I Could Have Been Somebody (Part 4) Quiz

Answer: 1920

The presidential election of 1920 dealt with the role of the United States in world affairs after World War One. It was also the first election in which women could vote in all (then-48) US states. The Republican Party nominated Warren G. Harding (1865-1923), a Senator representing Ohio and newspaper publisher.

The Democratic Party nominated James M. Cox, governor of Ohio and newspaper publisher. The Socialist Party nominated Eugene V. Debs for the last time (this time while he was in prison for violating the Sedition Act of 1918 by speaking against World War One).

The Farmer-Labor Party nominated Parley P. Christensen, former member of the Utah House of Representatives. In the Electoral College, Harding carried 37 states and 404 votes to 11 states and 127 votes for Cox.

In the popular vote (26.8 million), Harding had a similarly large majority with 60.3% of the vote to 34.1% for Cox, with Debs (3.4%) and Christensen (1.0%) trailing.

Answer: 1924

The election of 1924 was a referendum on the then-current economy (generally seen then as booming). This was the first election where all Native Americans were recognized as US citizens and able to vote. The Republican Party nominated incumbent President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), born in Vermont.

The Democratic Party nominated John W. Davis (1873-1955), former Congressman from West Virginia. The Progressive Party nominated Senator Robert B. La Follette (1855-1925) of Wisconsin. In the Electoral College, Coolidge won 35 states and 382 votes to 12 states and 126 votes for Davis, and the 13 votes of his home state for La Follette.

In the popular vote (29.1 million), Coolidge won 54.0% to 28.8% for Davis and 16.6% for La Follette.

Answer: 1944

The election of 1944 continued to focus on World War Two. The Democratic Party nominated President Franklin Roosevelt for a fourth term. The Republican Party nominated Governor Thomas E. Dewey (1902-1971) of New York. The Socialist Party nominated Norman Thomas for a fifth time. Roosevelt won election for an unprecedented fourth term, though with smaller margins than previously. (spurring a push for the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, with limits the President to two full terms).

In the Electoral College, Roosevelt won 36 states and 432 votes to 12 states and 99 votes for Dewey.

In the popular vote (48.0 million), Roosevelt won 53.4% to 45.9% for Dewey, with Thomas trailing at 0.2%. The Texas Regulars, a protest group of sorts, cast approximately 140,000 ballots (0.3%) against Roosevelt but not for the Republican ticket.

Answer: 1948

The presidential election of 1948 was one of the great upsets in US political history. The Democratic Party nominated President Harry S Truman (1884-1972), who had become president following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. The Republican Party nominated Thomas Dewey, the former District Attorney for New York County for a second time.

The States' Rights Democratic (or Dixiecrat) party nominated Governor Strom Thurmond (1902-2003) of South Carolina. The Progressive Party nominated former Vice-President Henry A. Wallace (1888-1965) of Iowa.

The Socialist Party nominated Norman Thomas for the sixth and final time. In the Electoral College, Truman won an upset with 28 states and 303 votes to 16 states and 189 votes for Dewey and 4 states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina) and 39 votes (plus a faithless elector in Tennessee) for Thurmond. Truman (49.6%) also won the popular vote (48.8%) over Dewey (45.1%), with Thurmond (2.41%), Wallace (2.37%), and Thomas (0.3%).

Answer: 1932

The election of 1932 focused on the effects of the Great Depression on the United States. The Republican Party nominated incumbent President Herbert Hoover for a second term. The Democratic Party nominated Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) of New York.

The Socialist Party nominated Norman Thomas for a second time. Like the Election of 1928, the Election of 1932 was a landslide, though in the opposite direction. Roosevelt won the Electoral College with 42 states and 472 votes to six states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Vermont) and 59 votes for Hoover.

The popular vote (39.8 million) also swung in favor of Roosevelt (57.4%) over Hoover (39.7%) and Thomas (2.2%).

Answer: 1936

The election of 1936 was a referendum over the relative successes and failures of the New Deal. The Republican Party nominated Governor Alfred M. Landon (1887-1987) of Kansas. The Democratic party nominated incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt for a second term.

The Socialist Party nominated Norman Thomas for a third time. The newly-created Union Party nominated North Dakota Congressman William Lemke (1877-1950). There are landslide elections and then there are earthquakes. In the popular vote (45.6 million), Roosevelt won 60.8% to 38.4% for Landon, with Lemke (1.9%) and Thomas (0.4%) trailing.

In the Electoral College, Roosevelt won 46 states and 513 votes to the eight votes of Maine and Vermont for Landon.

Answer: 1928

The election of 1928 was a referendum on the performance of the economy in the 1920s. In addition, for the first time, a Catholic was the Presidential nominee of one of the two main political parties. The Republican Party nominated Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) of Iowa.

The Democratic Party nominated Governor Alfred E. Smith (1873-1944) of New York. The Socialist Party nominated minister Norman Thomas (1884-1968). Hoover had a landslide in the Electoral College, winning 40 states and 444 votes to eight states and 87 votes for Smith. Hoover likewise won by a large margin in the popular vote (36.8 million) winning 58.2% to 40.2% for Smith and 0.7% for Thomas.

Answer: 1952

The election of 1952 reflected issues of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Republican Party nominated former General Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969). The Democratic Party nominated Governor Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965). Eisenhower won the Electoral College in a landslide with 39 states and 442 votes to nine states and 89 votes for Stevenson.

In the popular vote (61.8 million), Eisenhower won (55.2%) over Stevenson (44.3%). This presidential election represented the first one where television advertising played a significant role.

Answer: 1956

The election of 1956 saw a rematch of many of the same themes of four years previously and even the same candidates. The Republican Party nominated President Dwight Eisenhower for a second time. The Democratic Party nominated President Adlai Stevenson for a second time. Eisenhower won the Electoral College by a larger margin than previously with 41 states and 457 votes to 7 states and 73 votes for Stevenson. Judge Walter Jones (1888-1963) of Alabama receive done electoral vote from a faithless elector from that state. Eisenhower similarly won in the popular vote (62.0 million) by 57.4% to 42.0% for Stevenson.

Answer: 1940

White the election of 1940 continued to focus on the New Deal, World War Two also played a role. The Democratic Party nominated President Franklin D. Roosevelt for a third term. The Republican Party nominated corporate lawyer Wendell Willkie (1892-1944). Willkie, born in Indiana and living in New York, was a member of the Democratic Party until 1939.

The Socialist Party nominated Norman Thomas for the fourth time. Roosevelt won the Electoral College with 38 states and 449 votes to 10 states and 82 votes for Willkie.

The popular vote (49.9 million) was also won by Roosevelt (54.7%) over Willkie (44.8%), with Thomas (0.2%) trailing.