Anti-tammany “fusion” candidate meeting
New York Times, 19 July 1921, p. 15. Newspapers.com.
One hundred years ago today … Politicians of various political persuasions,gathered under the auspices of being “anti-Tammany”–opposed to the dominance of the Democratic Party machine over NYC politics.
\At the Commodore Hotel on 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, they discussed nominating a “Fusion” candidate who could unseat Mayor John Hyland in the upcoming election. Whoever was named would then compete in the Republican primary to be entered in the general election on the Republican line.
Contrary to the Times’ assertion that the meeting would counter the tradition of making such decisions “behind closed doors,” Intense amounts of political jockeying and backroom-dealing were going on. Brooklyn Borough President Charles Lockwood and Manhattan Borough President Henry Curran would emerge as candidates to be standard bearers for Fusion movement, but much depended on negotiations and questions such as whether Judge Reuben Haskell would put himself forward as the Republican nomination
From the Tribune:
Choice of Senator Charles C. Lockwood as the fusion candidate for Mayor is likely to follow the decision of County Judge Reuben L. Haskell to enter the Republican primaries for the mayoralty nomination.
The political balance is lightly poised between Lockwood and Borough President Curran of Manhattan as the choice of the Republican coalition steering committee.
If the committee before next Tuesday discovers that Judge Haskell is going to enter the Republican primaries for the nomination, the leaders are expected to decide for Lockwood. If Haskell stays out of the race Major Curran is likely to be chosen as the head of the anti-Tammany ticket.
(“Lockwood Is Likely to Head Fusion Ticket,” New-York Tribune, 22 July 1921, p. 5.)
The strategizing had everything to do with carrying the borough of Brooklyn:
The leaders are depending on United States Senator Calder to learn definitely whether or not Judge Haskell is going to enter. Senator Calder will be out of town until next Monday,
The first objective of the Republican leaders is to choose a candidate who can carry the Republican primaries in the County of Kings. They are confident that Lockwood can win handsomely in his home county, no matter who his opponents may be. They are less sure that Major Curran could carry Kings in case Judge Haskell should be a candidate there.
One politician who was rejected as a Fusion candidate was Board of Alderman President Fiorello LaGuardia.
Senator Calder early this week labored long and earnestly with La Guardia to get him to drop out of the mayoralty race and accept a renomination, or possibly a nomination for Comptroller. He met with a firm refusal.
New-York Tribune, 24 July 1921, p.22.
In the end (spoiler alert!) Curran would become the nominee and lose badly to Hylan. Socialist Jacob Panken (see our post of July 17) finished third. A little over a thousand votes each were gathered by the Socialist Labor Party, the Prohibition Party, and the Farmer Labor Party, while the Single Tax Party finished last with 454 (OurCampaigns.com).
– Jonathan Goldman, July 20, 2021
TAGS: politics, elections, mayor, political parties