1920 United States presidential election in Washington (state)

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1920 United States presidential election in Washington (state)
Flag of Washington (1923-1967).png
  1916 November 2, 1920 1924  
  Warren G Harding-Harris & Ewing crop.jpg James M. Cox 1920.jpg Parley Parker Christensen circa 1920 (cropped).jpg
Nominee Warren G. Harding James M. Cox Parley P. Christensen
Party Republican Democratic Farmer–Labor
Home state Ohio Ohio Illinois
Running mate Calvin Coolidge Franklin D. Roosevelt Max S. Hayes
Electoral vote700
Popular vote223,13784,29877,246
Percentage55.96%21.14%19.37%

Washington Presidential Election Results 1920.svg
County Results
Harding
  40-50%
  50-60%
  60-70%

The 1920 United States presidential election in Washington took place on November 2, 1920, as part of the 1920 United States presidential election in which all 48 states participated. State voters chose seven electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting Democratic nominee James M. Cox and his running mate, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Roosevelt, against Republican challenger U.S. Senator Warren G. Harding and his running mate, Governor Calvin Coolidge.

Contents

By the beginning of 1920 skyrocketing inflation and President Woodrow Wilson's focus upon his proposed League of Nations at the expense of domestic policy had helped make the incumbent President very unpopular [1] – besides which Wilson also had major health problems that had left First Lady Edith effectively running the nation.

Political unrest observed in the Palmer Raids and the "Red Scare" further added to the unpopularity of the Democratic Party, since this global political turmoil produced considerable fear of alien revolutionaries invading the country. [2] Demand in the West for exclusion of Asian immigrants became even stronger than it had been before. [3] Another issue was the anti-Cox position taken by the Ku Klux Klan because Cox was viewed by the Klan as too lenient towards Catholicism, [4] and Cox's inconsistent stance on newly passed Prohibition – he had been a "wet" but announced he would support Prohibition enforcement in August [4]

The West had been the chief presidential battleground ever since the "System of 1896" emerged following that election. [5] For this reason, Cox chose to tour the entire nation [6] and after touring the Pacific Northwest Cox went to California to defend his proposed League of Nations and to convince the region that large sums of money were being spent by Harding simply to put Republicans in the White House. [7] Cox argued that the League could have stopped the Asian conflicts – like the Japanese seizure of Shandong – but his apparent defence of Chinese immigrants in the Bay Area was very unpopular and large numbers of hecklers attacked the Democrat. [8] Moreover, the only attention Cox received in the Western press was severe criticism, [8] and he completely ignored charges against misadministration by the Wilson Administration, and in liberal, heavily unionized Washington State where strikes had been particularly extreme since the war ended, Cox's failure to address labour issues proved also very costly. [7]

By October, it was clear that the Northwest – where Charles Evans Hughes had carried only Oregon in 1916 – was strongly in favor of the Republicans: in Washington Harding led a combined poll of male and female voters 680 to Cox's 256. [9] A week later polls strongly suggested Cox would not register a majority in any antebellum free or postbellum state, and in Washington he was trialing four to one out of around 2,100 people polled. [10] Although there were some gains by the Democratic ticket in later polls, with Cox approaching a 1-to-2 ratio to Harding's support at the end of October, [11] a minimum forty thousand vote plurality was predicted by the Washington Post at the same time. [12]

Ultimately Harding took Washington in a landslide beyond the late-October polls' prediction, defeating Cox by a 138,839 vote margin. Parley Christensen, the nominee of the recently created Farmer-Labor Party, performed very well in the state and nearly drove Cox into third place, with only 7,052 votes between the two.

Harding proved the third and last Republican, following on from Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 and William Howard Taft in 1908, to sweep every county in Washington State. This feat has been equaled only by Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who ironically was Cox's running mate in this election, in both 1932 and 1936. This would prove the last election until Richard Nixon in 1968 when the Republican Party carried Ferry County. [13]

Results

General Election Results [14]
PartyPledged toElectorVotes
Republican Party Warren G. HardingEmma Smith De Voe223,137
Republican Party Warren G. HardingJ. P. Todd222,805
Republican Party Warren G. HardingPeter McGregor222,564
Republican Party Warren G. HardingLuther Weedin222,224
Republican Party Warren G. HardingA. C. Rundle222,202
Republican Party Warren G. HardingGeorge J. Stewart222,153
Republican Party Warren G. HardingH. L. Geary222,079
Democratic Party James M. CoxGeorge N. Adams84,298
Democratic Party James M. CoxCharles D. McCarthy83,975
Democratic Party James M. CoxMary B. Harker83,874
Democratic Party James M. CoxJohn Reid83,813
Democratic Party James M. CoxJ. W. Austin83,734
Democratic Party James M. CoxGeorge W. Roupe83,604
Democratic Party James M. CoxJim P. Goodwin83,458
Farmer-Labor Party Parley P. ChristensenViola C. Crahan77,246
Farmer-Labor Party Parley P. ChristensenElizabeth Sullivan77,088
Farmer-Labor Party Parley P. ChristensenLouis E. Bradley77,068
Farmer-Labor Party Parley P. ChristensenL. H. Richards76,987
Farmer-Labor Party Parley P. ChristensenEdith Downing76,873
Farmer-Labor Party Parley P. ChristensenC. E. Richards76,834
Farmer-Labor Party Parley P. ChristensenDortha Ing76,822
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsMary M. Brown8,913
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsB. H. Miller8,749
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsHerman Meyer8,723
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsJoseph O'Reilly8,721
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsLalla Rogers8,703
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsWalter Price8,680
Socialist Party Eugene V. DebsW. H. Maynick8,597
Prohibition Party Aaron S. WatkinsLucy C. Cotrael3,800
Prohibition Party Aaron S. WatkinsArthur S. Caton3,790
Prohibition Party Aaron S. WatkinsMattie Reynolds3,784
Prohibition Party Aaron S. WatkinsOlin L. Fowler3,754
Prohibition Party Aaron S. WatkinsW. A. Davis3,750
Prohibition Party Aaron S. WatkinsW. E. Haycox3,749
Prohibition Party Aaron S. WatkinsEmmett D. Nichols3,712
Socialist Labor Party Wesley W. CoxAndrew Rynning1,321
Socialist Labor Party Wesley W. CoxJames F. Stark1,316
Socialist Labor Party Wesley W. CoxGeorge B. Sargent1,297
Socialist Labor Party Wesley W. CoxFrederick Kurtzman1,284
Socialist Labor Party Wesley W. CoxDaniel L. Barnet1,272
Socialist Labor Party Wesley W. CoxJoseph Tottenhoff1,258
Socialist Labor Party Wesley W. CoxAbraham L. Bearcliff1,247
Votes cast [lower-alpha 1] 398,715

Results by county

County James M. Cox
Democratic
Warren G. Harding
Republican
Parley P. Christensen
Farmer-Labor
Eugene V. Debs
Socialist
Aaron S. Watkins
Prohibition
William W. Cox
Socialist Labor
MarginTotal votes cast [lower-alpha 2]
#%#%#%#%#%#%#%
Adams 1,52567.15%51522.68%1677.35%421.85%170.75%50.22%1,01044.47%2,271
Asotin 1,21064.84%49726.63%613.27%492.63%462.47%30.16%71338.21%1,866
Benton 2,00152.01%97525.34%76419.86%511.33%501.30%60.16%1,02626.67%3,847
Chelan 3,88558.55%1,54023.21%95714.42%1101.66%1321.99%110.17%2,34535.34%6,635
Clallam 1,77553.76%48914.81%96629.25%431.30%200.61%90.27%809 [lower-alpha 3] 24.50%3,302
Clark 4,85252.20%2,94131.64%1,12712.12%2342.52%1251.34%160.17%1,91120.56%9,295
Columbia 1,37664.18%66230.88%572.66%361.68%100.47%30.14%71433.30%2,144
Cowlitz 2,26761.49%80121.72%46412.58%1153.12%340.92%60.16%1,46639.76%3,687
Douglas 1,58757.86%91833.47%1716.23%451.64%190.69%30.11%66924.39%2,743
Ferry 59243.56%50537.16%21415.75%413.02%30.22%40.29%876.40%1,359
Franklin 83944.46%57130.26%39721.04%623.29%140.74%40.21%26814.20%1,887
Garfield 86966.03%37028.12%624.71%70.53%80.61%00.00%49937.92%1,316
Grant 1,37858.24%68428.91%2169.13%602.54%281.18%00.00%69429.33%2,366
Grays Harbor 5,92050.94%3,37829.07%1,97817.02%2402.07%810.70%250.22%2,54221.87%11,622
Island 88351.19%28516.52%48828.29%523.01%150.87%20.12%395 [lower-alpha 3] 22.90%1,725
Jefferson 1,12861.57%32217.58%32117.52%361.97%221.20%30.16%80644.00%1,832
King 58,58454.69%17,36916.21%26,76824.99%3,0812.88%6900.64%6320.59%31,816 [lower-alpha 3] 29.70%107,124
Kitsap 4,98949.41%1,35013.37%3,32632.94%3253.22%850.84%230.23%1,663 [lower-alpha 3] 16.47%10,098
Kittitas 2,83754.54%1,11921.51%1,05420.26%1342.58%410.79%170.33%1,71833.03%5,202
Klickitat 1,64959.38%74526.83%29810.73%451.62%391.40%10.04%90432.55%2,777
Lewis 6,16054.59%2,21219.60%2,52022.33%2592.30%1171.04%170.15%3,640 [lower-alpha 3] 32.26%11,285
Lincoln 3,03865.04%1,39529.87%1443.08%551.18%340.73%50.11%1,64335.17%4,671
Mason 99756.04%38321.53%35119.73%251.41%191.07%40.22%61434.51%1,779
Okanogan 2,78454.98%1,26024.88%80915.98%1282.53%661.30%170.34%1,52430.09%5,064
Pacific 2,60765.57%87421.98%3729.36%872.19%280.70%80.20%1,73343.59%3,976
Pend Oreille 1,07954.30%65132.76%1678.40%673.37%120.60%110.55%42821.54%1,987
Pierce 22,04851.89%8,25919.44%10,83625.50%7791.83%4361.03%1330.31%11,212 [lower-alpha 3] 26.39%42,491
San Juan 83366.64%19615.68%17213.76%372.96%100.80%20.16%63750.96%1,250
Skagit 5,32051.62%1,84017.85%2,75626.74%2082.02%1591.54%230.22%2,564 [lower-alpha 3] 24.88%10,306
Skamania 40952.71%24731.83%8711.21%243.09%70.90%20.26%16220.88%776
Snohomish 10,79352.48%3,05614.86%6,14629.88%3561.73%1810.88%350.17%4,647 [lower-alpha 3] 22.59%20,567
Spokane 26,21960.55%13,41230.97%2,3735.48%7771.79%3600.83%1600.37%12,80729.58%43,301
Stevens 3,28255.68%1,45224.64%91415.51%1752.97%611.03%100.17%1,83031.05%5,894
Thurston 3,89952.77%1,36718.50%1,84925.03%1141.54%1471.99%120.16%2,050 [lower-alpha 3] 27.75%7,388
Wahkiakum 49457.64%16419.14%758.75%10912.72%30.35%121.40%33038.51%857
Walla Walla 5,95767.60%2,33826.53%3493.96%790.90%740.84%150.17%3,61941.07%8,812
Whatcom 9,15757.52%2,28814.37%3,74423.52%4813.02%2051.29%450.28%5,413 [lower-alpha 3] 34.00%15,920
Whitman 6,34464.68%2,80628.61%4254.33%1191.21%991.01%160.16%3,53836.07%9,809
Yakima 11,57159.39%4,06220.85%3,30116.94%2261.16%3031.56%210.11%7,50938.54%19,484
Totals223,13755.96%84,29821.14%77,24619.47%8,9132.24%3,8000.95%1,3210.33%138,83934.82%398,715

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

See also

Notes

  1. Based on totals for highest elector on each ticket
  2. Based on highest elector on each ticket
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 In this county where Christensen ran second ahead of James Cox, margin given is Harding vote minus Christensen vote and percentage margin Harding percentage minus Christensen percentage.

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References

  1. Goldberg, David Joseph; Discontented America: The United States in the 1920s, p. 44 ISBN   0801860059
  2. Leuchtenburg, William E.; The Perils of Prosperity, 1914-1932, p. 75 ISBN   0226473724
  3. Vought, Hans P. ; The Bully Pulpit and the Melting Pot: American Presidents And The Immigrant, 1897-1933, p. 167 ISBN   0865548870
  4. 1 2 Brake, Robert J.; 'The porch and the stump: Campaign strategies in the 1920 presidential election'; Quarterly Journal of Speech, 55(3), pp. 256-267
  5. Faykosh, Joseph D., Bowling Green State University; The Front Porch of the American People: James Cox and the Presidential Election of 1920 (thesis), p. 68
  6. Faykosh, The Front Porch of the American People (thesis), p. 69
  7. 1 2 'The Passing of Woodrow Wilson', The Round Table, 11:41 (November 1920), pp. 14-31
  8. 1 2 Faykosh, The Front Porch of the American People (thesis), p. 74
  9. 'First Straw Vote Favors Harding'; Boston Daily Globe , September 26, 1920, p. 6
  10. 'Harding Leads in the Straw Vote: Cox Weak in North and West in Rexall Balloting'; Boston Daily Globe, October 3, 1920, p.
  11. 'Cox Gains in Straw Vote: Late Returns Give Him Missouri – Some Other States Close'; The New York Times , October 31, 1920, p. 6
  12. 'Harding 363 Votes, Cox 168, Is Result Obtained From Estimates by 47 Editors' (Special to The Washington Post); Washington Post, October 31, 1920, p. 1
  13. Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 332-333 ISBN   0786422173
  14. Washington Secretary of State. "Presidential Electors". Abstract of Votes Polled in the State of Washington at the General Election held November 2, 1920. Olympia, Washington. pp. 5–10.