Changes

Roosevelt had scored a second-place finish, but he trailed so far behind Wilson that everyone realized his party would never win the White House. With the poor performance at state and local levels in 1912, the steady defection of top supporters, the failure to attract any new support, and a pathetic showing in 1914, the Bull Moose party disintegrated at the national level, although some state parties remained fairly strong. It did very well in Washington, winning a third of the seats in the state legislature, according to the State Legislature history page. Some leaders, such as [[Harold Ickes]] of Chicago, supported Wilson in 1916. Many followed Roosevelt back into the Republican Party, which in 1916 nominated [[Charles Evans Hughes]]. The ironies were many: Taft had been Roosevelt's hand-picked successor in 1908 and the split between the two men was ideological. No compromise was possible on issues like the independence of the judiciary. Roosevelt's schism allowed the conservatives to gain control of the Republican party and left Roosevelt and his followers drifting in the wilderness throughout the 1920's before most joined the [[New Deal]] Democratic Party coalition of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].

Roosevelt had scored a second-place finish, but he trailed so far behind Wilson that everyone realized his party would never win the White House. With the poor performance at state and local levels in 1912, the steady defection of top supporters, the failure to attract any new support, and a pathetic showing in 1914, the Bull Moose party disintegrated at the national level, although some state parties remained fairly strong. It did very well in Washington, winning a third of the seats in the state legislature, according to the State Legislature history page. Some leaders, such as [[Harold Ickes]] of Chicago, supported Wilson in 1916. Many followed Roosevelt back into the Republican Party, which in 1916 nominated [[Charles Evans Hughes]]. The ironies were many: Taft had been Roosevelt's hand-picked successor in 1908 and the split between the two men was ideological. No compromise was possible on issues like the independence of the judiciary. Roosevelt's schism allowed the conservatives to gain control of the Republican party and left Roosevelt and his followers drifting in the wilderness throughout the 1920's before most joined the [[New Deal]] Democratic Party coalition of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].

==LaFollete creates a third party in 1924==

==LaFollete creates a third party in 1924==

In Wisconsin the Republican Party was split into two factions after 1900, the conservatives and the "Progressives" led by [[Robert LaFollette]].  LaFollette broke bitterly with Roosevelt in 1912, but stayed in the Republican party. In 1924 LaFollette ran for President on his own ticket, also named the '''Progressive Party'''.  It carried only the state of Wisconsin, but was strong among labor union members, especially railroad workers. It did not run state or local candidates, and disappeared with LaFollette's death in 1925.  In the 1930s LaFollette's sons set up a "Progressive Party" in Wisconsin that was successful for a few years.  

In Wisconsin the Republican Party was split into two factions after 1900, the conservatives and the "Progressives" led by [[Robert LaFollette]].  LaFollette broke bitterly with Roosevelt in 1912, but stayed in the Republican party. In 1924 LaFollette ran for President on his own ticket, also named the '''Progressive Party'''.  It carried only the state of Wisconsin, but was strong among labor union members, especially railroad workers. It did not run state or local candidates, and disappeared with LaFollette's death in 1925.   

 

In 1934 LaFollette's sons set up a "Progressive Party" in Wisconsin that was successful for a few years. Two of Wisconsin's governors during this time, Philip LaFollette and Orland Loomis, came from the Progressive Party, as did some Congressmen.  This version of the party was also active in California, getting one member (Franck Havenner) elected to the U.S. Congress from California in 1936.  The Progressive Party candidate, Raymond Haight, also polled respectably well in the 1934 California governor's race, drawing from moderate Democrats unhappy with the takeover of their party's nomination by the leftist campaign of [[Upton Sinclair]] on the Democratic ticket.  In 1936, Philip LaFollette attempted to move beyond Wisconsin and California and launch a National Progressive Party, but this failed.  The Progressive Party of Wisconsin disbanded in 1946, while the California branch last ran candidates in 1940.

 

==1948==

==1948==

In 1948 [[Henry Wallace]], formerly the vice president under [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], split with the Democratic party over foreign policy issues. Wallace opposed the Cold War and wanted friendly relations with the Soviet Union.  He had strong support from far-left elements that were being purged by anti-Communists in the [[CIO]]. Wallace's "Progressive Party" was soon taken over by Communists. He won a million votes but the party collapsed in 1949.

In 1948 [[Henry Wallace]], formerly the vice president under [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], split with the Democratic party over foreign policy issues. Wallace opposed the Cold War and wanted friendly relations with the Soviet Union.  He had strong support from far-left elements that were being purged by anti-Communists in the [[CIO]]. Wallace's "Progressive Party" was soon taken over by Communists. He won a million votes but the party collapsed in 1949.