Description
On June 27, 1932 the Democratic National Convention convened in Chicago, Illinois, but the battle for delegates had been raging all through the spring. While President Hoover was encouraging Americans not to hoard their savings, Jouett Shouse was asking the Democratic candidates not to hoard delegates. Shouse was the chairman of the Executive Committee, an ally of John Raskob, and a supporter of Al Smith. Al Smith was the conservative choice for nomination. Garner, Ritchie, and Murray were favorite sons from Texas, Maryland, and Oklahoma, respectively. Before the convention began, the prospective nominees tallied their claims on delegates. Franklin Roosevelt was the clear leader in delegates but did have two-thirds of the delegates required for nomination. Smith had tried to use the favorite sons to refuse Roosevelt the nomination but by the final ballot, all the favorite sons' delegates went to Roosevelt.
Publisher
Center for Legislative Archives (NWL), National Archives Building, Room 8E, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20408. PHONE: 202-357-5350; FAX: 202-357-5911; EMAIL: legislative.archives@nara.gov.