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1928 Democratic Party presidential primaries

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1928 Democratic Party presidential primaries

← 1924 March 6 to May 18, 1928 1932 →

1,098 delegates to the 1928 Democratic National Convention
732 (two-thirds) votes needed to win
 
Candidate Al Smith Cordell Hull Walter F. George
Home state New York Tennessee Georgia
Delegate count 724.67 71.83 52.5
Contests won 36 3 3
Popular vote 559,265
Percentage 41.66%

First place by convention roll call
     Smith      Hull      George      Various

Previous Democratic nominee

John W. Davis

Democratic nominee

Al Smith

From March 6 to May 18, 1928, voters of the Democratic Party elected delegates to the 1928 Democratic National Convention, for the purpose of choosing the party's nominee for president in the 1928 election.[1]

In sharp contrast to the three previous open nominations, the delegate selections were all-but-conclusive in favor of New York governor Al Smith, who entered the convention only a few votes short of the required two-thirds majority; he won on the first ballot after several delegates shifted to him. Smith was the first Catholic nominated by a major party for President of the United States and the first non-incumbent Democrat to win his party's nomination on the first ballot since 1908.

Despite his easy nomination, his failure to carry most Southern states was a sign of things to come; Smith lost the general election to Herbert Hoover in a landslide, with many Southern voters defecting to the Republican Party over their opposition to Smith's Catholic faith.

Candidates

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Nominee

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Candidate Most recent position Home state Campaign Popular vote Contests won Running mate
Al Smith 42nd Governor of New York
(1919–20, 1923–28)
New York (state)
New York
(CampaignPositions)
Secured nomination:
June 26-28, 1928
559,265
(41.7%)
[data missing] Joseph Taylor Robinson

Withdrew during convention

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Candidate Most recent position Home state Campaign Popular vote Contests won
Walter F. George U.S. Senator from Georgia
(1922–1957)

Georgia
AL, FL, GA
Cordell Hull U.S. Representative from Tennessee
(1907–21, 1923–31)
Tennessee
Tennessee
NC, TN, VA
James A. Reed U.S. Senator from Missouri
(1911–1929)
Missouri
Missouri
207,455
(15.5%)
[data missing]
Thomas J. Walsh U.S. Senator from Montana
(1913–1933)
Montana
Montana
101,305
(7.6%)
[data missing]

Favorite sons

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The following candidates ran only in their home state's primary or caucus for the purpose of controlling its delegate slate at the convention and did not appear to be considered national candidates by the media.

Primaries

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Al
Smith
James
Reed
Evans
Woollen
Thomas
Walsh
Gilbert
Hitchcock
Atlee
Pomerene
Victor
Donahey
Uncommitted Others
March 6 South Dakota
(Caucus)
51.56%
(43,876)
- - 48.44%
(41,213)
- - - - -
March 13 New Hampshire
(Primary)
100.00%
(9,716)
- - - - - - - -
March 20 North Dakota
(Primary)
100.00%
(10,822)
- - - - - - - -
April 2 Michigan
(Primary)
98.27%
(77,276)
0.41%
(324)
- 1.32%
(1,034)
- - - - -
April 3 Wisconsin
(Primary)
23.88%
(W) (19,781)
73.76%
(61,097)
- 0.65%
(W) (541)
- - - - 1.70%
(W) (1,410)
April 10 Illinois
(Primary)
90.77%
(W) (44,212)
7.77%
(W) (3,786)
- 0.45%
(W) (221)
- - - - 1.01%
(W) (490)
Nebraska
(Primary)
8.53%
(W) (4,755)
- - - 91.48%
(W) (51,019)
- - - -
April 24 Ohio
(Primary)
64.89%
(42,365)
- - - - 21.38%
(13,957)
12.15%
(7,935)
- -
April 28 Massachusetts
(Primary)
98.11%
(W) (38,081)
- - 0.65%
(W) (254)
- - - - 1.23%
(W) (478)
May 1 California
(Primary)
55.74%
(134,471)
24.87%
(60,004)
- 19.39%
(46,770)
- - - - -
May 7 Indiana
(Primary)
- - 100.00%
(146,934)
- - - - - -
May 8 Alabama
(Primary)
- - - - - - - 100.00%
(138,957)
-
May 15 New Jersey
(Primary)
99.03%
(28,506)
0.31%
(W) (88)
- - - - - - 0.66%
(W) (190)
May 18 Oregon
(Primary)
48.51%
(17,444)
17.69%
(6,360)
- 31.35%
(11,272)
- - - - -
May 22 South Dakota
(Primary)
100.00%
(6,221)
- - - - - - - -
May 29 West Virginia
(Primary)
50.05%
(81,739)
46.41%
(75,796)
- - - - - - 31.35%
(11,272)
June 5 Florida
(Primary)
- - - - - - - 100.00%
(108,167)
-
Legend:   1st place
(popular vote)
2nd place
(popular vote)
3rd place
(popular vote)
Candidate has Withdrawn
or Ceased Campaigning
(W) - Votes are Write-In

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kalb, Deborah (2016-02-19). Guide to U.S. Elections - Google Books. CQ Press. ISBN 9781483380353. Retrieved 2016-02-19.