Warren Harding's 1920 Presidential Campaign

Warren Harding served as President of the United States between 1921 and 1923. Despite serving in the transitioning years between the first World War and the Roaring Twenties, the legacy of Harding's presidency is almost entirely devoid of any progress. Instead, his term is strongly associated with the rampant corruption in his cabinet, and Harding's failing health, which culminated in his death in 1923. How, one might ask, did such a seemingly incompetent individual become president in the first place? And what does his election say about the state of American politics at the time? To answer these questions, we examine Warren Harding's political background and his 1920 presidential campaign in depth.

Harding's political career was far from distinguished at the time he was nominated by the Republican Party and the Republican National Convention in 1920. His first political position of note was as Ohio senator from 1898-1903. He then served as lieutenant governor of Ohio from 1904-1906, losing the election for this position in 1910. He first came under national view in 1912, when he delivered a speech backing President William Taft for a second term at the Republican National Convention. In 1914, Harding was elected to the U.S senate, where he remained until his presidential nomination seven years later.

When the Republican National Convention of 1920 came around, the Republican delegates were unable to decide on a candidate. Eventually, they compromised and chose Harding as their candidate. Harding, in his time during the senate, had held few extreme views, and mostly acted as a conciliator between arguing parties. He had not taken sides on either prohibition or women's suffrage, leaving him with hardly any political enemies. Harding was also known as one of the best-looking politicians at the time. The Republicans nominated him not only because of his uncontroversial nature, but also in the hope that new women voters (19th amendment had passed earlier that same year) would be more open to a handsome candidate.

Harding's presidential campaign was run entirely on typically conservative, Republican opinions. He protested against Wilson's handling of the first World War and his proposed League of Nations. In terms of policy, Harding promised a higher tariff to protect American industry, and new limits on immigration. The campaign's emphasis on conservatism was highlighted by its slogan: "a return to normalcy". With this slogan, and his campaign as a whole, Harding hoped to attract people who were tired of constant reform since the days of Theodore Roosevelt. Harding also chose this approach to take the opposite side of the Democratic candidate, an extreme liberal named James Cox who promised similarly idealistic policy to Woodrow Wilson's.

Harding's main campaign strategy was to give talks from his house in Marion, Ohio (known as a front-porch campaign). He received thousands of visitors from all over the U.S, and mostly discussed the hardships of the first World War and his distaste for the League of Nations. Harding said nothing at all controversial and stuck to the conservative Republican script. In stark contrast, the progressive James Cox traveled thousands of miles and making hundreds of speeches in his campaign.

In the final results of the 1920 presidential election, Harding received 60% of the popular vote and won 404-127 in the electoral college, making it the biggest ever margin of victory in an election at the time. By showing their support of Harding, the majority of American public also demonstrated their preference of conservatism over liberalism. The American public also showed their resentment towards the recent progressives in office. Harding's successful presidential campaign once again proves the recurring historical phenomenon of resistance to change; that all reform and progress are always met with an opposite force of conservatism.


Sources:
http://millercenter.org/president/biography/harding-campaigns-and-elections
http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/warren-g-harding
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