1912 Republican National Convention

Background

This convention marked the climax of a split in the party, resulting from a power struggle between incumbent Taft and former president Theodore Roosevelt that started in 1910. Politically liberal states for the first time were holding Republican primaries. Though Roosevelt had endorsed Taft as his successor, Taft's drift to the right (along with Roosevelt's increasingly more Progressive ideas) had alienated Roosevelt, who launched a challenge to Taft's re-nomination. Roosevelt overwhelmingly won the primaries — winning 9 out of 13 states. Both Taft and Roosevelt lost their home states to each other. Senator Robert M. La Follette, a reformer, won two states, including his home state of Wisconsin. Through the primaries, Senator La Follette won a total of 36 delegates; President Taft won 48 delegates; and Roosevelt won 278 delegates. However, 36 more conservative states did not hold primaries, but instead selected delegates via state conventions. For years Roosevelt had tried to attract Southern white Democrats to the Republican Party, and he tried to win delegates there in 1912. However, Taft had the support of black Republicans in the South, and defeated Roosevelt there.

Convention

Entering the convention, the Roosevelt and Taft forces seemed evenly matched, and a compromise candidate seemed possible. Taft was willing to compromise with Missouri governor Herbert S. Hadley as presidential nominee; Roosevelt said no.

The Taft and Roosevelt camps engaged in a fight for the delegations of various states, with Taft emerging victorious, and Roosevelt claiming that several delegations were fraudulently seated because of the machinations of conservative party leaders including William Barnes Jr. and Boies Penrose. Roosevelt then accused Taft of steamroller tactics and ordered his supporters to take no further part in the convention. Following the seating of the anti-Roosevelt delegations, California governor Hiram Johnson proclaimed that progressives would form a new party to nominate Roosevelt. Roosevelt ultimately ran a third party campaign as part of the Progressive Party (nicknamed the "Bull Moose Party"). Taft and Roosevelt both lost the 1912 election to the Democratic nominee, Woodrow Wilson.

Delegations from the south acted as rotten boroughs due to their size despite having no influence in elections. An attempt to reduce their influence failed in 1908, with Roosevelt having fought against it. The southern delegations, whose 252 delegates accounted for almost half of the number needed to win the nomination, almost entirely supported Taft.

Presidential nomination

Presidential candidates

Image:Unsuccessful 1912.jpg|President William Howard Taft of Ohio Image:Unsuccessful 1912 2.jpg|Former President Theodore Roosevelt of New York (not nominated) Image:Famous Living Americans - Robert M. LaFollette.jpg|Senator Robert M. La Follette of Wisconsin Image:Portrait of Albert B. Cummins.jpg|Senator Albert B. Cummins of Iowa (not nominated) Image:Charles Evans Hughes Chief Justice of the United States (3x4 cropped).jpg|Associate Justice Charles Evans Hughes of New York (not nominated)

Though many of Roosevelt's delegates remained at the convention, most refused to take part in the presidential ballot in protest of the contested delegates. Additionally, Roosevelt's name was not placed in nomination. Thus, Taft was re-nominated handily on the first ballot.

Presidential balloting / 5th day of convention (June 22, 1912) File:1912RepublicanPresidentialNomination1stBallot.png|1st presidential ballot

The balloting by states was as follows:

Vice presidential nomination

Vice presidential candidates

Image:James S. Sherman 1909.jpg|Vice President James S. Sherman of New York Image:William Edgar Borah cph.3b46014.jpg|Senator William Borah of Idaho (not nominated - declined consideration)

Like Taft, Vice President James S. Sherman of New York was renominated by the party. Though Taft and Sherman did not get along early in their tenure, the two became closer allies as Taft's split with Roosevelt deepened, and Taft did not object to the re-nomination of Sherman. In January, after the election had already been decided, Republican leaders appointed Columbia University president Nicholas Butler to fill out the ticket for the purposes of receiving electoral votes.

Vice presidential balloting / 5th day of convention (June 22, 1912) File:1912RepublicanVicePresidentialNomination1stBallot.png|1st vice presidential ballot

References

Works cited

References

1. Adam Burns, "Courting white southerners: Theodore Roosevelt’s quest for the heart of the South." ''American Nineteenth Century History'' 20.1 (2019): 1-18.
2. Harlan Hahn "The Republican Party Convention of 1912 and the Role of Herbert S. Hadley in National Politics." ''Missouri Historical Review'' 59.4 (1965): 407-423.
3. (19 June 1912). "Taft Victory in the First Clash; Root Chosen Chairman, 558 to 502". [[The New York Times]].
4. (20 June 1912). "Roosevelt, Beaten, to Bolt Today; Gives the Word in Early Morning; Taft's Nomination Seems Assured". The New York Times.
5. (23 June 1912). "Taft Renominated by the Republican Convention; Roosevelt Named as Candidate by Bolters". The New York Times.
6. (June 22, 1912). "Taft Is Nominated On First Ballot". Santa Cruz News.
7. "Taft Wins With 561". The Courier.
8. Pietrusza, David. (2007). "1920: The Year of the Six Presidents". Carroll & Graf.
9. (June 23, 1912). "Vote That Renominated President Taft". The New York Times.
10. (22 June 1912). "Plan is to Nominate Taft Tonight; Roosevelt Orders Name Withheld; He Shifts on Third Party Plans". The New York Times.
11. "James S. Sherman, 27th Vice President (1909-1912)".