1928 United States presidential election in Indiana

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1928 United States presidential election in Indiana
Flag of Indiana.svg
  1924 November 6, 1928 1932  
  Herbert Hoover - NARA - 532049.jpg Unsuccessful 1928.jpg
Nominee Herbert Hoover Al Smith
Party Republican Democratic
Home state California New York
Running mate Charles Curtis Joseph T. Robinson
Electoral vote150
Popular vote848,290562,691
Percentage59.68%39.59%

Indiana Presidential Election Results 1928.svg
County Results

President before election

Calvin Coolidge
Republican

Elected President

Herbert Hoover
Republican

The 1928 United States presidential election in Indiana took place on November 6, 1928, as part of the 1928 United States presidential election which was held throughout all contemporary 48 states. Voters chose 15 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

Since the Civil War, partisan alliances in Indiana had been related to history of White settlement, with most of Kentuckian/Virginian-settled Southern Indiana and German-settled counties voting strongly Democratic, opposed to Yankee-settled Northern Indiana which voted Republican. [1] Some breakdown of these traditional loyalties took place in the 1920s due to German opposition to Woodrow Wilson’s World War I policies, [2] but these occurred to a lesser extent than in other Midwestern states because of the conservative dominance within Indiana’s Democratic Party.

In 1928, because most other Democrats felt that the party was unlikely to win the election due to the booming economy, [3] saw New York Governor Al Smith nominated almost by default. Many traditionally Democratic Upland Southerners recoiled at the nomination of Smith because he was a devout Catholic, opposed to Prohibition, [4] and particularly associated with the corruption of the Tammany Hall political machine. Smith's decision to choose Arkansas Senator Joseph T. Robinson, a "dry" Protestant, to join the Democratic ticket did little to allay fears about what he would do in the White House.

The Republican nominee, former Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover of California, lost the GOP primary in Indiana, [5] but won the nomination nationally. The Democratic primary was held very late in the primary season and was won by Smith, who by then had already effectively wrapped up the nomination, despite the state originally casting its vote for favorite son Evans Woollen. [6]

In a state whose farmers' were suffering a financial crisis amidst national prosperity due to the loss of demand following the war, the Indiana Farm Bureau would not endorse either ticket. [7] However, Indiana's Senator James E. Watson said that Hoover would carry the state despite these obvious problems. [8]

After becoming certain to be nominated, it was thought by The Wall Street Journal that Smith would have to carry Indiana to have any chance of winning the Presidency. [9] However, as early as the beginning of July politicos said that prohibitionist and anti-Catholic forces in Indiana gave Smith no chance of carrying the state, [4] despite Smith pledge to set aside his personal convictions and enforce the law if elected. [10] At the end of August, pollsters were already suggesting that the latent opposition of the anti-Catholic Ku Klux Klan – which had all but ruled Indiana earlier in the 1920s – and the prohibitionist Anti-Saloon League in rural areas of Indiana would of itself make it impossible for Smith to carry the state. [11]

Hoover visited Indiana late in August as part of the Lake County Fair, focusing on the agricultural crisis and, alongside Iowa Senator Smith W. Brookhart, blaming the Democrats and the Federal Reserve System for the extant farm crisis. [12] Smith did not visit the state during the fall campaign, and polls throughout that season saw the state as safe for Hoover. [13] [14]

Ultimately Hoover carried the state by 20.09 percentage points, which was at the time the best Republican result ever achieved in Indiana, although it was beaten in 1956, 1972, 1984 and 2004. [15] As of the 2020 presidential election , this is nonetheless the last occasion when Indiana voted more Democratic than the modern “blue wall” states of California and Washington.

Results

1928 United States presidential election in Indiana [16]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
Republican Herbert Hoover 848,29059.68%15
Democratic Alfred E. Smith 562,69139.59%0
Prohibition William F. Varney 5,4960.39%0
Socialist Norman Thomas 3,8710.27%0
Socialist Labor Verne L. Reynolds 6450.05%0
Workers William Z. Foster 3210.02%0
Totals1,421,314100.00%15

Results by county

1928 United States presidential election in Indiana by county
CountyHerbert Clark Hoover [17]
Republican
Alfred Emmanuel Smith [17]
Democratic
William Frederick Varney [17]
Prohibition
Norman Mattoon Thomas [17]
Socialist
Various candidates [17]
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %# %# %
Adams 4,04549.70%4,06649.96%220.27%60.07%00.00%-21-0.26%8,139
Allen 34,23456.38%26,29243.30%870.14%640.11%430.07%7,94213.08%60,720
Bartholomew 6,78857.76%4,88141.53%390.33%400.34%40.03%1,90716.23%11,752
Benton 3,36058.37%2,36841.14%180.31%70.12%30.05%99217.23%5,756
Blackford 3,88259.35%2,57639.38%310.47%470.72%50.08%1,30619.97%6,541
Boone 6,55658.81%4,50040.37%730.65%150.13%30.03%2,05618.44%11,147
Brown 95948.51%99950.53%130.66%30.15%30.15%-40-2.02%1,977
Carroll 4,78059.54%3,18239.64%640.80%20.02%00.00%1,59819.91%8,028
Cass 10,52261.31%6,52238.00%680.40%460.27%50.03%4,00023.31%17,163
Clark 8,05656.39%6,19343.35%280.20%80.06%00.00%1,86313.04%14,285
Clay 7,10356.19%5,35842.39%600.47%1110.88%90.07%1,74513.80%12,641
Clinton 7,60655.89%5,89543.31%950.70%130.10%10.01%1,71112.57%13,610
Crawford 2,67257.39%1,93341.52%330.71%170.37%10.02%73915.87%4,656
Daviess 7,11656.73%5,32442.45%240.19%740.59%50.04%1,79214.29%12,543
Dearborn 6,33458.49%4,45941.18%220.20%120.11%20.02%1,87517.31%10,829
Decatur 5,40058.40%3,79141.00%360.39%150.16%40.04%1,60917.40%9,246
DeKalb 7,37364.04%4,07735.41%520.45%120.10%00.00%3,29628.63%11,514
Delaware 19,10268.79%8,53230.72%720.26%540.19%100.04%10,57038.06%27,770
Dubois 3,30135.18%6,04464.41%150.16%170.18%70.07%-2,743-29.23%9,384
Elkhart 20,87674.76%6,90024.71%710.25%620.22%150.05%13,97650.05%27,924
Fayette 5,87462.63%3,45536.84%290.31%180.19%30.03%2,41925.79%9,379
Floyd 10,47158.49%7,32740.93%510.28%420.23%110.06%3,14417.56%17,902
Fountain 4,96055.60%3,89443.65%430.48%230.26%10.01%1,06611.95%8,921
Franklin 3,42647.19%3,81752.58%110.15%50.07%10.01%-391-5.39%7,260
Fulton 4,62761.09%2,88138.04%620.82%40.05%00.00%1,74623.05%7,574
Gibson 8,13757.07%5,88241.25%1230.86%990.69%180.13%2,25515.81%14,259
Grant 14,65965.98%7,27332.74%1230.55%1460.66%150.07%7,38633.25%22,216
Greene 8,26257.81%5,76140.31%700.49%1721.20%260.18%2,50117.50%14,291
Hamilton 7,69067.60%3,61131.75%700.62%40.04%00.00%4,07935.86%11,375
Hancock 4,78856.49%3,62642.78%510.60%100.12%10.01%1,16213.71%8,476
Harrison 4,44054.43%3,66444.91%390.48%110.13%40.05%7769.51%8,158
Hendricks 5,95464.79%3,18134.61%400.44%130.14%20.02%2,77330.17%9,190
Henry 10,50268.53%4,55429.72%2241.46%410.27%30.02%5,94838.81%15,324
Howard 12,63266.89%5,93031.40%2051.09%1060.56%120.06%6,70235.49%18,885
Huntington 8,32358.88%5,67840.17%850.60%420.30%80.06%2,64518.71%14,136
Jackson 5,15149.78%5,13049.58%480.46%150.14%30.03%210.20%10,347
Jasper 3,70065.65%1,91533.98%190.34%10.02%10.02%1,78531.67%5,636
Jay 5,99855.31%4,75943.89%740.68%90.08%40.04%1,23911.43%10,844
Jefferson 5,29557.24%3,90642.22%400.43%80.09%20.02%1,38915.01%9,251
Jennings 3,70560.76%2,36938.85%200.33%30.05%10.02%1,33621.91%6,098
Johnson 5,51354.30%4,54844.80%760.75%140.14%10.01%9659.51%10,152
Knox 10,03549.92%9,83748.93%690.34%1440.72%190.09%1980.98%20,104
Kosciusko 7,97363.18%4,53735.95%820.65%200.16%80.06%3,43627.23%12,620
LaGrange 3,17164.40%1,72034.93%270.55%30.06%30.06%1,45129.47%4,924
Lake 48,76859.68%32,32139.55%1790.22%2420.30%2090.26%16,44720.13%81,719
LaPorte 14,76361.32%9,25438.44%250.10%250.10%80.03%5,50922.88%24,075
Lawrence 9,84468.70%4,42830.90%330.23%220.15%20.01%5,41637.80%14,329
Madison 23,08364.45%12,49634.89%1240.35%1040.29%70.02%10,58729.56%35,814
Marion 109,63059.55%73,30939.82%4570.25%4790.26%2250.12%36,32119.73%184,100
Marshall 6,73860.24%4,37739.13%600.54%100.09%00.00%2,36121.11%11,185
Martin 2,45051.88%2,24547.54%110.23%160.34%00.00%2054.34%4,722
Miami 8,31859.19%5,59239.80%1000.71%360.26%60.04%2,72619.40%14,052
Monroe 8,88367.00%4,31732.56%360.27%230.17%00.00%4,56634.44%13,259
Montgomery 8,86363.69%4,96035.64%720.52%200.14%00.00%3,90328.05%13,915
Morgan 5,46457.76%3,93341.58%390.41%210.22%30.03%1,53116.18%9,460
Newton 3,05364.48%1,64934.83%210.44%100.21%20.04%1,40429.65%4,735
Noble 6,33859.76%4,20739.67%420.40%170.16%10.01%2,13120.09%10,605
Ohio 1,23057.10%91142.29%120.56%10.05%00.00%31914.81%2,154
Orange 5,08661.77%3,11237.79%200.24%100.12%60.07%1,97423.97%8,234
Owen 3,03655.03%2,42043.86%320.58%280.51%10.02%61611.17%5,517
Parke 4,72959.25%3,16539.66%390.49%470.59%10.01%1,56419.60%7,981
Perry 3,77249.89%3,78250.02%20.03%50.07%00.00%-10-0.13%7,561
Pike 4,19054.61%3,40944.43%320.42%360.47%60.08%78110.18%7,673
Porter 7,10770.44%2,92128.95%260.26%320.32%40.04%4,18641.49%10,090
Posey 4,39651.80%4,05247.74%220.26%140.16%30.04%3444.05%8,487
Pulaski 2,73856.43%2,04042.04%681.40%60.12%00.00%69814.39%4,852
Putnam 5,35155.72%4,17743.50%240.25%430.45%80.08%1,17412.23%9,603
Randolph 8,36871.32%3,26427.82%930.79%70.06%10.01%5,10443.50%11,733
Ripley 5,05953.39%4,38746.30%120.13%150.16%30.03%6727.09%9,476
Rush 6,64068.38%2,99630.85%680.70%70.07%00.00%3,64437.52%9,711
Scott 1,71952.68%1,52746.80%150.46%20.06%00.00%1925.88%3,263
Shelby 7,51656.14%5,79043.24%700.52%110.08%20.01%1,72612.89%13,389
Spencer 4,67252.83%4,15246.95%150.17%20.02%30.03%5205.88%8,844
St. Joseph 36,84457.56%26,84641.94%1690.26%1060.17%410.06%9,99815.62%64,006
Starke 2,75957.32%2,01641.89%120.25%230.48%30.06%74315.44%4,813
Steuben 4,43571.35%1,73027.83%410.66%90.14%10.02%2,70543.52%6,216
Sullivan 6,19951.09%5,64246.50%790.65%1841.52%300.25%5574.59%12,134
Switzerland 2,61758.62%1,80540.43%390.87%30.07%00.00%81218.19%4,464
Tippecanoe 15,16563.25%8,72036.37%590.25%280.12%60.03%6,44526.88%23,978
Tipton 4,77459.30%3,18639.58%740.92%140.17%20.02%1,58819.73%8,050
Union 2,10165.99%1,06933.57%130.41%10.03%00.00%1,03232.41%3,184
Vanderburgh 29,06759.44%19,64640.17%900.18%620.13%400.08%9,42119.26%48,905
Vermillion 5,19251.41%4,79347.46%310.31%750.74%90.09%3993.95%10,100
Vigo 22,96254.71%18,50944.10%950.23%3600.86%420.10%4,45310.61%41,968
Wabash 8,53768.25%3,87230.96%680.54%250.20%60.05%4,66537.30%12,508
Warren 2,64468.57%1,18830.81%120.31%100.26%20.05%1,45637.76%3,856
Warrick 4,60354.12%3,74444.02%1381.62%150.18%50.06%85910.10%8,505
Washington 3,83551.96%3,51847.66%190.26%90.12%00.00%3174.29%7,381
Wayne 15,93667.52%7,54731.98%590.25%560.24%30.01%8,38935.55%23,601
Wells 4,14248.93%4,24650.16%660.78%80.09%30.04%-104-1.23%8,465
White 4,53460.01%2,98039.44%280.37%130.17%10.01%1,55420.57%7,556
Whitley 4,51957.43%3,29441.86%510.65%20.03%30.04%1,22515.57%7,869
Totals848,29059.68%562,69139.59%5,4960.39%3,8710.27%9660.07%285,59920.09%1,421,314

See also

References

  1. Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 343 ISBN   9780691163246
  2. Phillips, The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 356
  3. Paulson, Arthur C.; Electoral Realignment and the Outlook for American Democracy; p. 61 ISBN   1555536670
  4. 1 2 Henning, Arthur Sears; ‘Democrats’ Hopes Seen in Corn Belt and the West East: Two Battlegrounds Chosen for Inroads on States Normally Republican’; The Washington Post , July 1, 1928, p. 4
  5. ‘Last Chance Gone for Nomination in the Open: Hoover's Defeat in Indiana Throws Control of Republican Convention Back Into Hands of Professionals’; Daily Boston Globe , May 13, 1928, p. B2
  6. ‘Indiana Offers to Shift to Gov. Smith On First Ballot After Casting Votes for Woolen’; The New York Times, June 23, 1928, p. 1
  7. ‘Farmers Urge Hoover to State Relief Plans: Indianans Ask for Specific Outline in Acceptance – Neither Ticket Is Endorsed’; The New York Times , July 13, 1928, p. 3
  8. ‘Declares Indiana Will Go for Hoover: Senator Watson Says Here That Nominee’s Farm Views Will Cut Present Disaffection’; The New York Times, July 17, 1928, p. 2
  9. ‘Indicated Strength of 1928 Candidates: Smith’s Chances in National Contest Compared with Coolidge and Hoover Slate of Votes’; The Wall Street Journal, May 26, 1928, p. 2
  10. ‘Indiana Democrats Uphold Dry Plank: Smith Will Enforce the Law Better Than Those in Power, It Is Held’; The Washington Post, July 17, 1928, p. 5
  11. Oulahan, Richard V.; ‘Republicans Turn to Fight in East; Think West Is Safe: Work’s Coming Visit to This Region Stresses Belief That This Is Chief Battleground’; The New York Times, August 26, 1928, p. 1
  12. ‘Brookhart Visions Hoover Prosperity: Iowa Insurgent Asserts Republican Victory Will Solve Agricultural Problem’; The New York Times, August 27, 1928, p. 5
  13. Tucker, Robert G.; ‘Indiana for Hoover Party Leaders Say: But Figures on Majority Are Being Reduced; Klan Backs G.O.P. State Fight Is in Doubt’; The Washington Post, September 16, 1928, p. M4
  14. Tucker, Robert G.; ‘Big Odd Are Faced by Smith in Indiana: Held to Have Hardest Fight of Any Democrat in Recent Years. G.O.P. Majority Claimed’; The Washington Post, September 30, 1928, p. M4
  15. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Indiana". Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  16. "1928 Presidential General Election Results – Indiana". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 "IN US President Race, November 06, 1928". Our Campaigns.