Colonel William A. Phillips

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The 1920 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November 2, 1920, as part of the 1920 United States presidential election. Voters chose 15[1] representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Ever since the Panic of 1893 and the Populist movement, Michigan had been rigidly one-party polity dominated by the Republican Party.[2] In the 1894 elections, the Democratic Party lost all but one seat in the Michigan legislature,[3] and over the four ensuing decades the party would never make major gains there.[2]

The dominance of the culture of the Lower Peninsula by anti-slavery Yankees[4] would be augmented by the turn of formerly Democratic-leaning German Catholics away from that party as a result of the remodelled party’s agrarian and free silver sympathies, which became rigidly opposed by both the upper class and workers who followed them,[5] while the Populist movement eliminated Democratic ties with business and commerce of Michigan and other Northern states.[6] Unlike the other states of the Upper Midwest, the Yankee influence on the culture of the Lower Peninsula was so strong that left-wing third parties did not provide significant opposition to the Republicans, nor was there more than a moderate degree of coordinated factionalism within the hegemonic Michigan Republican Party.[7]

Although by taking a substantial proportion of the 1912 “Bull Moose” vote, incumbent president Woodrow Wilson had managed the best performance in Michigan by a Democrat since Grover Cleveland in 1888,[8] 1918 saw a major reaction against Wilson throughout the Midwest, due to supposed preferential treatment of Southern farmers:[9] Republicans would hold every seat in the State Senate for over a decade after the fall election,[10] as they had between 1895 and 1897 and between 1905 and 1911.

During the 1920 election campaign Michigan gained almost no attention because it had been so firmly Republican over the past quarter century. A poll of four university students showed three voting for Republican candidate Warren G. Harding and one for Democratic opponent James M. Cox.[11] A later poll in October showed that the very small August poll was not inaccurate, with Harding leading by slightly less than three-to-one.[12] The Post-Crescent’s expectations were fulfilled, as Harding won in a landslide, with almost 73 percent of the vote to only 22.27 percent for Cox.

Analysis

With 72.76 percent of the popular, Michigan would prove to be Harding third strongest state in the 1920 election terms of popular vote percentage after North Dakota and Vermont.[13]

Harding received the largest share of the popular vote in a presidential election for Michigan at the time, though that record would be broken four years later. Cox fell more than 3.5 percent below the previous worst Democratic showing by Alton B. Parker from 1904. This was the first of three consecutive elections where Michigan supported a Republican candidate with more than seventy percent of the vote and the only examples of any presidential candidate receiving such a high share in the state.[8]

Concurrent with Harding’s triumph in the state, the Republicans would win every single seat in not just the State Senate, but also the State House of Representatives.

Results

1920 United States presidential election in Michigan[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Warren G. Harding 762,865 72.76%
Democratic James M. Cox 233,450 22.27%
Socialist Eugene Debs 28,947 2.76%
Farmer–Labor Parley P. Christensen 10,480 1.00%
Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins 9,646 0.92%
Socialist Labor William Wesley Cox 2,539 0.24%
Single Tax Robert Macauley 484 0.05%
Total votes 1,048,411 100%

Results by county

1920 United States presidential election in Michigan by county
County Warren Gamail Harding
Republican
James Middleton Cox
Democratic
Eugene Victor Debs
Socialist
Parley Parker Christensen
Farmer–Labor
Various candidates
Other parties
Margin Total votes cast[16]
# % # % # % # % # % # %
Alcona 1,043 75.85% 264 19.20% 39 2.84% 5 0.36% 24 1.75% 779 56.65% 1,375
Alger 1,263 66.09% 468 24.49% 143 7.48% 23 1.20% 14 0.73% 795 41.60% 1,911
Allegan 7,825 75.89% 2,154 20.89% 127 1.23% 29 0.28% 176 1.71% 5,671 55.00% 10,311
Alpena 3,467 63.38% 1,893 34.61% 84 1.54% 7 0.13% 19 0.35% 1,574 28.78% 5,470
Antrim 2,260 77.53% 518 17.77% 63 2.16% 9 0.31% 65 2.23% 1,742 59.76% 2,915
Arenac 1,521 66.36% 669 29.19% 55 2.40% 12 0.52% 35 1.53% 852 37.17% 2,292
Baraga 1,368 74.67% 304 16.59% 120 6.55% 25 1.36% 15 0.82% 1,064 58.08% 1,832
Barry 5,154 70.69% 1,874 25.70% 44 0.60% 14 0.19% 205 2.81% 3,280 44.99% 7,291
Bay 13,933 64.93% 7,011 32.67% 180 0.84% 207 0.96% 129 0.60% 6,922 32.26% 21,460
Benzie 1,520 72.00% 422 19.99% 88 4.17% 28 1.33% 53 2.51% 1,098 52.01% 2,111
Berrien 15,748 74.06% 4,855 22.83% 368 1.73% 87 0.41% 207 0.97% 10,893 51.23% 21,265
Branch 5,704 69.72% 2,181 26.66% 76 0.93% 18 0.22% 202 2.47% 3,523 43.06% 8,181
Calhoun 16,722 69.12% 6,291 26.00% 540 2.23% 171 0.71% 469 1.94% 10,431 43.12% 24,193
Cass 4,498 74.25% 1,286 21.23% 153 2.53% 23 0.38% 98 1.62% 3,212 53.02% 6,058
Charlevoix 3,079 77.07% 704 17.62% 135 3.38% 12 0.30% 65 1.63% 2,375 59.45% 3,995
Cheboygan 2,472 63.47% 1,281 32.89% 61 1.57% 43 1.10% 38 0.98% 1,191 30.58% 3,895
Chippewa 4,732 74.36% 1,266 19.89% 180 2.83% 78 1.23% 108 1.70% 3,466 54.46% 6,364
Clare 1,762 73.48% 511 21.31% 77 3.21% 4 0.17% 44 1.83% 1,251 52.17% 2,398
Clinton 6,019 78.91% 1,464 19.19% 39 0.51% 13 0.17% 93 1.22% 4,555 59.71% 7,628
Crawford 726 64.42% 361 32.03% 26 2.31% 5 0.44% 9 0.80% 365 32.39% 1,127
Delta 4,938 65.40% 1,985 26.29% 348 4.61% 199 2.64% 80 1.06% 2,953 39.11% 7,550
Dickinson 3,539 76.65% 580 12.56% 352 7.62% 38 0.82% 108 2.34% 2,959 64.09% 4,617
Eaton 7,343 70.99% 2,727 26.36% 92 0.89% 28 0.27% 154 1.49% 4,616 44.62% 10,344
Emmet 3,059 68.88% 1,070 24.09% 188 4.23% 23 0.52% 101 2.27% 1,989 44.79% 4,441
Genesee 24,543 74.66% 7,408 22.54% 538 1.64% 85 0.26% 299 0.91% 17,135 52.12% 32,873
Gladwin 1,687 78.68% 313 14.60% 81 3.78% 6 0.28% 57 2.66% 1,374 64.09% 2,144
Gogebic 5,486 79.72% 823 11.96% 364 5.29% 70 1.02% 139 2.02% 4,663 67.76% 6,882
Grand Traverse 4,056 74.04% 1,158 21.14% 155 2.83% 20 0.37% 89 1.62% 2,898 52.90% 5,478
Gratiot 6,578 77.41% 1,846 21.72% 41 0.48% 15 0.18% 18 0.21% 4,732 55.68% 8,498
Hillsdale 6,690 71.12% 2,467 26.23% 57 0.61% 13 0.14% 179 1.90% 4,223 44.90% 9,406
Houghton 14,938 80.20% 3,088 16.58% 381 2.05% 117 0.63% 101 0.54% 11,850 63.62% 18,625
Huron 8,354 82.57% 1,581 15.63% 93 0.92% 20 0.20% 69 0.68% 6,773 66.95% 10,117
Ingham 18,437 69.63% 7,061 26.67% 508 1.92% 88 0.33% 386 1.46% 11,376 42.96% 26,480
Ionia 7,977 67.59% 3,395 28.77% 93 0.79% 23 0.19% 314 2.66% 4,582 38.82% 11,802
Iosco 2,013 76.71% 548 20.88% 39 1.49% 14 0.53% 10 0.38% 1,465 55.83% 2,624
Iron 3,515 82.80% 497 11.71% 172 4.05% 18 0.42% 43 1.01% 3,018 71.10% 4,245
Isabella 5,089 73.82% 1,627 23.60% 73 1.06% 10 0.15% 95 1.38% 3,462 50.22% 6,894
Jackson 15,922 64.90% 7,789 31.75% 294 1.20% 89 0.36% 440 1.79% 8,133 33.15% 24,534
Kalamazoo 13,765 67.53% 5,271 25.86% 548 2.69% 521 2.56% 279 1.37% 8,494 41.67% 20,384
Kalkaska 890 73.19% 224 18.42% 38 3.13% 9 0.74% 55 4.52% 666 54.77% 1,216
Kent 40,802 70.14% 14,763 25.38% 973 1.67% 783 1.35% 854 1.47% 26,039 44.76% 58,175
Keweenaw 1,272 90.15% 89 6.31% 39 2.76% 1 0.07% 10 0.71% 1,183 83.84% 1,411
Lake 926 74.80% 261 21.08% 30 2.42% 11 0.89% 10 0.81% 665 53.72% 1,238
Lapeer 5,523 78.61% 1,298 18.47% 38 0.54% 20 0.28% 147 2.09% 4,225 60.13% 7,026
Leelanau 2,156 82.26% 406 15.49% 39 1.49% 4 0.15% 16 0.61% 1,750 66.77% 2,621
Lenawee 11,973 68.89% 5,095 29.32% 85 0.49% 19 0.11% 207 1.19% 6,878 39.58% 17,379
Livingston 4,639 64.10% 2,437 33.67% 12 0.17% 8 0.11% 141 1.95% 2,202 30.43% 7,237
Luce 708 76.54% 187 20.22% 6 0.65% 2 0.22% 22 2.38% 521 56.32% 925
Mackinac 1,685 62.87% 932 34.78% 37 1.38% 8 0.30% 18 0.67% 753 28.10% 2,680
Macomb 9,735 73.97% 3,023 22.97% 183 1.39% 68 0.52% 152 1.15% 6,712 51.00% 13,161
Manistee 2,179 47.68% 2,184 47.79% 150 3.28% 14 0.31% 43 0.94% -5 -0.11% 4,570
Marquette 9,233 70.46% 3,012 22.99% 534 4.08% 207 1.58% 117 0.89% 6,221 47.48% 13,103
Mason 3,652 69.39% 1,338 25.42% 154 2.93% 21 0.40% 98 1.86% 2,314 43.97% 5,263
Mecosta 3,932 74.78% 1,145 21.78% 112 2.13% 7 0.13% 62 1.18% 2,787 53.00% 5,258
Menominee 5,045 72.41% 1,560 22.39% 239 3.43% 66 0.95% 57 0.82% 3,485 50.02% 6,967
Midland 4,115 78.88% 959 18.38% 79 1.51% 12 0.23% 52 1.00% 3,156 60.49% 5,217
Missaukee 1,801 82.46% 345 15.80% 14 0.64% 2 0.09% 22 1.01% 1,456 66.67% 2,184
Monroe 8,646 61.34% 5,224 37.06% 119 0.84% 12 0.09% 95 0.67% 3,422 24.28% 14,096
Montcalm 6,644 77.27% 1,695 19.71% 109 1.27% 18 0.21% 132 1.54% 4,949 57.56% 8,598
Montmorency 832 75.57% 199 18.07% 55 5.00% 5 0.45% 10 0.91% 633 57.49% 1,101
Muskegon 11,702 73.70% 3,468 21.84% 485 3.05% 56 0.35% 166 1.05% 8,234 51.86% 15,877
Newaygo 4,188 78.91% 929 17.51% 81 1.53% 11 0.21% 98 1.85% 3,259 61.41% 5,307
Oakland 19,321 70.98% 6,421 23.59% 916 3.37% 112 0.41% 450 1.65% 12,900 47.39% 27,220
Oceana 3,535 77.85% 785 17.29% 101 2.22% 22 0.48% 98 2.16% 2,750 60.56% 4,541
Ogemaw 1,687 75.55% 444 19.88% 43 1.93% 7 0.31% 52 2.33% 1,243 55.67% 2,233
Ontonagon 1,977 67.71% 657 22.50% 215 7.36% 37 1.27% 34 1.16% 1,320 45.21% 2,920
Osceola 3,603 80.84% 769 17.25% 33 0.74% 11 0.25% 41 0.92% 2,834 63.59% 4,457
Oscoda 439 83.78% 75 14.31% 5 0.95% 3 0.57% 2 0.38% 364 69.47% 524
Otsego 874 64.03% 466 34.14% 4 0.29% 10 0.73% 11 0.81% 408 29.89% 1,365
Ottawa 10,528 78.74% 2,391 17.88% 205 1.53% 41 0.31% 205 1.53% 8,137 60.86% 13,370
Presque Isle 2,522 80.76% 525 16.81% 36 1.15% 22 0.70% 18 0.58% 1,997 63.94% 3,123
Roscommon 652 75.29% 182 21.02% 21 2.42% 3 0.35% 8 0.92% 470 54.27% 866
Saginaw 20,425 68.24% 8,494 28.38% 578 1.93% 240 0.80% 195 0.65% 11,931 39.86% 29,932
Sanilac 7,256 84.66% 1,146 13.37% 59 0.69% 7 0.08% 103 1.20% 6,110 71.29% 8,571
Schoolcraft 1,776 71.33% 428 17.19% 226 9.08% 26 1.04% 34 1.37% 1,348 54.14% 2,490
Shiawassee 7,194 69.93% 2,595 25.23% 143 1.39% 36 0.35% 319 3.10% 4,599 44.71% 10,287
St. Clair 14,938 75.14% 4,566 22.97% 147 0.74% 84 0.42% 144 0.72% 10,372 52.18% 19,879
St. Joseph 6,035 66.59% 2,725 30.07% 121 1.34% 24 0.26% 158 1.74% 3,310 36.52% 9,063
Tuscola 7,282 82.67% 1,269 14.41% 62 0.70% 29 0.33% 167 1.90% 6,013 68.26% 8,809
Van Buren 6,904 75.11% 1,988 21.63% 162 1.76% 17 0.18% 121 1.32% 4,916 53.48% 9,192
Washtenaw 14,082 74.46% 4,468 23.63% 155 0.82% 9 0.05% 198 1.05% 9,614 50.84% 18,912
Wayne 220,482 74.75% 51,773 17.55% 14,531 4.93% 5,827 1.98% 2,330 0.79% 168,709 57.20% 294,943
Wexford 3,406 73.03% 1,095 23.48% 57 1.22% 22 0.47% 84 1.80% 2,311 49.55% 4,664
Totals 762,865 72.76% 233,450 22.27% 28,947 2.76% 10,480 1.00% 12,669 1.21% 529,415 50.50% 1,048,411

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ "1920 Election for the Thirty-Fourth Term (1921-1925)". Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Burnham, Walter Dean. "The System of 1896: An Analysis". The Evolution of American Electoral Systems. pp. 178–179. ISBN 0313213798.
  3. ^ "Swamped! The Democrats Drowned Out by a Tremendous Republican Tidal Wave". The L'Anse Sentinel. L'Anse. November 10, 1894. p. 1.
  4. ^ English, Gustavus P.; Proceedings of the Ninth Republican National Convention (1888), p. 234
  5. ^ Sundquist, James. Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years. p. 526. ISBN 0815719094.
  6. ^ Rogowski, Ronald (2020). Commerce and Coalitions: How Trade Affects Domestic Political Alignments. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691219435.
  7. ^ Hansen, John Mark; Shigeo, Hirano; Snyder Jr., James M. "Parties within Parties: Parties, Factions, and Coordinated Politics, 1900-1980". In Gerber, Alan S.; Schickler, Eric (eds.). Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America. pp. 165–168. ISBN 978-1-107-09509-0.
  8. ^ a b "Presidential General Election Results Comparison — Michigan". Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  9. ^ Morello, John A. Albert D. Lasker, Advertising, and the Election of Warren G. Harding. p. 64. ISBN 0275970302.
  10. ^ Kang, Michael S. (May 29, 2019). "Hyperpartisan Gerrymandering". Boston College Law Review. 69: 1395.
  11. ^ "Harding Elected By Students of N.Y. University — Practically Every State Is Represented in "Election" Held Recently: Many Women Vote for Him; Cox Runs Second and Debs Polls Nearly as Many as Democrat". The Lima Gazette and The Lima Republican. Lima, Ohio. August 22, 1920. p. 15.
  12. ^ "Women of Nation Vote for Harding: Rexall Returns Show that They Furnish One-Quarter of Voting Strength". The Post-Crescent. Appleton, Wisconsin. October 8, 1920. p. 8.
  13. ^ "1920 Presidential Election Statistics". Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  14. ^ "1920 Presidential General Election Results — Michigan". Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  15. ^ "The American Presidency Project — Election of 1920". Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  16. ^ Michigan Department of State — Bureau of Elections; ‘Presidential Vote in Michigan From 1920 to 1932’; Michigan Manual, (1933), p. 387