1912 United States presidential election in Tennessee

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1912 United States presidential election in Tennessee
Flag of Tennessee.svg
  1908 November 5, 1912 1916  
  Woodrow Wilson-H&E.jpg Unsuccessful 1912.jpg Unsuccessful 1912 2.jpg
Nominee Woodrow Wilson William Howard Taft Theodore Roosevelt
Party Democratic Republican Progressive
Home state New Jersey Ohio New York
Running mate Thomas R. Marshall Nicholas Murray Butler Hiram Johnson
Electoral vote1200
Popular vote133,02160,47554,041
Percentage52.80%24.00%21.45%

Tennessee Presidential Election Results 1912.svg
County results

President before election

William Howard Taft
Republican

Elected President

Woodrow Wilson
Democratic

The 1912 United States presidential election in Tennessee took place on November 5, 1912, as part of the 1912 United States presidential election. Tennessee voters chose twelve representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

For over a century after the Civil War, Tennessee was divided according to political loyalties established in that war. Unionist regions covering almost all of East Tennessee, Kentucky Pennyroyal-allied Macon County, and the five West Tennessee Highland Rim counties of Carroll, Henderson, McNairy, Hardin and Wayne [1] voted Republican – generally by landslide margins – as they saw the Democratic Party as the “war party” who had forced them into a war they did not wish to fight. [2] Contrariwise, the rest of Middle and West Tennessee who had supported and driven the state's secession was equally fiercely Democratic as it associated the Republicans with Reconstruction. [3] After the disfranchisement of the state's African-American population by a poll tax was largely complete in the 1890s, [4] the Democratic Party was certain of winning statewide elections if united, [5] although unlike the Deep South Republicans would almost always gain thirty to forty percent of the statewide vote from mountain and Highland Rim support.

In the early 1910s, the state Democratic Party was divided over the issue of prohibition. One faction, known as the “Independent Democrats,” wanted the state's Four Mile Law (which banned the sale of liquor within four miles of any school) to apply statewide, while the other faction, known as the “Regular Democrats,” wanted the state's larger cities to be exempt from this law. In 1910, the Independent Democrats fled the party and formed a coalition, known as the “Fusionists,” with Republicans, helping to elect Governor Ben W. Hooper, [6] although the Republicans did not gain at other levels.

With the national Republican Party deeply split, divisions between the dominant eastern wing and the “black-and-tan” western wing of the state Republican Party were opened up as Theodore Roosevelt and governor of California Hiram Johnson planned “lily-whitism” for the South with the “Bull Moose” party after Roosevelt broke from the GOP. [7] The “black-and-tan” wing being revitalised by Memphis banker and businessman Robert R. Church Jr. [8] remained loyal to incumbent President William Howard Taft (ROhio), ad running mate Columbia University President Nicholas Murray Butler, though it had many fewer votes due to disenfranchisement.

Pollsters always conceded Tennessee to Democratic nominees Princeton University President Woodrow Wilson and governor of Indiana Thomas R. Marshall. [9]

Results

1912 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania [10]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
Democratic Woodrow Wilson 133,02152.80%12
Republican William Howard Taft (incumbent)60,47524.00%0
Progressive Theodore Roosevelt 54,04121.45%0
Socialist Eugene V. Debs 3,5641.41%0
Prohibition Eugene W. Chafin 832 [lower-alpha 1] 0.33%0
Totals251,933100.00%12

Results by county

1912 United States presidential election in Tennessee by county [11] [12]
CountyThomas Woodrow Wilson
Democratic
William Howard Taft
Republican
Theodore Roosevelt
Progressive "Bull Moose"
Eugene Victor Debs
Socialist
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %# %
Anderson 59725.52%53923.04%1,14849.08%552.35%-551 [lower-alpha 2] -23.56%2,339
Bedford 2,30559.39%1,47437.98%962.47%60.15%83121.41%3,881
Benton 1,09553.00%65231.56%28913.99%301.45%44321.44%2,066
Bledsoe 46437.00%37930.22%40131.98%100.80%63 [lower-alpha 2] 5.02%1,254
Blount 83626.83%87027.92%1,41045.25%00.00%-540 [lower-alpha 3] -17.33%3,116
Bradley 64538.21%48528.73%54832.46%100.59%97 [lower-alpha 2] 5.75%1,688
Campbell 55426.37%30214.37%1,19356.78%522.48%-639 [lower-alpha 2] -30.41%2,101
Cannon 1,18463.32%63133.74%482.57%70.37%55329.57%1,870
Carroll 1,65340.80%1,36233.62%96723.87%691.70%2917.18%4,051
Carter 47813.11%1,24334.08%1,92652.81%00.00%-683 [lower-alpha 3] -18.73%3,647
Cheatham 1,09670.30%31720.33%1237.89%231.48%77949.97%1,559
Chester 63646.29%31222.71%38828.24%382.77%248 [lower-alpha 2] 18.05%1,374
Claiborne 90334.61%58922.58%1,09842.09%190.73%-195 [lower-alpha 2] -7.47%2,609
Clay 71857.30%44035.12%836.62%120.96%27822.19%1,253
Cocke 59731.21%75739.57%54928.70%100.52%-160-8.36%1,913
Coffee 1,70573.59%52122.49%632.72%281.21%1,18451.10%2,317
Crockett 1,29748.31%85231.73%50918.96%271.01%44516.57%2,685
Cumberland 48937.44%37228.48%43433.23%110.84%55 [lower-alpha 2] 4.21%1,306
Davidson 9,51776.25%1,42811.44%1,33010.66%2061.65%8,08964.81%12,481
Decatur 75845.42%40524.27%49129.42%150.90%267 [lower-alpha 2] 16.00%1,669
DeKalb 1,39448.40%1,21942.33%2659.20%20.07%1756.08%2,880
Dickson 1,68967.97%44818.03%29311.79%552.21%1,24149.94%2,485
Dyer 1,46966.26%31814.34%34815.70%823.70%1,121 [lower-alpha 2] 50.56%2,217
Fayette 83084.52%596.01%939.47%00.00%737 [lower-alpha 2] 75.05%982
Fentress 39933.78%44437.60%31726.84%211.78%-45-3.81%1,181
Franklin 2,17279.33%37013.51%1645.99%321.17%1,80265.81%2,738
Gibson 2,67163.20%1,00223.71%51812.26%350.83%1,66939.49%4,226
Giles 3,08160.44%1,59631.31%4198.22%20.04%1,48529.13%5,098
Grainger 84133.88%74129.85%90036.26%00.00%-59 [lower-alpha 2] -2.38%2,482
Greene 2,07641.75%1,65033.18%1,24224.97%50.10%4268.57%4,973
Grundy 52961.58%12214.20%8710.13%12114.09%40747.38%859
Hamblen 72248.39%42728.62%32521.78%181.21%29519.77%1,492
Hamilton 4,39450.96%1,49317.32%2,45428.46%2813.26%1,940 [lower-alpha 2] 22.50%8,622
Hancock 42736.50%65956.32%847.18%00.00%-232-19.83%1,170
Hardeman 1,32369.09%32016.71%26413.79%80.42%1,00352.38%1,915
Hardin 73831.85%95541.22%59225.55%321.38%-217-9.37%2,317
Hawkins 1,02640.52%82832.70%66026.07%180.71%1987.82%2,532
Haywood 1,06987.69%342.79%887.22%282.30%981 [lower-alpha 2] 80.48%1,219
Henderson 73833.90%47321.73%94743.50%190.87%-209 [lower-alpha 2] -9.60%2,177
Henry 2,52665.44%94124.38%2827.31%1112.88%1,58541.06%3,860
Hickman 1,28856.49%86838.07%1114.87%130.57%42018.42%2,280
Houston 58664.47%17218.92%657.15%869.46%41445.54%909
Humphreys 1,28369.54%34318.59%18910.24%301.63%94050.95%1,845
Jackson 1,34457.49%74331.78%25110.74%00.00%60125.71%2,338
James 20225.93%16921.69%40852.37%00.00%-206 [lower-alpha 2] -26.44%779
Jefferson 51425.66%54026.96%94046.93%90.45%-400 [lower-alpha 3] -19.97%2,003
Johnson 25611.56%93342.14%1,02546.30%00.00%-92 [lower-alpha 3] -4.16%2,214
Knox 4,06940.73%1,98419.86%3,81638.19%1221.22%253 [lower-alpha 2] 2.53%9,991
Lake 49975.04%12218.35%314.66%131.95%37756.69%665
Lauderdale 1,02055.83%18610.18%59332.46%281.53%427 [lower-alpha 2] 23.37%1,827
Lawrence 1,50446.81%87827.33%78324.37%481.49%62619.48%3,213
Lewis 37057.28%12619.50%14422.29%60.93%226 [lower-alpha 2] 34.98%646
Lincoln 2,65177.27%67219.59%982.86%100.29%1,97957.68%3,431
Loudon 41538.04%32229.51%34831.90%60.55%67 [lower-alpha 2] 6.14%1,091
Macon 78735.26%1,25156.05%1838.20%110.49%-464-20.79%2,232
Madison 2,70265.36%1,03625.06%3167.64%801.94%1,66640.30%4,134
Marion 81045.28%46325.88%44224.71%744.14%34719.40%1,789
Marshall 1,55176.59%37618.57%874.30%110.54%1,17558.02%2,025
Maury 2,30968.70%61518.30%38911.57%481.43%1,69450.40%3,361
McMinn 91242.36%66730.98%55725.87%170.79%24511.38%2,153
McNairy 1,15541.67%61622.22%1,00136.11%00.00%154 [lower-alpha 2] 5.56%2,772
Meigs 51750.79%33733.10%16316.01%10.10%18017.68%1,018
Monroe 1,13648.63%72130.86%47520.33%40.17%41517.77%2,336
Montgomery 1,63867.32%51421.13%1998.18%823.37%1,12446.20%2,433
Moore 69484.43%11614.11%111.34%10.12%57870.32%822
Morgan 46628.17%31218.86%84150.85%352.12%-375 [lower-alpha 2] -22.67%1,654
Obion 2,15275.17%45515.89%1936.74%632.20%1,69759.27%2,863
Overton 1,53160.73%74329.47%1817.18%662.62%78831.26%2,521
Perry 66456.32%37932.15%947.97%423.56%28524.17%1,179
Pickett 41145.67%35539.44%13414.89%00.00%566.22%900
Polk 86742.69%53326.24%62230.63%90.44%245 [lower-alpha 2] 12.06%2,031
Putnam 1,86758.69%92329.02%38612.13%50.16%94429.68%3,181
Rhea 69245.38%25316.59%55236.20%281.84%140 [lower-alpha 2] 9.18%1,525
Roane 57029.26%48224.74%82642.40%703.59%-256 [lower-alpha 2] -13.14%1,948
Robertson 2,28774.57%51316.73%1424.63%1254.08%1,77457.84%3,067
Rutherford 3,40668.57%1,21724.50%2805.64%641.29%2,18944.07%4,967
Scott 1609.74%1237.49%1,23475.15%1257.61%-1,074 [lower-alpha 2] -65.41%1,642
Sequatchie 35457.56%13922.60%8313.50%396.34%21534.96%615
Sevier 3419.17%96726.00%2,41064.80%10.03%-1,443 [lower-alpha 3] -38.80%3,719
Shelby 6,73264.11%5895.61%2,95128.10%2282.17%3,781 [lower-alpha 2] 36.01%10,500
Smith 1,86362.90%91530.89%1846.21%00.00%94832.01%2,962
Stewart 1,31264.06%48523.68%542.64%1979.62%82740.38%2,048
Sullivan 2,41357.07%53812.72%1,26529.92%120.28%1,148 [lower-alpha 2] 27.15%4,228
Sumner 2,47772.94%76922.64%892.62%611.80%1,70850.29%3,396
Tipton 98755.29%56431.60%22212.44%120.67%42323.70%1,785
Trousdale 54468.86%21126.71%354.43%00.00%33342.15%790
Unicoi 17013.87%28022.84%76562.40%110.90%-485 [lower-alpha 3] -39.56%1,226
Union 40421.12%30716.05%1,19262.31%100.52%-788 [lower-alpha 2] -41.19%1,913
Van Buren 22558.44%10627.53%307.79%246.23%11930.91%385
Warren 1,74574.26%33914.43%25010.64%160.68%1,40659.83%2,350
Washington 1,53135.89%1,13426.58%1,59237.32%90.21%-61 [lower-alpha 2] -1.43%4,266
Wayne 43524.10%97153.80%39021.61%90.50%-536-29.70%1,805
Weakley 2,81063.03%1,26528.38%3507.85%330.74%1,54534.66%4,458
White 1,22264.72%33017.48%27914.78%573.02%89247.25%1,888
Williamson 2,20571.75%79725.94%622.02%90.29%1,40845.82%3,073
Wilson 2,32570.35%68220.64%2928.84%60.18%1,64349.71%3,305
Totals133,02152.71%60,47523.96%54,04121.41%3,5641.41%72,54628.75%252,353

Analysis

In the end Wilson achieved just under 53 percent of the popular vote, a figure very similar to that which Democrats had achieved in Tennessee over the previous four elections. [13] Despite the appeal of Roosevelt's lily-white policy in the many emerging sundown towns or counties of East Tennessee, [14] the “Bull Moose” candidate finished third in the state, 2.55 percentage points behind incumbent President Taft. [13]

As of 2024, this is the last presidential election in which Hawkins County voted for a Democratic presidential candidate, as well as the last election in which Blount County, Washington County, Sevier County, Carter County, Jefferson County, Henderson County, Grainger County, Scott County, Unicoi County, and Johnson County did not vote for the Republican candidate. [15]

See also

Notes

  1. Prohibition votes were not separated by county but listed only as a statewide total.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 In this county where Roosevelt ran ahead of Taft, margin given is Wilson vote minus Roosevelt vote and percentage margin Wilson percentage minus Roosevelt percentage.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 In this county where Wilson ran third behind both Taft and Roosevelt, margin given is Taft vote minus Roosevelt vote and percentage margin Taft percentage minus Roosevelt percentage.

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References

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