1905 Illinois's 14th congressional district special election

none February 2026 June 2025 1905 Illinois's 14th congressional district special election Missouri by-election no 1904 United States House of Representatives elections#Illinois 1904 1906 United States House of Representatives elections#Illinois 1906 IL 14 November 7, 1905 U.S. Representative x140px James McKinney Republican Party (United States) 12,356 57.19% James Howard Pattee Democratic Party (United States) 7,316 33.86% Vacant James McKinney Democratic Party (United States) The 1905 Illinois's 14th congressional district special election was held on November 7, 1905, and was won by James McKinney, a former state State Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner, who defeated Democratic businessman James Howard Pattee. Republican nomination Following the death of Congressman Marsh, Lieutenant Governor Lawrence Y. Sherman was rumored as a potential candidate, but quickly announced that he would not run: "I would not go to Washington. I would rather be a member of the legislature of Illinois than a congressman. I have no use for Washington."Sherman Prefers to Stay in State Moline Daily Dispatch Moline, Illinois 1905-06-06 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch/174526591/ 5 2025-06-14 While Sherman would have cleared the field of Republican candidates, in the absence of his candidacy, a large number of candidates ran. When Republican delegates convened in Bushnell on August 24, 1905, no candidate had a clear advantage. On the first ballot, businessman Frank G. Allen, the President of the Moline Plow Company, received 41 votes, and no other candidate received more than 20 out of 122 cast.M'Kinney Wins on 2d Ballot Moline Daily Dispatch Moline, Illinois 1905-08-24 https://www.newspapers.com/image/338470949/ 1 2025-06-14 Three of the remaining candidates dropped out of the race and their support went to James McKinney, a former member of the State Railroad and Warehouse Commission, enabling him to win the nomination on the second ballot. Candidates Clarence R. Gittings, former State RepresentativePortrait and Biographical Record of Hancock, McDonough and Henderson Counties Illinois Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County Together with Biographies and Portraits of All the Presidents of the United States https://www.google.com/books/edition/Portrait_and_Biographical_Record_of_Hanc/r1sOn5u045AC?hl=en&gbpv=1 Chicago, Illinois Lake City Publishing Company 1894 550 2025-06-14 C. V. Chandler, former State SenatorAll in the 14th: Query as to What Kind of a Hand Sherman Will Show in Bushnell Rock Island Argus Rock Island, Illinois 1905-08-23 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus/174516850/ 6 2025-06-14 George C. Rankin, former State Representative and national bank receiverMen of Illinois https://www.google.com/books/edition/Men_of_Illinois/nOQDAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1 Chicago, Illinois Halliday Witherspoon 1902 127 2025-06-14 James McKinney, former member of the State Railroad and Warehouse CommissionNominated in Fourteenth District Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois 1905-08-25 https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/174518182/ 4 2025-06-14 Frank G. Allen, President of the Moline Plow Company Results Republican convention ballot Ballot 1 2Allen 41 41Chandler 39 0McKinney 16 81Rankin 18 0Gittings 8 0 Democratic nomination Delegates from the county parties assembled in Monmouth on September 28, 1905, to select their nominee. As reported by the Macomb Journal, the Chairman of the congressional committee, John Sexton, was alleged to support the independent candidacy of George Washington McCaskrin, the Mayor of Rock Island.Pattee Is Named Macomb Journal Macomb, Illinois 1905-10-05 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macomb-journal/174525049/ 13 2025-06-14 After Sexton made nominating speeches for several prospective candidates who indicated that they would decline the nomination, some delegates "charged" that "Sexton's intentions were to get some man nominated who would positively decline to run," which would then empower the congressional committee to "endorse McCaskrin and thus get his name placed on the Democratic ticket." Ultimately, however, three candidates ran for the nomination. On the first ballot, La Harpe Mayor Charles A. Knappenberger received 28 votes, just shy of the 31 required for the nomination. Newspaper editor Charles C. Chain received 23 votes, and bowed out of the second round, while businessman John Howard Pattee received 10 votes. On the second ballot, Pattee narrowly defeated Knappenberger, receiving 31 votes to Knappenberger's 30. Candidates Charles C. Chain, editor of the Bushnell DemocratDelegates Named: Democratic County Committee Selects Men to Attend Convention Rock Island Argus Rock Island, Illinois 1905-09-25 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus/174524729/ 5 2025-06-14 Charles A. Knappenberger, Mayor of La Harpe, IllinoisLaHarpe May Have Candidate Hancock County Quill La Harpe, Illinois 1905-09-26 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hancock-county-quill/174524882/ 1 2025-06-14 J. Howard Pattee, President of the Pattee Plow CompanyFor All People: J. H. Pattee Favors Laws for the Many Instead of Favored Few Rock Island Argus Rock Island, Illinois 1905-10-10 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus/174524590/ 8 2025-06-14 Results Democratic convention ballot Ballot 1 2Chain 23 0Knappenberger 28 30Pattee 10 31 General election Campaign Following the Democratic convention, Rock Island Mayor George Washington McCaskrin filed to run for the nomination.First Political Shot The LaHarper La Harpe, Illinois 1905-09-29 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-la-harper/174526269/ 8 2025-06-14 However, following errors in his nomination papers,Nomination Papers of George Washington McCaskrin are Filed and Held Up for Irregularities Macomb Journal Macomb, Illinois 1905-10-12 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macomb-journal/174526110/ 9 2025-06-14 he ultimately did not contest the race and did not appear on the ballot. The election between McKinney and Pattee was not expected to be close, but Governor Charles S. Deneen campaigned on McKinney's behalf, and urged local Republicans to support him. He argued that "it was cheap tribute to the work and worth of President Roosevelt to sit back confident in the normal majority of the district to carry the [R]epublican candidate through."National Issue, Says Governor: Importance of Congressional Election Emphasized Moline Daily Dispatch Moline, Illinois 1905-11-04 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch/174527098/ 5 2025-06-14 Ultimately, McKinney won the election by a wide margin. Results 1905 Illinois's 14th congressional district special electionRose James A. Blue Book of the State of Illinois 1905 https://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/bb/id/25098 657 James McKinney Republican Party (United States) 12,356 57.19% James Howard Pattee Democratic Party (United States) 7,316 33.86% Homer L. Darby Socialist Party (United States) 1,176 5.44% J. Marion Fort Prohibition Party (United States) 757 3.50% 21,605 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) References Illinois 1905 14 Illinois 1905 14 1905 14 Illinois 14 United States House of Representatives 14 United States House of Representatives 1905 14