1920 United States presidential election in Minnesota

none June 2025 September 2023 1920 United States presidential election 1920 United States presidential election in Minnesota Minnesota 1893 presidential no 1916 United States presidential election in Minnesota 1916 1924 United States presidential election in Minnesota 1924 November 2, 1920 x160px Warren G Harding-Harris & Ewing crop.jpg Warren G. Harding Republican Party (United States) Ohio Calvin Coolidge 12 519,421 70.59% James M. Cox 1920.jpg James M. Cox Democratic Party (United States) Ohio Franklin D. Roosevelt 0 142,994 19.43% Debs penitentiary.jpg Eugene V. Debs Socialist Party of America Indiana Seymour Stedman 0 56,106 7.62% 1920 United States presidential election in Minnesota results map by county.svg 350px County results Harding #f2b3be 40–50% #e27f90 50–60% #cc2f4a 60–70% #d40000 70–80% #aa0000 80–90% President Woodrow Wilson Democratic Party (United States) Warren G. Harding Republican Party (United States) The 1920 United States presidential election in Minnesota took place on November 2, 1920, as part of the 1920 United States presidential election in which all contemporary forty-eight states participated. Voters chose 12 electors, or representatives to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. This election marks the last time a candidate for president won every county in Minnesota. The 1918 mid-term elections had seen the Midwestern farming community largely desert the Democratic Party due to supposed preferential treatment of Southern farmers:Morello, John A.; Albert D. Lasker, Advertising, and the Election of Warren G. Harding, p. 64 0275970302 Democratic seats in the Midwest fell from thirty-four to seventeen,Hough, Jerry F.; Changing Party Coalitions: The Mystery of the Red State-Blue State Alignment, pp. 86-87 0875864090 whilst Scandinavian-Americans were also vigorously opposed to entering the war.Saldin, Robert P., 'World War I and the System of 1896' (2010); Political Science Faculty Publications, Paper 1, pp. 825-836 Moreover, Democratic fear of Communism seen in the Palmer Raids and "Red Scare" led to Cox, then Governor of Ohio, to ban German-language instruction in public schools in 1919. Much more critical for German-Americans was the view that outgoing President Woodrow Wilson was deliberately trying to punish Germany and Austria for starting the war, especially via his disregard for the United Kingdom's continuing blockade of Germany.Lichtman, Allan J.; Prejudice and the Old Politics: The Presidential Election of 1928, pp. 102, 115 Stressing Harding's German ancestry, the German press drummed up the view that a vote for Harding is a vote against the persecutions suffered by German-Americans during the war.Lubell, Samuel; The Future of American Politics, p. 135 Published 1952 by Harper and Brothers, New York As the campaign began after the Republican Party had nominated U.S. Senator Warren G. Harding of Ohio and the Democratic Party former Ohio governor James M. Cox, a further blow to the Democrats – who had never won Minnesota but came tantalizingly close in 1916 when they lost by one vote in 988Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections; Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Minnesota – occurred when the national economy suffered a major downturn following the wartime boom, resulting in plummeting agricultural prices that were especially problematic in the Midwest.Goldberg, David Joseph; Discontented America: The United States in the 1920s, p. 47 0801860059 Whereas Cox travelled throughout the nation apart from the "Solid South" during September,Faykosh, Joseph D., Bowling Green State University; The Front Porch of the American People: James Cox and the Presidential Election of 1920 (thesis), p. 69 Harding, despite having four times the budget, campaigned from his home in Marion, Ohio. A poll by the giant Rexall drug store chain – which in 1916 had been accurate enough to predict Wilson's razor-thin wins in New Hampshire and CaliforniaPietrusza, David; 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents, p. 398 0786721022 – suggested Harding would win 382 electoral votes,Bagby, Rexby; The Road to Normalcy: The Presidential Campaign and Election of 1920, pp. 158-159 0801800455 and at the end of October, although no more opinion polls had been published, most observers were even more convinced that the Republicans would take complete control of all branches of government.'Republicans Going to Win: Prospects of a Complete Victory'; The Observer, October 31, 1920, p. 13 Results 1920 United States presidential election in Minnesotahttp://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1920&fips=27&off=0&elect=0&f=0 2016-10-05 1920 Presidential Election Results – Minnesota Dave Leip's U.S. Election AtlasPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Republican Warren G. Harding 519,421 70.59% 12 Democratic James M. Cox 142,994 19.43% 0 Socialist Eugene V. Debs 56,106 7.62% 0 Prohibition Aaron S. Watkins 11,489 1.56% 0 Socialist Labor William Wesley Cox 5,828 0.79% 0 Totals 735,838 100.00% 12 Results by county County Warren Gamaliel HardingRepublican James Middleton CoxDemocratic Eugene Victor DebsGéoelections; Popular Vote for Eugene Debs (1920) (.xlsx file for €15)Socialist Aaron Sherman WatkinsMinnesota Office of the Secretary of State Elections; The Legislative Manual for the State of Minnesota (1921) pp. 524-525Prohibition William Wesley CoxSocialist Labor Margin Total votes castRobinson, Edgar Eugene; The Presidential Vote 1896-1932, pp. 234-241 9780804716963 # % # % # % # % # % # % Aitkin 2,933 70.15% 613 14.66% 503 12.03% 89 2.13% 43 1.03% 2,320 55.49% 4,181 Anoka 3,505 72.13% 865 17.80% 391 8.05% 68 1.40% 30 0.62% 2,640 54.33% 4,859 Becker 4,811 75.78% 901 14.19% 436 6.87% 113 1.78% 88 1.39% 3,910 61.58% 6,349 Beltrami 4,518 61.26% 1,427 19.35% 1,215 16.47% 98 1.33% 117 1.59% 3,091 41.91% 7,375 Benton 2,920 78.83% 554 14.96% 169 4.56% 34 0.92% 27 0.73% 2,366 63.88% 3,704 Big Stone 2,415 78.16% 451 14.60% 127 4.11% 67 2.17% 30 0.97% 1,964 63.56% 3,090 Blue Earth 8,894 79.05% 1,974 17.55% 207 1.84% 117 1.04% 59 0.52% 6,920 61.51% 11,251 Brown 5,841 80.68% 796 10.99% 484 6.69% 50 0.69% 69 0.95% 5,045 69.68% 7,240 Carlton 2,833 59.47% 1,152 24.18% 654 13.73% 94 1.97% 31 0.65% 1,681 35.29% 4,764 Carver 5,073 87.31% 562 9.67% 84 1.45% 29 0.50% 62 1.07% 4,511 77.64% 5,810 Cass 3,242 70.51% 710 15.44% 494 10.74% 96 2.09% 56 1.22% 2,532 55.07% 4,598 Chippewa 3,532 69.75% 960 18.96% 355 7.01% 154 3.04% 63 1.24% 2,572 50.79% 5,064 Chisago 4,361 80.02% 484 8.88% 503 9.23% 69 1.27% 33 0.61% 3,877"DebsdJ.Cox" In this county where Debs ran second ahead of James M. Cox, margin given is Harding vote minus Debs vote and percentage margin Harding percentage minus Debs percentage. 70.79% 5,450 Clay 4,943 73.00% 1,335 19.72% 289 4.27% 126 1.86% 78 1.15% 3,608 53.29% 6,771 Clearwater 1,788 70.73% 340 13.45% 298 11.79% 62 2.45% 40 1.58% 1,448 57.28% 2,528 Cook 467 72.85% 98 15.29% 58 9.05% 13 2.03% 5 0.78% 369 57.57% 641 Cottonwood 3,882 86.27% 451 10.02% 90 2.00% 54 1.20% 23 0.51% 3,431 76.24% 4,500 Crow Wing 5,262 70.34% 1,077 14.40% 933 12.47% 122 1.63% 87 1.16% 4,185 55.94% 7,481 Dakota 5,373 66.45% 2,190 27.08% 395 4.88% 78 0.96% 50 0.62% 3,183 39.36% 8,086 Dodge 3,386 83.40% 516 12.71% 72 1.77% 68 1.67% 18 0.44% 2,870 70.69% 4,060 Douglas 4,428 66.13% 733 10.95% 647 9.66% 824 12.31% 64 0.96% 3,604In this county where Watkins ran ahead of James M. Cox, margin given is Harding vote minus Watkins vote and percentage margin Harding percentage minus Watkins percentage. 53.82% 6,696 Faribault 6,687 86.01% 869 11.18% 102 1.31% 90 1.16% 27 0.35% 5,818 74.83% 7,775 Fillmore 7,341 85.92% 899 10.52% 125 1.46% 145 1.70% 34 0.40% 6,442 75.40% 8,544 Freeborn 6,772 81.96% 1,131 13.69% 138 1.67% 166 2.01% 56 0.68% 5,641 68.27% 8,263 Goodhue 9,330 85.07% 1,118 10.19% 304 2.77% 180 1.64% 36 0.33% 8,212 74.87% 10,968 Grant 2,427 75.80% 533 16.65% 106 3.31% 106 3.31% 30 0.94% 1,894 59.15% 3,202 Hennepin 90,517 64.58% 28,911 20.63% 18,800 13.41% 1,262 0.90% 679 0.48% 61,606 43.95% 140,169 Houston 4,101 85.67% 598 12.49% 36 0.75% 41 0.86% 11 0.23% 3,503 73.18% 4,787 Hubbard 2,238 73.84% 453 14.95% 237 7.82% 70 2.31% 33 1.09% 1,785 58.89% 3,031 Isanti 3,007 67.57% 405 9.10% 898 20.18% 113 2.54% 27 0.61% 2,602"DebsdJ.Cox" 47.39% 4,450 Itasca 3,973 58.31% 1,930 28.33% 738 10.83% 80 1.17% 92 1.35% 2,043 29.99% 6,813 Jackson 4,313 83.62% 715 13.86% 75 1.45% 29 0.56% 26 0.50% 3,598 69.76% 5,158 Kanabec 2,436 75.68% 332 10.31% 380 11.80% 41 1.27% 30 0.93% 2,104"DebsdJ.Cox" 63.87% 3,219 Kandiyohi 4,759 63.67% 1,282 17.15% 718 9.61% 613 8.20% 102 1.36% 3,477 46.52% 7,474 Kittson 2,485 74.65% 599 17.99% 175 5.26% 44 1.32% 26 0.78% 1,886 56.65% 3,329 Koochiching 1,786 55.29% 859 26.59% 485 15.02% 48 1.49% 52 1.61% 927 28.70% 3,230 Lac qui Parle 4,219 82.29% 653 12.74% 107 2.09% 103 2.01% 45 0.88% 3,566 69.55% 5,127 Lake 990 40.93% 594 24.56% 757 31.29% 59 2.44% 19 0.79% 396"DebsdJ.Cox" 9.63% 2,419 Le Sueur 4,059 66.22% 1,853 30.23% 112 1.83% 54 0.88% 52 0.85% 2,206 35.99% 6,130 Lincoln 2,548 75.30% 673 19.89% 81 2.39% 45 1.33% 37 1.09% 1,875 55.41% 3,384 Lyon 4,557 73.16% 1,232 19.78% 246 3.95% 153 2.46% 41 0.66% 3,325 53.38% 6,229 Mahnomen 1,076 71.97% 215 14.38% 167 11.17% 14 0.94% 23 1.54% 861 57.59% 1,495 Marshall 4,738 75.41% 885 14.09% 456 7.26% 139 2.21% 65 1.03% 3,853 61.32% 6,283 Martin 5,142 78.46% 1,221 18.63% 101 1.54% 66 1.01% 24 0.37% 3,921 59.83% 6,554 McLeod 5,430 77.62% 1,139 16.28% 263 3.76% 92 1.32% 72 1.03% 4,291 61.34% 6,996 Meeker 4,693 78.40% 878 14.67% 223 3.73% 123 2.05% 69 1.15% 3,815 63.73% 5,986 Mille Lacs 3,521 73.17% 526 10.93% 640 13.30% 84 1.75% 41 0.85% 2,995"DebsdJ.Cox" 59.87% 4,812 Morrison 5,371 77.57% 1,131 16.33% 316 4.56% 64 0.92% 42 0.61% 4,240 61.24% 6,924 Mower 6,339 82.06% 1,061 13.73% 192 2.49% 78 1.01% 55 0.71% 5,278 68.32% 7,725 Murray 3,270 79.16% 698 16.90% 102 2.47% 39 0.94% 22 0.53% 2,572 62.26% 4,131 Nicollet 4,115 83.45% 556 11.28% 140 2.84% 101 2.05% 19 0.39% 3,559 72.18% 4,931 Nobles 4,420 79.64% 982 17.69% 81 1.46% 38 0.68% 29 0.52% 3,438 61.95% 5,550 Norman 3,451 74.17% 481 10.34% 481 10.34% 175 3.76% 65 1.40% 2,970 63.83% 4,653 Olmsted 7,130 77.12% 1,756 18.99% 176 1.90% 145 1.57% 38 0.41% 5,374 58.13% 9,245 Otter Tail 11,084 78.50% 1,741 12.33% 788 5.58% 336 2.38% 170 1.20% 9,343 66.17% 14,119 Pennington 2,320 60.70% 768 20.09% 581 15.20% 95 2.49% 58 1.52% 1,552 40.61% 3,822 Pine 3,879 66.83% 1,127 19.42% 654 11.27% 86 1.48% 58 1.00% 2,752 47.42% 5,804 Pipestone 3,106 79.89% 490 12.60% 232 5.97% 35 0.90% 25 0.64% 2,616 67.28% 3,888 Polk 8,197 69.47% 2,111 17.89% 1,057 8.96% 288 2.44% 147 1.25% 6,086 51.58% 11,800 Pope 3,466 76.34% 709 15.62% 163 3.59% 167 3.68% 35 0.77% 2,757 60.73% 4,540 Ramsey 40,204 58.62% 21,110 30.78% 6,201 9.04% 504 0.73% 568 0.83% 19,094 27.84% 68,587 Red Lake 1,308 62.37% 558 26.61% 159 7.58% 44 2.10% 28 1.34% 750 35.77% 2,097 Redwood 5,589 83.07% 880 13.08% 159 2.36% 64 0.95% 36 0.54% 4,709 69.99% 6,728 Renville 5,995 73.64% 1,283 15.76% 478 5.87% 299 3.67% 86 1.06% 4,712 57.88% 8,141 Rice 6,500 74.58% 2,040 23.41% 72 0.83% 61 0.70% 42 0.48% 4,460 51.18% 8,715 Rock 3,121 84.53% 442 11.97% 67 1.81% 31 0.84% 31 0.84% 2,679 72.56% 3,692 Roseau 2,387 64.13% 500 13.43% 698 18.75% 90 2.42% 47 1.26% 1,887"DebsdJ.Cox" 45.38% 3,722 Saint Louis 27,987 56.98% 14,767 30.07% 5,378 10.95% 533 1.09% 450 0.92% 13,220 26.92% 49,115 Scott 3,015 68.96% 1,253 28.66% 52 1.19% 24 0.55% 28 0.64% 1,762 40.30% 4,372 Sherburne 2,747 85.18% 307 9.52% 115 3.57% 37 1.15% 19 0.59% 2,440 75.66% 3,225 Sibley 4,198 85.94% 502 10.28% 111 2.27% 50 1.02% 24 0.49% 3,696 75.66% 4,885 Stearns 13,566 86.33% 1,616 10.28% 318 2.02% 106 0.67% 108 0.69% 11,950 76.05% 15,714 Steele 4,243 76.45% 1,167 21.03% 56 1.01% 55 0.99% 29 0.52% 3,076 55.42% 5,550 Stevens 2,339 79.83% 457 15.60% 71 2.42% 47 1.60% 16 0.55% 1,882 64.23% 2,930 Swift 3,553 70.22% 985 19.47% 209 4.13% 260 5.14% 53 1.05% 2,568 50.75% 5,060 Todd 5,448 71.10% 1,464 19.11% 443 5.78% 191 2.49% 116 1.51% 3,984 52.00% 7,662 Traverse 1,759 73.20% 550 22.89% 49 2.04% 18 0.75% 27 1.12% 1,209 50.31% 2,403 Wabasha 4,907 77.11% 1,275 20.03% 78 1.23% 44 0.69% 60 0.94% 3,632 57.07% 6,364 Wadena 2,635 75.57% 503 14.43% 203 5.82% 86 2.47% 60 1.72% 2,132 61.14% 3,487 Waseca 3,626 71.79% 1,257 24.89% 102 2.02% 37 0.73% 29 0.57% 2,369 46.90% 5,051 Washington 5,852 74.84% 1,558 19.93% 267 3.41% 96 1.23% 46 0.59% 4,294 54.92% 7,819 Watonwan 3,510 81.40% 647 15.00% 100 2.32% 31 0.72% 24 0.56% 2,863 66.40% 4,312 Wilkin 2,106 75.19% 561 20.03% 76 2.71% 39 1.39% 19 0.68% 1,545 55.16% 2,801 Winona 7,888 69.81% 2,896 25.63% 271 2.40% 80 0.71% 165 1.46% 4,992 44.18% 11,300 Wright 7,013 79.51% 1,299 14.73% 303 3.44% 133 1.51% 72 0.82% 5,714 64.78% 8,820 Yellow Medicine 4,225 72.48% 814 13.96% 233 4.00% 497 8.53% 60 1.03% 3,411 58.52% 5,829Totals519,42170.59%142,99419.43%56,1067.62%11,4891.56%5,8280.79%376,42751.16%735,838 Analysis Harding overwhelmingly carried Minnesota by a margin of 376,427 votes, or 51.16 points, and nationally won the election, with 404 electoral votes and a 26.17-point lead over Cox in the popular vote, which constitutes the most lopsided result in any United States presidential election held since James Monroe's uncontested re-election in 1820. Cox did not win a single state north of the Mason-Dixon line nor west of the Continental Divide. The percentage of Minnesota's popular vote won by Harding in 1920 is second only to Theodore Roosevelt's 74% of the state's popular vote from 1904, as Harding was helped by mass defection of registered Democratic German-Americans to the Republican ticket. Harding became the second and last presidential nominee after Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 to sweep all of Minnesota's counties. This was the last time the Republicans won Red Lake County until George W. Bush in 2000Menendez, Albert J. The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, p. 121 0786422173 and the last time Mahnomen County voted Republican until Ronald Reagan in 1980.Menendez; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, pp. 228-232 The presidential election of 1920 is also noteworthy for the third party candidacy of the perennial Socialist candidate, Eugene V. Debs. Debs won nearly a million votes nationally, and 7.62 percent in Minnesota with second place ahead of Cox in six counties, despite the fact that he was incarcerated at the time. On September 12, 1918, Debs had been convicted on ten counts of sedition in relation to a speech he had given in Canton, Ohio on June 16, 1918, in which he encouraged conscientious objection to World War I. Of the five presidential elections in which Debs had been a candidate, 1920 was his second-greatest showing in terms of percentage of the popular vote won — he only did better in 1912. 1920 was also his final appearance on the ballot. See also United States presidential elections in Minnesota Notes References 2 expanded 1920 Min Category:1920 Minnesota elections