1932 Republican National Convention

It nominated President Herbert Hoover and Vice President Charles Curtis for reelection.

1932 Republican National Convention

1932 presidential election
Nominees Hoover and Curtis
Convention
Date(s)	June 14–16, 1932
City	Chicago, Illinois
Venue	Chicago Stadium
Candidates
Presidential nominee	Herbert C. Hoover of California
Vice presidential nominee	Charles Curtis of Kansas
Results (president)	Herbert Hoover (CA): 1126.5 (98.5%) John J. Blaine: 13 Calvin Coolidge: 4.5 Joseph Irwin France: 4 James W. Wadsworth: 1
‹ 1928 · 1936 ›

Hoover was virtually unopposed for the nomination. Despite the ongoing situation facing the Republican Party, the convention praised Hoover and pledged itself to maintain a balanced budget.

Presidential candidates

•  
  President
  Herbert Hoover
  of California
•  
  Senator
  John J. Blaine
  of Wisconsin
  (Not Nominated)
•  
  Former President
  Calvin Coolidge
  of Massachusetts
  (Not Nominated)
•  
  Former Senator
  Joseph I. France
  of Maryland

 

Republicans gloomily gathered in Chicago for the 20th Republican National Convention. Los Angeles attorney Joseph Scott delivered President Hoover's nominating address, praising him as the man who taught the nation to resist the temptations of governmental paternalism. Hoover was re-nominated on the first ballot without significant opposition. To have repudiated the incumbent would have destroyed what little chance of victory the party had amid the worst economic depression in U.S. history.

Former senator Joseph I. France of Maryland attempted to engineer a draft-Coolidge movement, but the former president expressed no interest in the nomination.

Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (June 16, 1932)

•  
  1st Presidential Ballot

Vice Presidential candidates

•  
  Vice President
  Charles Curtis
  of Kansas
•  
  Ambassador
  Hanford MacNider
  of Iowa
•  
  Major General
  James Harbord
  of New York
•  
  Former Governor
  Alvan T. Fuller
  of Massachusetts
•  
  House Minority Leader
  Bertrand Snell
  of New York
  (Declined Consideration)
•  
  Former Vice President
  Charles G. Dawes
  of Illinois
  (Not Nominated -
  Declined Consideration)

Vice President Curtis experienced more difficulties than President Hoover in securing his party's re-nomination. It took the fervid appeals of Hoover's cabinet members to keep the Illinois delegation from nominating former Vice President Charles Dawes for his old office. Curtis nonetheless still had to fight for his re-nomination despite the disorganization of his opposition by the advance refusal of Dawes to accept the nomination for second place. Ambassador Hanford MacNider and RCA Chairman James Harbord, both military professionals, were the primary beneficiaries of the opposition to Curtis.

The initial roll call revealed Curtis to be 18 votes shy of securing re-nomination. At this point, Pennsylvania switched its 75 votes from favorite son Edward Martin to Curtis. After Curtis had secured the vice presidential nomination, the delegates moved to make his re-nomination unanimous.

Vice Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (June 16, 1932)

•  
  1st
  Vice Presidential Ballot
  (Before Shifts)
•  
  1st
  Vice Presidential Ballot
  (After Shifts)

• History of the United States Republican Party
• List of Republican National Conventions
• U.S. presidential nomination convention
• Republican Party presidential primaries, 1932
• 1932 United States presidential election
• 1932 Democratic National Convention

• Republican Party platform of 1932 at The American Presidency Project
• Hoover acceptance address at The American Presidency Project
• Hoover acceptance letter at The American Presidency Project