Hoover’s popularity had fallen greatly since his victory in 1928 and people did not think he could handle the economic crisis or prohibition

The Republican party had been dominant for decades Fourth Party System

Result: “Time for a change” effect

PARTY PRIMARIES AND NOMINATIONS- DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Roosevelt had the support of the majority of delegates at the Democratic convention

However, he did not have the 2/3 majority to win the nomination

Main opposition- Smith and John Nance Garner (Speaker of the House in 1931)

First ballot- short by 100 delegates After 3 ballots, Garner released his

delegates Fourth ballot, Roosevelt won the party

nomination

PARTY PRIMARIES AND NOMINATIONS- REPUBLICAN PARTY

Hoover was easily re-nominated as the Republican candidate

However, there was a battle over the vice presidential nominee Vice President Charles Curtis was

challenged by James Harbord Curtis won

PARTY PRIMARIES AND NOMINATIONS

No significant third party nominees Americans were not interested in third

party nominees They joined the Democrats

CANDIDATES- ROOSEVELT

Well known for being the governor of New York He had been reelected governor in a landslide

in 1930 People still remembered his cousin,

Theodore Roosevelt FDR had been the losing vice presidential

nominee in 1920  Downplayed his polio so that the public

would think he was fit to run the country Polio was seen as a lower class disease

CANDIDATES- ROOSEVELT

Although not that well-known, he was very charismatic

Tried to avoid controversial issues like religion and the KKK

Tried to appeal to everyone, even some republicans

Tried to unite the Democratic party The Democratic Party was more united

during the 1932 election than they had been throughout the whole Fourth Party System, partly due to Roosevelt’s efforts

CANDIDATES- HOOVER

Just months after his inauguration, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 occurred and caused the Great Depression Most of his presidential term was spent in the

depression Considering Hoover’s commitment to limited

government, his policies demonstrated boldness Hoover did more to fight the economic depression

than any previous president However, it was not enough

Many democratic leaders, including Roosevelt criticized him for not taking it far enough

CANDIDATES- HOOVER

His programs: Federal loans to businesses and banks Purchases of farm commodities Selected increases in federal spending Banking reform

His policies did little to help the economic situation. Some actually made it worse

1930- Republicans enacted the Hawley-Smoot Tariff, which raised import duties to the highest rates ever

Hoover also imposed a major tax increase, which reduced funds to consumers and investors

CANDIDATES- HOOVER

Very unpopular, to the point where people threw rotten vegetables at him during his speeches around the country, during his campaign

Also unpopular among his own party His party was divided

Many of the more prominent Republicans did not support him and some even strongly opposed him

Some of them even supported Roosevelt instead

GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN- ROOSEVELT

Roosevelt accused Hoover of being a socialist for his protectionist policies

Roosevelt attacked Hoover for not improving the economic situation and blamed him for the Great Depression

Roosevelt’s strategy was very successful because of Hoover’s overwhelming unpopularity

Candidate of Change FDR made a historically significant speech when

he personally accepted the Democratic party nomination Famous words: “I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new

deal for the American people”

GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN- ROOSEVELT

In the same speech, Roosevelt promised to "abolish useless offices" and "eliminate unnecessary functions of Government"

Also promised to restore international trade – as opposed to Hoover’s protectionist trade policies

His campaign song was “Happy Days are Here Again” and became the most popular in American political history, while also becoming the Democratic Party’s unofficial anthem

GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN- HOOVER

He promised recovery, but this quickly became a joke when no improvement was seen throughout his presidency

Hoover could not do much more than to defend himself and promise recovery

Hoover increased taxes and restricted trade Hoover criticized Roosevelt and said he

would only worsen the Depression by decreasing taxes, reducing government intervention in the economy, and promoting international trade

ELECTION OUTCOME

FDR won by a landslide Broke records by winning 472 electoral

votes The region that held the most support

for Hoover was the northeast and the New England area

Most of the Rest of the United States, especially in the electoral vote, supported Roosevelt

ELECTION OUTCOME

ELECTION OUTCOME

Popular Vote Franklin Roosevelt 22,821,277 57.41% Herbert Hoover 15,761,254 39.65% Norman Thomas 884,885 2.23% William Foster 103,307 0.26% Other (+) 181,175 0.46%

ELECTION OUTCOME

Electoral Vote Franklin Roosevelt 472 88.9% Herbert Hoover 59 11.1% Norman Thomas 0 0.0% William Foster 0 0.0% Other (+) 0 0.0%

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Realigning election Many states which were previously Republican

became Democratic states Ended a long era of Republican dominance

and started a streak of Democratic dominance (Shift from Fourth Party System to Fifth Party System) The republicans would not return to the White

House until the nomination of war hero Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952

For all but 6 years after 1932, the democrats controlled the House of Representatives, too