The presidential election of 1924 was a three-way race between incumbent President Calvin Coolidge of the Republican Party, Democratic candidate John W. Davis, and Progressive Party nominee Robert M. La Follette. The Progressive Party had split off from the Democratic Party, dividing supporters and making for an easy reelection of President Coolidge.
Calvin Coolidge had been elected in 1920 as President Warren G. Harding’s vice president. Coolidge had succeeded Harding after his death in 1923. Under Coolidge’s leadership, the economy had improved and there were no major international conflicts, gaining the president much public support. The Republican Party easily selected Coolidge to run for reelection on the party’s ticket.
Frank Orren Lowden, who had been a frontrunner during the previous Republican National Convention in 1920, was first chosen to be Coolidge’s running mate, but when he refused, the delegation chose Charles G. Dawes instead.
The Democratic National Convention was a long battle between former Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo, Governor of New York Al Smith, and John W. Davis of West Virginia, who served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom. The party was split nearly geographically, with McAdoo’s supporters coming from rural parts of the country, including the South and the West, while Smith’s supporters were more liberal, coming from urban areas including the Northeast and Midwest.
The party was divided over the candidates, disagreeing over fundamental differences, such as whether to accept the support of the KKK. The klan backed McAdoo, who refused to publicly condemn the group. Without a two-thirds majority vote at the convention, ballots were repeated one hundred times, making it the longest running political convention in the nation’s history. The convention finally settled on Davis to be the Democratic nominee, with Charles W. Bryan as his running mate.
When the Democratic Party chose Davis as their presidential nominee, a portion of the party’s members were upset over the choice to nominate such a conservative candidate. In response, these members broke away and formed the Progressive Party. The Progressive Party elected Robert M. La Follette to represent the party as their presidential nominee.
Both of the major candidates, Coolidge and Davis, campaigned on conservative views, like limited government, reduced taxes, and less regulation. The third party candidate, La Follette, was on the opposing side, representing liberals. But with the division of the Democratic Party’s supporters, Coolidge won his election, continuing as President of the United States for a full second term.
The breakdown of candidates and electoral votes was as follows:
| Presidential Candidate | Home State | Party | Electoral Votes | Running Mate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvin Coolidge | Massachusetts | Republican | 382 | Charles G. Dawes |
| John W. Davis | West Virginia | Democratic | 136 | Charles W. Bryan |
| Robert M. La Follette | Wisconsin | Progressive | 13 | Burton K. Wheeler |
| Total | 531 |