The 1920 Republican Convention in Chicago Guest: David Pietrusza The Republican Convention in Chicago was a sweltering "circus" where Warren G. Harding started with very low odds compared to favorites like Leonard Wood and Hiram Johnson. Harding initially

The 1920 Republican Convention in Chicago Guest: David Pietrusza The Republican Convention in Chicago was a sweltering "circus" where Warren G. Harding started with very low odds compared to favorites like Leonard Wood and Hiram Johnson. Harding initially ran for the presidency primarily to gain the "glamour" needed to protect his Senate seat in Ohio, doubting he could actually win the top spot. However, the leading candidates eventually reached a deadlock, hitting their "upper limits" and forcing the party to look for a compromise. Unlike the Democrats' more complex rules, the Republicans required only a simple majority for nomination. The final party platform was a masterclass in ambiguity, designed to satisfy both pro-League members like Taft and anti-League "irreconcilables." By saying very little of substance, the party managed to maintain a fragile unity, eventually selecting Harding as the candidate who could bridge the various factions of the GOP. (4)
1919