1912 election Politics 1890-1920

why was this a dramatic and unusual election?

all candidates were Progressives of a sort

Democrat Candidate

Woodrow Wilson - attacked the ‘triple wall of privilege’, the most liberal option, pledged to lower tariffs and saw trusts & monopolies as evils that needed destroying

Republican Candidate

William Howard Taft - had support of Republican leaders (unlike R) and called for a reduced but protectionist (high) tariff and greater regulation of trusts

Bull-Moose Candidate

Theodore Roosevelt, from an offshoot of Republicans who favoured Progressivism, however is stance on tariffs and trusts hardly differed from Taft’s

Reason for democrat victory

• Republican vote split between the two parties

Victory for progressive policies?

the election marked a clear victory for Progressive policies as there was an emphasis on political reform, lower tariffs and control of big business from all 3 candidates

Democratic revival

democrats have the majority in congress after the 1912 election