1910 California gubernatorial election
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 County results Johnson: 40–50% 50–60% 80–90% Bell: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in California |
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The 1910 California gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1910. It saw Republican Hiram Johnson elected as the state's governor. Johnson, the favored candidate of the progressive faction of the GOP and the Lincoln–Roosevelt League, had defeated Charles F. Curry and Alden Anderson in the primary for the Republican nomination.
Background[edit]
The governor of California at the time of this election was Republican James Gillett. Gillett's nomination to top of the Republican ticket was controversial in 1906, and during the previous campaign he was consistently accused of being in the pocket of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Despite this, he served a term as governor and accomplished several things, including being a leader in the creation of the state's highway system, and developing parole guidelines for prisoners.[1] Despite this he was suffering financially while being governor, and decided not to seek a second term. He instead opted to pursue a career in law.[2]
Third Party Campaigns[edit]
Simone P. Meads was nominated by the Prohibition Party for governor in September of 1910 at the party's convention in San Jose, California[3] Meads was a public school teacher and principal for multiple schools in Oakland. In addition to being a teacher, Meads was also a published author, writing several books about life in Oakland, and educational teaching materials.[4] In addition to the prohibition of alcohol, the party also supported the public ownership of utilities, women's suffrage, and the implementation of referendum, reform, and recall ballot measures.[5]
Jackson Stitt Wilson was an avid christian socialist who was a delegate to conventions of the Socialist Party in 1904 and 1910. California's Socialist Party nominated him for governor at their convention, and he received word of their choice by telegram. He began his campaign in Los Angeles, and would travel the state in a red colored automobile nicknamed the "Red Special".[6] The name of Wilson's automobile was a direct reference to Eugene Debs' train that he traveled on during the 1908 Presidential Election, also known as the "Red Special".[7] Wilson was widely regarded as a famous orator, and in beginning of his campaign he challenged other candidates in the race to debate him. To assist the campaign, Eugene Debs visited the state and campaigned for the benefit of Wilson over a period of two weeks.[8]
General election results[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Hiram W. Johnson | 177,191 | 45.94% | +5.58% | |
| Democratic | Theodore Arlington Bell | 154,835 | 40.14% | +2.42% | |
| Socialist | J. Stitt Wilson | 47,819 | 12.40% | +7.26% | |
| Prohibition | Simeon P. Meads | 5,807 | 1.51% | -0.85% | |
| Total votes | 385,652 | 100.0% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
References[edit]
- ^ "James Gillett". The Governors Gallery. California State Library. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Gov. James Norris Gillett". National Governors Association. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "STATE PROHIBITIONISTS CLOSE THEIR CONVENTION Platform Is Adopted, Campaign Is Planned and State Committee Organizes. Loyalty to National Party and Principles Declared in Resolutions". San Jose Mercury-news. September 9, 1910. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Simeon P. Meads obituary". Newspapers.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "PROHIBITION PARTY HAS ADOPTED A GOOD PLATFORM (By Associated Press)". Fresno Evening Herald. September 8, 1910. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "SOCIALIST CANDIDATE TO CAMPAIGN IN RED AUTO". Los Angeles Herald. May 30, 1910. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Eugene V. Debs looking out window of the "Red Special" train, 1908". Indiana State University Library. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Wilson Will Have a Say In This City Socialist Candidate tor Governor is Preparing for a Vigorous Campaign". San Luis Obispo Daily Telegram. June 28, 1910. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
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