Background of news –
Defeated candidates
By Bertram Benedict
Speculation is rife on Wendell Willkie’s future course in the Republican Party, now that he has withdrawn from the 1944 presidential nomination race. Despite his decisive repudiation by Wisconsin voters last Tuesday, Mr. Willkie still has backing from a considerable number of individuals influential in the GOP.
Sometimes a defeated presidential candidate continues to dominate party affairs, sometimes he drops out of the party picture. A President defeated for reelection is more apt to steer his party’s course than is a candidate nominated only once, for the former has had more chance than the latter to build up an organization owing him personal allegiance.
In 1936, Governor Alf Landon after his defeat withdrew for a time from politics, although later he opposed publicly some of President Roosevelt’s foreign policy, and in 1944 has done some maneuvering in regard to the Republican presidential nomination.
For a time after Mr. Hoover left the White House in 1933, the Republican Party really was without definite national leadership until the 1936 Republican Convention fell under the domination of John D. M. Hamilton, Mr. Landon’s manager.
Smith-Raskob control ousted
In 1928, the Democratic Party after its disastrous defeat under Alfred E. Smith largely repudiated his leadership, except in the East. It is true that John J. Raskob, a Smith man, continued to be head of the Democratic National Committee, but as 1932 rolled around, James A. Farley and the Rooseveltians had little trouble in putting the Raskob group to rout in most states.
In 1924, John W. Davis let his party leadership go by default after his defeat. James M. Cox was also inactive after 1920, with most Democrats recognizing ex-President Wilson as their leader until his death.
In 1916, Charles Evans Hughes made no attempt to keep a grip upon the party helm, nor did William Howard Taft after 1912.
But Theodore Roosevelt, after seceding from the Republican Party in 1912 and running for the Presidency on a third-party ticket, resumed his active interest in Republican affairs. He really dominated the GOP on the eve of the 1916 convention, and might well have been the Republican nominee again in 1920 had he lived.
William J. Bryan continued to rule the Democratic Party after his defeat in 1896, the first year he was nominated, and he easily got the nomination again in 1900. Then he lost control, anxious as he was to retain it, but he regained it before 1908, the year of his third nomination.
Bryan promoted Wilson
Even after his third defeat, he was influential in Democratic affairs, and was largely responsible for the nomination of Mr. Wilson in 1912.
On the other hand. Alton B. Parker completely surrender his leadership of the Democrats after his defeat in 1904.
Farther back, the record continues mixed. Grover Cleveland stayed in the saddle after coming out second best in 1888, and he got his third nomination – and reelection – four years later. But ex-President Benjamin Harrison gave up leadership of the Republicans on his defeat in 1892. Gen. Hancock for the Democrats did the same thing after 1880.
Blaine (Republican) and Tilden (Democrat) continued to be the outstanding leaders of their parties after their defeats in 1884 and 1876, respectively; and in each case they probably could have had renomination if they had wanted it.
In trying to get the Republican presidential nomination in 1944, Mr. Willkie no doubt kept in mind the fact that the GOP has never renominated a defeated candidate for the Presidency.