The Emergence of Candidate Warren G. Harding

Yes, Warren Harding was a dark horse, and yes, it did happen in a smoke filled room… BUT…

Leading Up To 1920

There was an odd assortment of coincidences that created the “perfect storm” of enthusiasm for Harding.

Two years prior to the election of 1920, both major parties were in either flux or disarray or confusion.

On the Democratic side, President Woodrow Wilson, the man who kept us out of war in 1916, finally brought us into the Great War only weeks after his second inauguration. Eventually the once-reasonably-popular President became very un-popular, had a couple of serious strokes, and was a mere shell of himself. None of the “available” Democrats rose to the level needed, and even the “B” or “C” team generated little enthusiasm. Wilson did not take part at all.

On the Republican side, in 1918 most Republicans were willing to forgive…