Although Wilson spent nearly twenty years at Princeton,
he had never given up his dream to become a statesman. However,
until this time, he had never had the opportunity to jump into
politics. That opportunity came unexpectedly in the summer of 1910
when Colonel George Harvey and James Smith, Jr.–two of the most
powerful men in New Jersey–proposed that Wilson run for state governor
that fall. Both men were heavily involved with the New Jersey Democratic
political machine: Harvey was the editor of Harper's Weekly
Magazine and former U.S. Senator Smith served as the party's
boss. The Democrats in the state had suffered heavy losses in the
polls in previous years, and they desperately needed a fresh candidate
who could reinvigorate the party. True, the president of Princeton
was essentially unheard of in political circles, as he had never held
a public position and had never served in the bureaucracy. Yet Wilson
had already earned a reputation as a reformer and a champion of
the people during his widely publicized crusade to transform the
university's snobbish and undemocratic eating clubs. Wilson was
the perfect candidate for them.
In exchange for his help, Smith and Harvey offered Wilson
a shot at the White House in the upcoming 1912 elections. Much
as they had in New Jersey, the Democrats had not held much national power
since the last Democratic president served in the late 1880s. Wilson
had always dreamed of becoming President of the United States,
and seized the opportunity these men presented. Wilson agreed to
the proposal and soon resigned from his position at Princeton to
campaign.
The campaign itself was wholly uneventful. Wilson's Republican opponent
had been involved in multiple scandals in the past, and his character
therefore paled in comparison to the immaculately wholesome Wilson.
Woodrow traveled throughout New Jersey and campaigned as a conservative
but progressive Democrat. Progressive politicians during the early
twentieth century came from both parties and initiated reforms
in government and society. Many progressive political objectives
involved transferring power from big industry and machine politics
to the people. Many critics denounced Wilson as a hypocrite because
of his machine-backed campaign. Surprisingly, Wilson responded
that if elected, he would strip the Democratic machine of its power.
His own power of oration motivated and excited New Jerseyans to
such a degree that after Election Day, Wilson had won the gubernatorial
office with the largest majority vote for a Democrat up to that
time.
Governor Wilson kept his word. When Boss Smith decided
he wanted to serve in the U.S. Senate again and pressured Wilson
to endorse him, the newly elected governor held to his progressive
ideals and refused. During this time period in New Jersey, senators were
elected by the state legislature, not by the people. Wilson fought
tenaciously to build a strong enough coalition in the legislature
to keep Smith out of office. His eventual success greatly weakened
the machine and at the same time boosted Wilson's credibility and
political power.
Wilson achieved other gubernatorial victories as well.
He successfully pushed his Geran Bill, which stipulated that party
candidates had to be nominated to run in primary elections rather
than merely be appointed by the machine bosses. Other legislation included
a bill to reduce bribery of government officials, another to establish
the Public Utility Commission to set utility rates, and a third
to establish a workers' compensation program. Governor Wilson's
success in enacting so many pieces of progressive legislation won
him national fame. He was not only seen as a progressive, but also
as a politician who could cut through red tape and bureaucracy
to accomplish his goals.
As the national election year of 1912 drew nearer, many
Democrats throughout the country began to look more closely at
Woodrow Wilson as a serious candidate for the Presidency. Even
though he was a newcomer to politics–he had not even been Governor
for two years–Wilson had charisma, had popular support, and had accomplished
nearly every one of his goals while in office. Furthermore, the
Democratic Party could not seriously consider many others: although
many Democrats in Congress sought the party's nomination, they
lacked Wilson's charisma and record. The party had also suffered
losses under the guidance of the "Great Commoner," William Jennings
Bryan, who had already been defeated in three Presidential elections
and claimed that he would not disappoint the party by trying to
run in a fourth. Indeed, many thought Wilson was the best option,
and the Democratic Party awarded him the nomination at the 1912
convention.
Wilson could not have chosen a better year to run for
President. The 1912 Presidential election was a race among four
candidates: Governor Wilson on the Democratic ticket, incumbent
President William Howard Taft with the Republican nomination, former President
Theodore Roosevelt for the new Progressive "Bull Moose" Party,
and Eugene V. Debs, the Socialist Party candidate. Although Debs
did not provide any serious competition, and Taft's bungled term
as President had already ruined his chance of being reelected,
Roosevelt was a real threat. Roosevelt had already served almost
two full terms as a Republican President from 1901 to 1908 and
had established himself as the most powerful progressive in the nation.
Moreover, the public adored him for his adventurous spirit and
no-nonsense attitude.
On the other hand, Taft and Roosevelt were embroiled in
a bitter feud during the campaign–a particularly nasty and brutal
feud that was splashed on the front pages of newspapers throughout
the year. Consequently, after a year of dueling, the two men literally
split the Republican Party in two, the conservatives siding with
Taft and the progressives aligning with Roosevelt. This split weakened
the party and paved the way to victory for Wilson. He easily defeated
his three opponents in the Electoral College, his 435 votes easily
topping Roosevelt's eighty-eight, Taft's eight, and Debs's zero.
Wilson was inaugurated twenty-eighth President of the United States
on March 4, 1913.
