The election of 1916 stands out as one of the closest and most consequential presidential contests in U.S. history. With Europe engulfed in World War I and America divided on whether to intervene, incumbent President Woodrow Wilson fought to secure a second term against Republican challenger Charles Evans Hughes.
Wilson’s First Term
Woodrow Wilson, who emerged victorious in the four-way election of 1912, spent his first term balancing reform at home with mounting crises abroad.
- Achievements: Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act (1913), creating a centralized banking system, and the Revenue Act of 1913, which reduced tariffs and introduced a federal income tax. He also backed progressive reforms, including the creation of the Federal Trade Commission and child labor laws. The U.S. also purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1916.
- Controversies: Wilson’s presidency was tainted by his reinstatement of racial segregation in federal offices, leading to widespread job losses for African Americans. He initially resisted women’s suffrage, while his administration intervened in Latin America, notably sending U.S. troops to Mexico during its revolution.
The World at War
By 1914, Europe had plunged into the “Great War.” The conflict introduced new and horrifying technologies: machine guns, tanks, poison gas, submarines, and airplanes. The Battle of the Somme (1916) alone claimed over a million casualties.
Wilson tried to keep America neutral, but German submarine warfare tested this resolve. The sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915, which killed nearly 1,200 people including Americans, outraged the U.S. public. Still, many—including industrialist Henry Ford—urged peace, and Wilson resisted entering the war. His campaign would lean heavily on his reputation as the man who “kept us out of war.”
The Republican Challenger: Charles Evans Hughes
The Republicans, eager to reclaim the White House after their split in 1912, nominated Charles Evans Hughes, a former Governor of New York and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Hughes was seen as a safe, respectable candidate who could unite conservatives and progressives within the party. His running mate was Charles W. Fairbanks, vice president under Theodore Roosevelt.
Hughes favored military preparedness in case of war, but his reluctance to support an eight-hour workday and his cautious campaign style limited his appeal.
The Progressive Party’s Collapse
The Progressive Party, which had propelled Theodore Roosevelt to second place in 1912, effectively collapsed in 1916. Roosevelt declined to run again and instead endorsed Hughes, leaving the movement leaderless. Without a candidate of their own, most Progressives drifted back to the Republicans, marking the party’s rapid decline.
The Socialists
The Socialist Party also returned, though without its figurehead Eugene Debs, who chose not to run. Instead, the Socialists nominated Allan Benson for president and George Ross Kirkpatrick for vice president. Their platform centered on opposition to U.S. involvement in the war and included a proposal for a national referendum before declaring war. However, without Debs, their influence waned, and they failed to capture significant support.
The Campaigns
- Wilson’s Strategy: Wilson’s campaign leaned on his foreign policy stance, with the slogan “He Kept Us Out of War.” He portrayed Hughes as the candidate of militarism. At the same time, Wilson sought to reassure voters by promoting his record of progressive reforms.
- Hughes’s Struggles: Hughes campaigned actively but often appeared indecisive, especially on labor issues. His failure to court California progressives—exacerbated by a snub of popular Governor Hiram Johnson—proved costly.
- Wilson’s Contingency Plan: Believing the election might be lost, Wilson even considered a dramatic plan: appointing Hughes as Secretary of State and then resigning with his vice president, which would have elevated Hughes to the presidency peacefully.
The Results
The election of 1916 was one of the closest in U.S. history.
- Wilson: 277 electoral votes | 49.2% of the popular vote
- Hughes: 254 electoral votes | 46.1% of the popular vote
- Socialists: 3.2% of the popular vote
The contest hinged on California, which Wilson won by just 3,773 votes. Had Hughes carried the state, he would have won the presidency.
Wilson became the first Democratic president since Andrew Jackson to win back-to-back terms, though, like Grover Cleveland, he did so with less than 50% of the popular vote.
Conclusion
The Election of 1916 followed the chaotic four-way clash of 1912, narrowing the field but keeping the nation divided over war and peace. Wilson’s razor-thin victory kept the Democrats in power, but his slogan—“He Kept Us Out of War”—would be tested within months, as America prepared to enter World War I. The stage was now set for the election of 1920, in a world forever changed by the Great War.