On this day in 1920: 2 Ohioans run for president
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Former U.S. president Warren G. Harding, left, elected in 1920, and former Ohio governor James M. Cox, his challenger. Photo: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images
When voters went to the polls on Nov. 2, 1920, one thing was for certain: An Ohio newspaperman would become the next U.S. president.
What happened: On this date 101 years ago, Ohio's Warren G. Harding and James M. Cox squared off for the presidency.
- Harding, a U.S. Senator and former lieutenant governor, owned the Marion Star newspaper.
- Cox, the governor, owned the Dayton Daily News.
The result: Harding won the election backed by a 400,000-vote majority in Ohio.
- He benefited from the Columbus Citizen and the Columbus Evening Dispatch promoting him as Ohio's most promising politician.
The intrigue: 1920 marks the only presidential election featuring two candidates with journalism backgrounds on the ballot.
- Another fun fact: Future four-term president Franklin D. Roosevelt was Cox's running mate.
💭 Tyler's thought bubble: Cox shouldn't feel too bad about losing. His eponymous media company remains successful to this day and an Ohio Expo Center building is named in his honor.
- Harding's presidency, meanwhile, was plagued with scandal. Historians rank him as one of the worst American presidents.
✉️ Thanks to Axios Columbus newsletter subscriber Willem Meiners, author of a Dutch biography on Harding, for the tip.
