United States presidential election, 1916
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The U.S. presidential election of 1916 took place while Europe was embroiled in World War I. Public sentiment in the still neutral United States leaned towards the Allied Powers due to the occupation of parts of France and Belgium by the German Empire, but most American voters wanted to avoid involvement in the war, and preferred to continue a policy of neutrality.
Nominations
Republican Party nomination
The Republican Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois from 7 June to 10 June. U.S. Supreme Court justice Charles Evans Hughes was nominated as a compromise candidate to unite the Republican and Progressive factions which had split in 1912.
Democratic Party nomination
The Democratic Convention was held in St. Louis, Missouri from 14 June to 16 June, renominating the sitting president Wilson.Other nominations
The Progressives renominated former President Theodore Roosevelt, but he withdrew from the race and supported Hughes.General election
Campaign
Woodrow Wilson campaigned for reelection on a pledge of continued neutrality in the Great War in Europe. Hughes advocated a program of greater mobilization and preparedness. With Wilson having successfully pressured the Germans to suspend unrestricted submarine warfare, it was difficult for Hughes to attack Wilson's peace platform. Hughes was unable to make attacks on Wilson's intervention in Mexico stick, and his attacks on Wilson's pro-labor laws hurt him more than they helped.Results
Defying election night predictions, Wilson narrowly won the election by carrying the West and South, with the outcome in doubt late into the night, when the votes came in from California. Wilson won the state by 3800 votes—and with it the presidency. Legend has it that Hughes went to bed on Election Night thinking that he was the newly elected president. When a reporter tried to telephone him to get his reaction to his loss, someone (stories vary as to whether this person was his son or a butler or valet) answered the phone and told the reporter that "the President is sleeping." The reporter retorted, "When he wakes up, tell him he isn't the President anymore."Source (Popular Vote): Leip, David. [1916 Presidential Election Results]. [Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections] (July 28, 2005).
Source (Electoral Vote): [Electoral College Box Scores 1789–1996]. [Official website of the National Archives]. (July 31, 2005).
See also
External links
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