Al Smith 1924 presidential campaign

Smith had previously made a quixotic bid for the Democratic nomination at the 1920 Democratic National Convention,[2][4] where his nomination received an invigorating seconding speech by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who also served as Smith's floor manager at the 1920 convention.[2] Roosevelt, who had campaigned for Smith's gubernatorial campaign in 1918, was chosen by the New York Democratic Party to second Smith's 1920 bid for the nomination. One contributing factor to this had been Roosevelt's friendly relationship with Tammany Hall leader Charles Murphy[5] While Smith had lost the 1920 nomination, Roosevelt was himself nominated as the vice-presidential running-mate of James M. Cox.[2]

Subsequently, that year, Smith lost his reelection campaign in the New York gubernatorial election. However, in 1922, Smith decided to campaign again for the governorship. His candidacy for Governor was launched after Roosevelt published an open letter calling for him to run. Smith's political ally Robert Moses used his position in the New York State Association to boost Smith's candidacy, publishing partisan attacks on his opponent Nathan L. Miller in the Association's monthly publication (the State Bulletin). Smith won the election by a broad margin, breaking the record for the largest plurality of votes in the history of New York gubernatorial elections. Smith additionally managed to carry all the other Democrats running for statewide office to victory along with him.[2]

By early 1924, Smith began preparing an effort to again seek the Democratic nomination. Leading the effort was Tammany chief Charles Murphy.[5]

The campaign's early planning largely was organized in Albany, New York, which functioned as the location campaign's initial headquarters.[2]

It was apparent that Smith's main opponent seemed to be Senator William Gibbs McAdoo of California, the son-in law of former president Woodrow Wilson.[5] McAdoo had, throughout 1923, been viewed as the heavy frontrunner for the nomination.[6] McAdoo aimed to return Wilsonian Progressivism to the White House. However, in April 1924, Smith received a letter from Joseph Tumulty. Tumulty had been the secretary of Woodrow Wilson, who had just passed-away. Tumulty informed Smith that Wilson had been thinking of him in his final days, telling Smith that Wilson spoke favorably, "of everything you are seeking to do, and, I might say frankly, I felt while talking with him that he was a most responsive audience."[5]

In garnering delegates, Smith benefited from the support of the Tammany Hall political machine, as the state of New York fielded 90 delegates to the convention.[2][5]

By early April, Smith's prospects looked strong. He was ahead in the early delegate count, with 123 proclaiming their commitment to support him, including the entirety of New York's 90 delegates. McAdoo had only 65 delegates committed to him. With the Democratic National Convention scheduled to take place in Madison Square Garden, Al Smith and his supporters were hopeful that he might manage to secure the nomination before a hometown audience.[5]

However, on April 25, Smith's campaign took a major hit. Charles Murphy had died. Smith continued his candidacy. Others, such as Joseph Proskauer and Belle Moskowitz, took Murphy's place in running the campaign, with Proskauer serving as the new campaign manager.[5]

Franklin Roosevelt also contributed to the campaign. Charles Murphy had arranged for him to have a prominent role within the campaign.[5] Roosevelt actively campaigned to secure Smith the support of delegates.[2] Smith's close political confidante Belle Moskowitz was distrusting of Roosevelt, viewing him as a threat to her aspirations to one day see Smith in the White House. However, the rest of Smith's inner-circle disagreed with her assessment of Roosevelt, and instead viewed him as harmless and relatively naive. In truth, while he acted loyally to Smith, Roosevelt was also using his role as a campaigner for a presidential candidate as a means to develop and maintain relationships with key party members across the nation that would be important to him when he would run for president himself, as he was already making plans to do. Roosevelt even had his own timeline, intending at the time to run for Governor of New York in 1932 and President in 1936.[2]

On May 13, the campaign opened new headquarters inside the Prudence Building in New York City.[1]

Babe Ruth publicly supported Smith

Roosevelt contacted Yankee slugger Babe Ruth, asking for his endorsement of Smith. Ruth, impressed by the narrative Roosevelt provided him of Smith's political journey as a rags-to-riches tale, obliged to provide a public endorsement of Smith's candidacy.[5]

Smith encountered criticism for his Catholic faith. No Catholic had ever before been nominated for president by a major political party.[5] Roosevelt, being the scion of a well-known Protestant family, was an advocate capable of providing greater credibility to Smith's candidacy amongst audiences that were skeptical towards the implications of Smith's Catholicism. Smith was, at times, reluctant to rely so strongly on Roosevelt as an advocate for his candidacy. However, Smith was urged by his aide Joseph Proskauer to accept Roosevelt's help. Proskauer, reportedly, told Smith, "you're a Bowery mick, and he's a Protestant patrician and he'd take some of the curse off you."[5][7]

Smith also encountered criticism for his strong association with the Tammany Hall machine, and his anti-Prohibition stance. In July, James Cannon Jr. of The Nation wrote,

Governor Smith is personally, ecclesiastically, aggressively, irreconcilably Wet, and is ineradicably Tammany-branded, with all the inferences and implications and objectionable consequences which naturally follow from such views and associations.

Heading into the convention, Smith was seen as a frontrunner for the nomination. His main competition came from William McAdoo. McAdoo was supported by the Ku Klux Klan, who at the time were a significant player in the Democratic Party. McAdoo did not repudiate the Klan's support. McAdoo supported prohibition. Smith, meanwhile, was the leader of the anti-KKK and anti-prohibition wing of the Democratic Party.[8]

Smith stood for cities, immigrants, the repeal of prohibition, religious diversity, and new perspectives on governments role in society. All of these were issues which elicited strong opposition from the Ku Klux Klan, helping ignite its members against his candidacy.[5]

Davis would go on to lose the election. Smith would run again in 1928, successfully securing the Democratic nomination, but losing the general election. Smith would additionally seek the presidency in 1932, but would fail to garner the nomination that year, losing it to Franklin Roosevelt.