1908 United States presidential election in Virginia

Main article: 1908 United States presidential election
1908 United States presidential election in Virginia
← 1904 November 3, 1908 1912 →
 
Nominee William Jennings Bryan William Howard Taft
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Nebraska Ohio
Running mate John W. Kern James S. Sherman
Electoral vote 12 0
Popular vote 82,946 52,572
Percentage 60.52% 38.36%
County Results
President before election

Theodore Roosevelt
Republican

Elected President

William Howard Taft
Republican

Elections in Virginia
Federal government
U.S. President
U.S. Senate
U.S. House
State government
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Senate
House of Delegates
State elections
Ballot measures
Statewide
Fairfax County
2016
Alexandria
Mayor
(List)
Henrico County
Commonwealth's Attorney
Norfolk
Mayor
Richmond
Mayor
Virginia Beach
Mayor
City Council

The 1908 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 3, 1908, as part of the 1908 United States presidential election. Voters chose twelve representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

The 1900s had seen Virginia, like all former Confederate States, almost completely disenfranchise its black and poor white populations through the use of a cumulative poll tax and literacy tests.[1] So severe was the disenfranchising effect of the new 1902 Constitution that the electorate for the 1904 presidential election was halved compared to that of previous elections, and it has been calculated that a third of those who voted were state employees and officeholders.[1] The limited electorate meant Virginian politics was controlled by political machines — firstly one led by Thomas Staples Martin and after he died the Byrd Organization.

However, unlike the Deep South, historical fusion with the “Readjuster” Democrats,[2] defection of substantial proportions of the Northeast-aligned white electorate of the Shenandoah Valley and Southwest Virginia over free silver,[3] and an early move towards a “lily white” Jim Crow party[2] meant that in general elections the Republicans retained around one-third of the small statewide electorate.[4]

Following the failure of Theodore Roosevelt to reconcile with the South, and a hiccup when Republican elector and long-time Lily-White party leader William H. Robinson refused to support party nominee, former Secretary of War William Howard Taft because he was a Unitarian,[5] Taft would in July stay for a month in Hot Springs[6] and in October become the first Republican candidate to tour the Confederacy.[7] Early in the campaign third-time Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan criticised Taft as adopting Democratic policies in a slavish manner,[6] but during his later tour of Virginia, Taft was very critical of Bryan for focusing too much on short-term issues.[8] In front of a crowd of twelve thousand in Richmond, Taft argued that he was the man to bring Virginia and the northern states closer together, and that voting for Republican candidates and policies was highly reasonable.[9]

Despite the enthusiastic reception Taft received in Richmond, he was hindered by the fact that the Richmond Times-Dispatch, which had endorsed William McKinley twelve years previously,[3] endorsed Bryan this time.[9] Polls in mid-October saw Virginia as safe for Bryan,[9] which would be confirmed at the beginning of the fourth week of that month.[10] Bryan ultimately would win the state by a margin of 22.16 percentage points. At the time this was the largest margin in Virginia since Andrew Jackson won the state by 49.93 percentage points in 1832, although Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan have since surpassed Bryan’s performance.

Bryan had previously won Virginia against William McKinley in both 1896 and 1900.

Results

1908 United States presidential election in Virginia[11]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Democratic William Jennings Bryan 82,946 60.52% 12
Republican William Howard Taft 52,572 38.36% 0
Prohibition Eugene W. Chafin 1,111 0.81% 0
Socialist Eugene V. Debs 255 0.19% 0
Populist Thomas E. Watson 105 0.08% 0
Independence Thomas L. Hisgen 51 0.04% 0
Socialist Labor August Gillhaus 25 0.02% 0
Totals 137,065 100.0% 12

Results by county

1908 United States presidential election in Virginia by counties and independent cities[12]
County or Independent City William Jennings Bryan
Democratic 		William Howard Taft
Republican 		Eugene Wilder Chafin
Prohibition 		Various candidates
Other parties 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # %
Accomack County 1,748 81.64% 337 15.74% 58 2.71% 0 0.00% 1,411 65.90% 2,141
Albemarle County 999 71.05% 380 27.03% 7 0.50% 20 1.42% 619 44.03% 1,406
Alexandria County 354 67.82% 165 31.61% 54 5.58% 8 0.83% 189 36.21% 522
Alleghany County 422 43.64% 483 49.95% 2 0.62% 0 0.00% -61 -6.31% 967
Amelia County 247 76.71% 73 22.67% 1 0.10% 1 0.10% 174 54.04% 322
Amherst County 849 83.65% 164 16.16% 2 0.27% 0 0.00% 685 67.49% 1,015
Appomattox County 633 84.18% 117 15.56% 0 0.00% 3 0.57% 516 68.62% 752
Augusta County 1,435 56.56% 987 38.90% 109 4.30% 6 0.24% 448 17.66% 2,537
Bath County 340 58.02% 232 39.59% 12 2.05% 2 0.34% 108 18.43% 586
Bedford County 1,275 71.11% 463 25.82% 45 2.51% 10 0.56% 812 45.29% 1,793
Bland County 339 45.81% 397 53.65% 4 0.54% 0 0.00% -58 -7.84% 740
Botetourt County 808 50.16% 792 49.16% 11 0.68% 0 0.00% 16 0.99% 1,611
Brunswick County 507 79.84% 123 19.37% 5 0.79% 0 0.00% 384 60.47% 635
Buchanan County 395 38.35% 635 61.65% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -240 -23.30% 1,030
Buckingham County 676 66.86% 333 32.94% 2 0.20% 0 0.00% 343 33.93% 1,011
Campbell County 624 76.94% 174 21.45% 9 1.11% 4 0.49% 450 55.49% 811
Caroline County 494 59.73% 326 39.42% 6 0.73% 1 0.12% 168 20.31% 827
Carroll County 859 36.09% 1,521 63.91% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -662 -27.82% 2,380
Charles City County 99 53.51% 84 45.41% 0 0.00% 2 1.08% 15 8.11% 185
Charlotte County 537 68.49% 242 30.87% 4 0.51% 1 0.13% 295 37.63% 784
Chesterfield County 608 76.57% 167 21.03% 11 1.39% 8 1.01% 441 55.54% 794
Clarke County 517 85.88% 74 12.29% 7 1.16% 4 0.66% 443 73.59% 602
Craig County 364 61.38% 224 37.77% 5 0.84% 0 0.00% 140 23.61% 593
Culpeper County 962 80.37% 233 19.47% 2 0.17% 0 0.00% 729 60.90% 1,197
Cumberland County 374 84.62% 68 15.38% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 306 69.23% 442
Dickenson County 551 44.87% 671 54.64% 0 0.00% 6 0.49% -120 -9.77% 1,228
Dinwiddie County 445 73.80% 157 26.04% 1 0.17% 0 0.00% 288 47.76% 603
Elizabeth City County 673 71.67% 251 26.73% 10 1.06% 5 0.53% 422 44.94% 939
Essex County 364 74.74% 123 25.26% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 241 49.49% 487
Fairfax County 1,143 73.27% 404 25.90% 10 0.64% 3 0.19% 739 47.37% 1,560
Fauquier County 1,354 78.58% 363 21.07% 4 0.23% 2 0.12% 991 57.52% 1,723
Floyd County 390 25.28% 1,149 74.47% 4 0.26% 0 0.00% -759 -49.19% 1,543
Fluvanna County 451 76.83% 135 23.00% 0 0.00% 1 0.17% 316 53.83% 587
Franklin County 1,218 52.50% 1,101 47.46% 1 0.04% 0 0.00% 117 5.04% 2,320
Frederick County 866 69.56% 354 28.43% 25 2.01% 0 0.00% 512 41.12% 1,245
Giles County 705 53.13% 605 45.59% 14 1.06% 3 0.23% 100 7.54% 1,327
Gloucester County 477 83.10% 94 16.38% 0 0.00% 3 0.52% 383 66.72% 574
Goochland County 294 53.85% 246 45.05% 2 0.37% 4 0.73% 48 8.79% 546
Grayson County 841 40.36% 1,243 59.64% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -402 -19.29% 2,084
Greene County 252 40.78% 366 59.22% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -114 -18.45% 618
Greensville County 273 76.69% 77 21.63% 3 0.84% 3 0.84% 196 55.06% 356
Halifax County 1,268 65.63% 650 33.64% 8 0.41% 6 0.31% 618 31.99% 1,932
Hanover County 522 70.92% 204 27.72% 6 0.82% 4 0.54% 318 43.21% 736
Henrico County 627 74.11% 215 25.41% 3 0.35% 1 0.12% 412 48.70% 846
Henry County 761 51.11% 716 48.09% 7 0.47% 5 0.34% 45 3.02% 1,489
Highland County 292 47.25% 305 49.35% 21 3.40% 0 0.00% -13 -2.10% 618
Isle of Wight County 530 72.70% 199 27.30% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 331 45.40% 729
James City County 132 67.35% 62 31.63% 2 1.02% 0 0.00% 70 35.71% 196
King and Queen County 349 65.60% 181 34.02% 2 0.38% 0 0.00% 168 31.58% 532
King George County 296 59.80% 198 40.00% 0 0.00% 1 0.20% 98 19.80% 495
King William County 276 54.33% 228 44.88% 4 0.79% 0 0.00% 48 9.45% 508
Lancaster County 468 78.00% 122 20.33% 3 0.50% 7 1.17% 346 57.67% 600
Lee County 805 37.56% 1,334 62.25% 3 0.14% 1 0.05% -529 -24.69% 2,143
Loudoun County 1,570 75.05% 447 21.37% 66 3.15% 9 0.43% 1,123 53.68% 2,092
Louisa County 692 69.83% 290 29.26% 6 0.61% 3 0.30% 402 40.57% 991
Lunenburg County 414 79.46% 105 20.15% 1 0.19% 1 0.19% 309 59.31% 521
Madison County 466 60.28% 305 39.46% 1 0.13% 1 0.13% 161 20.83% 773
Mathews County 577 86.25% 86 12.86% 4 0.60% 2 0.30% 491 73.39% 669
Mecklenburg County 1,000 79.24% 252 19.97% 6 0.48% 4 0.32% 748 59.27% 1,262
Middlesex County 413 71.58% 164 28.42% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 249 43.15% 577
Montgomery County 734 47.45% 795 51.39% 11 0.71% 7 0.45% -61 -3.94% 1,547
Nansemond County 857 75.04% 272 23.82% 11 0.96% 2 0.18% 585 51.23% 1,142
Nelson County 742 70.27% 308 29.17% 5 0.47% 1 0.09% 434 41.10% 1,056
New Kent County 193 54.52% 159 44.92% 0 0.00% 2 0.56% 34 9.60% 354
Norfolk County 879 54.33% 739 45.67% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 140 8.65% 1,618
Northampton County 673 78.44% 174 20.28% 11 1.28% 0 0.00% 499 58.16% 858
Northumberland County 410 68.68% 185 30.99% 2 0.34% 0 0.00% 225 37.69% 597
Nottoway County 481 78.85% 118 19.34% 10 1.64% 1 0.16% 363 59.51% 610
Orange County 587 74.02% 198 24.97% 8 1.01% 0 0.00% 389 49.05% 793
Page County 804 49.42% 802 49.29% 14 0.86% 7 0.43% 2 0.12% 1,627
Patrick County 723 39.77% 1,092 60.07% 0 0.00% 3 0.17% -369 -20.30% 1,818
Pittsylvania County 1,471 60.19% 962 39.36% 9 0.37% 2 0.08% 509 20.83% 2,444
Powhatan County 255 63.43% 146 36.32% 0 0.00% 1 0.25% 109 27.11% 402
Prince Edward County 561 82.38% 117 17.18% 3 0.44% 0 0.00% 444 65.20% 681
Prince George County 171 66.02% 88 33.98% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 83 32.05% 259
Prince William County 738 77.77% 200 21.07% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 538 56.69% 949
Princess Anne County 403 80.28% 99 19.72% 9 0.95% 2 0.21% 304 60.56% 502
Pulaski County 714 47.44% 780 51.83% 5 0.33% 6 0.40% -66 -4.39% 1,505
Rappahannock County 433 73.02% 158 26.64% 2 0.34% 0 0.00% 275 46.37% 593
Richmond County 338 62.13% 205 37.68% 0 0.00% 1 0.18% 133 24.45% 544
Roanoke County 732 61.67% 426 35.89% 26 2.19% 3 0.25% 306 25.78% 1,187
Rockbridge County 1,000 54.82% 810 44.41% 10 0.55% 4 0.22% 190 10.42% 1,824
Rockingham County 1,736 50.66% 1,580 46.10% 103 3.01% 8 0.23% 156 4.55% 3,427
Russell County 827 41.10% 1,173 58.30% 8 0.40% 4 0.20% -346 -17.20% 2,012
Scott County 1,145 39.09% 1,781 60.81% 0 0.00% 3 0.10% -636 -21.71% 2,929
Shenandoah County 1,294 46.71% 1,449 52.31% 18 0.65% 9 0.32% -155 -5.60% 2,770
Smyth County 906 40.07% 1,350 59.71% 4 0.18% 1 0.04% -444 -19.64% 2,261
Southampton County 818 78.88% 206 19.86% 10 0.96% 3 0.29% 612 59.02% 1,037
Spotsylvania County 346 53.89% 282 43.93% 13 2.02% 1 0.16% 64 9.97% 642
Stafford County 406 45.93% 474 53.62% 0 0.00% 4 0.45% -68 -7.69% 884
Surry County 269 75.99% 82 23.16% 1 0.28% 2 0.56% 187 52.82% 354
Sussex County 412 78.18% 115 21.82% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 297 56.36% 527
Tazewell County 809 36.38% 1,398 62.86% 7 0.31% 10 0.45% -589 -26.48% 2,224
Warren County 562 71.68% 209 26.66% 13 1.66% 0 0.00% 353 45.03% 784
Warwick County 101 62.35% 58 35.80% 1 0.62% 2 1.23% 43 26.54% 162
Washington County 1,558 46.91% 1,741 52.42% 18 0.54% 4 0.12% -183 -5.51% 3,321
Westmoreland County 353 68.68% 161 31.32% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 192 37.35% 514
Wise County 993 39.19% 1,527 60.26% 4 0.16% 10 0.39% -534 -21.07% 2,534
Wythe County 950 38.98% 1,487 61.02% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% -537 -22.04% 2,437
York County 214 75.89% 61 21.63% 6 2.13% 1 0.35% 153 54.26% 282
Alexandria City 1,218 82.69% 247 16.77% 4 0.27% 4 0.27% 971 65.92% 1,473
Bristol City 405 67.61% 187 31.22% 5 0.83% 2 0.33% 218 36.39% 599
Buena Vista City 137 62.56% 80 36.53% 1 0.46% 1 0.46% 57 26.03% 219
Charlottesville City 428 82.63% 82 15.83% 2 0.39% 6 1.16% 346 66.80% 518
Clifton Forge City 402 73.36% 133 24.27% 7 1.28% 6 1.09% 269 49.09% 548
Danville City 963 80.99% 206 17.33% 14 1.18% 6 0.50% 757 63.67% 1,189
Fredericksburg City 285 52.88% 252 46.75% 4 0.74% 0 0.00% 33 6.12% 539
Lynchburg City 962 66.39% 473 32.64% 13 0.90% 1 0.07% 489 33.75% 1,449
Manchester City 363 74.85% 114 23.51% 1 0.21% 7 1.44% 249 51.34% 485
Newport News City 788 59.88% 498 37.84% 5 0.38% 25 1.90% 290 22.04% 1,316
Norfolk City 2,271 68.99% 991 30.10% 20 0.61% 10 0.30% 1,280 38.88% 3,292
Petersburg City 905 81.17% 205 18.39% 4 0.36% 1 0.09% 700 62.78% 1,115
Portsmouth City 1,154 73.50% 407 25.92% 3 0.19% 6 0.38% 747 47.58% 1,570
Radford City 204 57.79% 141 39.94% 4 1.13% 4 1.13% 63 17.85% 353
Richmond City 4,142 77.68% 1,135 21.29% 22 0.41% 33 0.62% 3,007 56.40% 5,332
Roanoke City 1,408 70.19% 593 29.56% 3 0.15% 2 0.10% 815 40.63% 2,006
Staunton City 514 55.93% 347 37.76% 56 6.09% 2 0.22% 167 18.17% 919
Williamsburg City 120 70.59% 48 28.24% 2 1.18% 0 0.00% 72 42.35% 170
Winchester City 449 60.35% 266 35.75% 26 3.49% 3 0.40% 183 24.60% 744
Totals 82,936 60.55% 52,568 38.38% 1,111 0.81% 368 0.27% 30,368 22.17% 136,979

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Kousser, J. Morgan (1974). The Shaping of Southern Politics Suffrage Restriction and the Establishment of the One-Party South, 1880-1910. Yale University Press. pp. 178–181. ISBN 0-300-01696-4.
  2. ^ a b Heersink, Boris; Jenkins, Jeffrey A. (March 19, 2020). Republican Party Politics and the American South, 1865-1968. Cambridge University Press. pp. 217–221. ISBN 978-1107158436.
  3. ^ a b Moger, Allen. "The Rift in Virginia Democracy in 1896". The Journal of Southern History. 4 (3): 295–317. doi:10.2307/2191291. JSTOR 2191291.
  4. ^ Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 210, 242 ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6
  5. ^ "Taft Man for Bryan". Our Mountain Home. Talladega, Alabama. August 19, 1908. p. 1.
  6. ^ a b "Taft Leaves for Virginia; Bryan Dissects His Speech". The Lexington Herald. Lexington, Kentucky. July 30, 1908. p. 1.
  7. ^ Tindall, George B. (April 1971). "Southern Strategy: A Historical Perspective". North Carolina Historical Review. 48 (2): 126–141.
  8. ^ "Taft Scores Bryan in Virginia Town". The Morning Post. Camden, New Jersey. October 20, 1908. p. 7.
  9. ^ a b c "Virginia Cheers Taft: He Speaks to an Audience of 12,000 in Richmond". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore. October 18, 1908. p. 1.
  10. ^ "Taft Regarded a Sure Winner: Republican Candidate Is Conceded 298 Electoral Votes, or 56 More than Necessary — Bryan Conceded 161 — 24 Doubtful". Tazewell Republican. Tazewell, Virginia. October 22, 2008.
  11. ^ "1908 Presidential General Election Results — Virginia". U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  12. ^ Robinson, Edgar Eugene; The Presidential Vote 1896-1932, pp. 354-361 ISBN 9780804716963