Progressive Party (United States, 1924–1934) facts for kids

The Progressive Party was a political party formed in 1924. It was created so that Robert M. La Follette, Sr. could run for president in the 1924 election. This party only ran candidates for president and vice president. It disappeared soon after the election.

The party supported "progressive" ideas. These included the government owning railroads and electric companies. They also wanted to make it easier for farmers to get loans. The party fought to stop child labor and to make laws stronger for labor unions. They also wanted more protection for people's freedoms. The party believed the United States should not try to control other countries in Latin America. They also wanted people to vote in a referendum before the country went to war.

Robert La Follette's Progressive Ideas

After becoming a Senator in 1905, La Follette became a key leader for progressives. He tried to get the Republican presidential nomination in the 1912 election. However, many of his supporters switched to Theodore Roosevelt when Roosevelt decided to run. La Follette did not join Roosevelt's Progressive Party, which ended after 1916.

But progressive ideas remained strong in both major parties. In 1924, La Follette and his followers started their own Progressive Party. They challenged the more traditional candidates: Calvin Coolidge from the Republican Party and John W. Davis from the Democratic Party.

The Party's Supporters

The 1924 Progressive Party was made up of La Follette's supporters. These supporters were different from Roosevelt's earlier followers. La Follette's group was more focused on farmers and common people, especially from the Midwest. Roosevelt's group was more from cities and the East Coast.

The party held a national meeting in July 1924. They chose La Follette as their presidential candidate. Later, La Follette picked Burton K. Wheeler, a Democratic Senator from Montana, to be his running mate. Many farmers and workers supported this team. The Socialist Party of America and the American Federation of Labor also supported them.

Election Results and Legacy

In the 1924 election, the Progressive Party only won La Follette's home state of Wisconsin. The party received 16.6% of all votes across the country. This was one of the best results for a third party in U.S. presidential history. They won many areas in the Midwest and West. These areas often had many German American people or strong labor unions.

After the election, La Follette continued to be a Republican Senator until he died in 1925. After his death, his family started the Wisconsin Progressive Party. This new party was very important in Wisconsin politics for a short time.

Wisconsin Progressive Movement

1924 Presidential election results by county.     Calvin Coolidge      John W. Davis      Robert M. La Follette — light = plurality, green = over 50%

Years before, in 1900, La Follette had created a "Progressive" group within the Republican Party of Wisconsin. In 1912, he tried to create a Progressive Party. But he lost control of it to Theodore Roosevelt, who became his rival.

In 1924, La Follette's new party (using the same name as the 1912 party) wanted the government to own railroads. This idea was popular with railroad workers' unions. La Follette ran with Senator Burton K. Wheeler, a Democrat from Montana. The party brought together farmers and workers. It was supported by the Socialist Party of America, the American Federation of Labor, and many railroad unions.

The party did not run candidates for other political jobs. It only won one state, Wisconsin. La Follette continued to serve in the Senate as a Republican until he died the next year. His son, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., took his place in a special election in 1925.

The La Follette family continued their political work in Wisconsin. They published The Progressive magazine and pushed for liberal changes. In 1934, La Follette's two sons started the Wisconsin Progressive Party. This party held power in the state for a short time. For a while, it was one of Wisconsin's main political parties, sometimes even bigger than the Democrats.

California Progressive Movement

Hiram W. Johnson was a candidate for California governor in 1910. He was supported by Katherine Philips Edson, a women's rights activist. Johnson was also the Progressive Party's vice presidential candidate in 1912. He was reelected as Governor of California as a Progressive in 1914. In 1916, he was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Progressive. He stayed connected with the state party for many years while also winning the Republican nomination.

Johnson was friends with Theodore Roosevelt, but his political ideas were closer to Robert La Follette. Johnson did not take part in the 1924 general election. He had tried to challenge President Calvin Coolidge for the Republican nomination but failed. Johnson did not like La Follette personally. However, he admired La Follette's attempt to run as a third-party candidate and generally agreed with his ideas in 1924.

In 1934, when the La Follette family started the Wisconsin Progressive Party, the California Progressive Party also became active in California. They ran seven candidates, but none of them won. However, Raymond L. Haight got 13% of the votes for Governor of California. He ran as a moderate against socialist and Democratic candidate Upton Sinclair. In 1936, they elected Franck R. Havenner as a Congressman for California's 4th congressional district. They also got a good number of votes in some other races.

Havenner became a Democrat before the 1938 election. Haight won the Progressive primary election against Culbert Olson, who later won the general election. But Haight only received 2.43% of the votes in the general election as a Progressive. By the time of the 1942 election for governor, the Progressives were no longer on the ballot in California. By 1944, Haight was a Republican again. He was a delegate at the Republican National Convention.

Presidential Election Results

Year	Presidential nominee	Vice-Presidential nominee	Popular votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
1924	Robert M. La Follette	Burton K. Wheeler	4,831,706	16.6%	13

See also

In Spanish: Partido Progresista (Estados Unidos, 1924) para niños