The 1924 Democratic National Convention in NYC made history as the longest-running convention, lasting 16 days. It took 103 ballots and over 15,000 delegates before John W. Davis was finally nominated as the party’s presidential candidate.
The heated battle was fueled by a deep split between the party’s conservative and progressive wings, with debates on Prohibition and the Ku Klux Klan dividing the delegates. William Gibbs McAdoo and Al Smith were the leading contenders but couldn’t secure enough support.
Tensions soared during a fight over condemning the Ku Klux Klan by name, a measure that narrowly failed by a single vote. The issue sparked intense arguments, reflecting the nation’s broader social and political divides at the time.
After exhausting debates and 102 failed ballots, the convention turned to a compromise candidate, John W. Davis, on the 103rd vote. The grueling process left the party fractured as they entered the general election, where Davis eventually lost to Calvin Coolidge.
Ku Klux Klan Clash at the 1924 Democratic Convention 🧵
The 1924 Democratic National Convention in NYC made history as the longest-running convention, lasting 16 days. It took 103 ballots and over 15,000 delegates before John W. Davis was finally nominated as the party’s… pic.twitter.com/p9epk0U2iG
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