November 5, 1918
FITZGERALD ELECTED TO U.S. CONGRESS
Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) Former Mayor of Boston, John Francis “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, won the 10th District congressional seat today in a close race.
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Fitzgerald received 7,227 votes while opponents Peter F. Tague, an Independent, received 6,998 & Republican Hammond T. Fletcher had 1069.
The former mayor’s son-in-law, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., served as a fund-raiser.*
*Fitzgerald served in congress from March 4 to October 23, 1919. He was forced to give up his seat when Tague successfully contested the results.
Mr. Fitzgerald made unsuccessful bids for the senate in 1916 & governor in 1922.
John F. “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald
November 5, 1912
WILSON WINS IN A LANDSLIDE
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Democrat Woodrow Wilson was elected the 28th President of the United States today in a landslide.
Wilson received 435 electoral votes while former President Theodore Roosevelt followed with 88.
In a 3 way race, incumbent Republican President William Howard Taft won only 8 electoral votes.
President-elect Wilson carried 40 states including Massachusetts.*
Mr. Wilson had 42% of the popular vote. Roosevelt had 27% & Taft 23%.
Wilson’s landslide was made possible by a divided Republican Party which saw Roosevelt & his supporters forming the Progressive or “Bull Moose” party.**
*Wilson was the 1st Democrat to carry the state of Massachusetts.
**Republicans won only 3 counties in Tennessee (most East Tennessee counties were won by TR) & none in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina & Texas.
November 5, 1968
RICHARD M. NIXON ELECTED 37TH PRESIDENT
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Republican Richard M. Nixon was elected 37th President of the United States today.
Mr. Nixon, who narrowly lost to JFK in 1960, defeated Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey & 3rd party challenger, Governor George Wallace of Alabama.
The final electoral vote was Nixon 301, Humphrey 191, Wallace 46.
The election of Mr. Nixon today ends one of the most divisive campaigns in United States history.
In March, President Lyndon B. Johnson, beleaguered with criticism of his policies in Vietnam, announced he “would not seek & would not accept the nomination of my party for another term as your president.”
In June, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, having won the California Democratic Primary, was shot & later died.
Mr. Nixon, who served as Vice-President from 1953 to 1961, will be sworn in on January 20, 1969.
In a statement made to his supporters, Mr. Nixon said:
“I have received a very gracious message from the Vice-President congratulating me for winning the election. I congratulated him for his gallant & courageous fight against great odds. I also told him that I know exactly how he felt. I know how it feels to lose a close one.”