The Election of 1904 marked Theodore Roosevelt’s first bid to secure the presidency in his own right. After stepping into office following William McKinley’s assassination in 1901, Roosevelt sought to turn his accidental presidency into a mandate.
The Progressive President
At just 42 years old, Theodore Roosevelt had become the youngest person ever to assume the presidency. His energetic leadership quickly reshaped the role of the office. Roosevelt embraced the “Square Deal,” a domestic program focused on fairness for workers, regulation of corporations, and conservation of natural resources.
He invoked the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to break up monopolies, created national parks and forests to preserve millions of acres of land, and pushed forward the construction of the Panama Canal, a monumental engineering project that expanded America’s global reach. Abroad, he strengthened the navy and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for mediating the end of the Russo-Japanese War.
Despite his popularity with the public, Roosevelt unnerved many Republicans with his progressive policies. Some business leaders feared his activism threatened their interests and attempted to recruit McKinley’s old campaign manager, Senator Mark Hanna, to challenge him for the nomination. Hanna’s sudden death in February 1904 ended any serious opposition, and Roosevelt secured the Republican nomination easily. To balance the ticket, he selected Charles Fairbanks, a conservative Senator from Indiana, as his running mate.
The Democratic Nominee
On the Democratic side, there was no William Jennings Bryan this time. After defeats in 1896 and 1900, Bryan stepped aside. Former president Grover Cleveland was also floated as a possibility, but his declining health kept him out of the race.
The Democrats eventually turned to Alton B. Parker, the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. Parker, a conservative jurist with little charisma, was chosen largely as a “safe” candidate who wouldn’t divide the party. His running mate was Henry Gassaway Davis, an 80-year-old coal and railroad magnate from West Virginia—the oldest vice-presidential nominee in American history.
Third-Party Candidates
The Election of 1904 also featured several third-party candidates:
- Eugene V. Debs (Socialist Party): Running for the second time, Debs promoted labor rights, public ownership of railroads and utilities, and opposition to corporate monopolies.
- Silas Swallow (Prohibition Party): Advocated for banning alcohol nationwide, continuing the Prohibition Party’s longstanding platform.
- Thomas E. Watson (Populist Party): Once a rising figure, Watson represented the fading Populist movement.
- George Edwin Taylor (National Negro Liberty Party): Became the first African American to run for president, though his candidacy received little support due to widespread racial barriers.
While none of these third parties had a serious chance of victory, their presence reflected the growing diversity of political issues at the dawn of the 20th century.
The Campaigns
The campaign of 1904 lacked the bitter personal scandals of previous elections. Roosevelt’s campaign leaned on his image as a reformer and national hero, touting prosperity at home and prestige abroad. His slogan of delivering a “Square Deal” resonated with many Americans who wanted fairness and stability.
Although Roosevelt had clashed with monopolies, his administration reassured business leaders that he sought regulation rather than destruction. This won him financial support from industries that had once been skeptical.
Alton Parker, meanwhile, struggled to energize voters. His cautious personality and pro-business conservatism alienated the progressive wing of his party. Even his attempt to criticize Roosevelt’s foreign policy fell flat, as the public largely admired Roosevelt’s handling of international affairs.
The Results
The outcome was decisive. Roosevelt won 336 electoral votes and 56.4% of the popular vote, carrying 32 states. Parker won 140 electoral votes and 37.6% of the popular vote, securing only 13 states.
Roosevelt’s margin of victory in the popular vote—18.8%—was the largest since James Monroe’s uncontested re-election in 1820. He even flipped traditionally Democratic states like Missouri, a sign of his broad national appeal.
Conclusion
The Election of 1904 confirmed Theodore Roosevelt’s popularity and gave him the strongest mandate of any president since James Monroe’s near-unanimous win in 1820. Just four years earlier in the Election of 1900, Roosevelt had been pushed onto the Republican ticket as vice president mainly to keep him out of power—yet McKinley’s assassination elevated him to the presidency. Now, the voters had endorsed him outright, with a sweeping victory over Alton B. Parker.
This result also marked the Democrats’ third straight defeat following Cleveland’s non-consecutive terms and Bryan’s failed populist crusades. With Roosevelt promising not to run again in 1908, the stage was set for a very different contest next time, as his chosen successor would inherit both his party’s dominance and its internal divisions.
