From March 19 to June 4, 1912, voters of the Democratic Party elected delegates to the 1912 Democratic National Convention for the purpose of choosing a nominee for president in the 1912 election.
The primaries were inconclusive, with Speaker of the House Champ Clark holding a lead over Woodrow Wilson, but neither candidate close to the two-thirds of the delegates necessary to secure the nomination. In third place, Ohio governor Judson Harmon boasted the support of his home state and New York, the largest single delegation. House Majority Leader Oscar Underwood had strong support from the Deep South but little appeal outside the region.
At the convention, Wilson eventually secured the nomination over Clark after forty back-and-forth ballots.
Candidates
Nominee CandidateExperienceHome stateCampaignPopular voteContests wonRunning mateWoodrow WilsonGovernor of New Jersey(1910–1913)President of Princeton University(1902–1910)(Campaign)Secured nomination:July 2, 1912435,169(44.6%)Thomas R. Marshall
Defeated at convention CandidateExperienceHome stateCampaignPopular voteContests wonChamp ClarkSpeaker of the United States House of Representatives(1911–1919)Leader of the House Democratic Caucus(1909–1921)U.S. Representative from Missouri(1893–95, 1897–1921)(Campaign) Defeated at convention:July 2, 1912405,537(41.6%)Judson HarmonGovernor of Ohio(1909–1913)United States Attorney General(1895–1897)(Campaign)Defeated at convention:July 2, 1912116,294(11.9%)Oscar UnderwoodHouse Majority Leader(1911–1915)House Minority Whip(1899–1901)U.S. Representative from Alabama(1895–96, 1897–1915)(Campaign) Defeated at convention:July 2, 1912—Simeon E. BaldwinGovernor of Connecticut(1911–1915)Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court(1907–1910)Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court(1897–1907)Withdrew at convention—
Favorite sons John Burke, Governor of North Dakota (endorsed Wilson) Thomas R. Marshall, Governor of Indiana Results
Total
By state + State Date Woodrow Wilson Champ Clark Judson Harmon John Burke Others North Dakota March 19 N/A N/A N/A100.0%9,357 N/A Wisconsin April 255.7%45,94544.2%36,464 N/A N/A 0.2%148 Illinois April 925.775,52774.3%218,483 N/A N/A N/A Pennsylvania April 13100.0%98,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A Nebraska April 1927.9%14,28941.0%21,02724.3%12,454 N/A 6.8%3,499 Oregon April 1953.0%9,58843.4%7,8573.3%606 N/A 0.3%49 Massachusetts April 3029.9%15,00268.9%34,575 N/A N/A 1.2%627 Maryland May 634.3%21,49054.4%34,02111.3%7,070 N/A N/A California May 1428.5%17,21471.5%43,163 N/A N/A N/A Ohio May 2145.7%85,0841.3%2,42851.7%96,164 N/A 1.3%2,440 New Jersey May 2898.9%48,3361.1%522 N/A N/A N/A South Dakota June 435.2%4,69432.0%4,27520.4%2,722 N/A N/A 12.4%1,655 Legend: 1st place(popular vote) 2nd place(popular vote) 3rd place(popular vote)
Endorsements
See also Republican Party presidential primaries, 1912 White primary
Notes
References