U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Hokitika Guardian, 3 May 1928, Page 3

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

FIGHT FOR NOMINATION. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received this day at 10.10 a.m.) SAN ERA NCI SCO. May 2. Advices state the hopes of Senators "Walsh and Reed for the support of California’s delegates at the»Democratic National Convention suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Governor Smith, in the Presidential primary returns. From a majority of the precincts it indicated Smith's victory is virtually a landslide, 7010 of a total of 8,75!) precincts showing the following vote:—Smith 119,059; Reed 50.728; AValsli 41,00-1. Hoover, the only Republican candidate, received an endorsement vote of 507,115 in the same number of precincts. Smith’s overwhelming victory lias assured him the votes of California’s delegation at the National Convention, Hoover being similarly assured the Republican votes. Smith’s victory carries certain obvious conclusions with it. the first of which is that McAdoo’s power is a shadow of its personal strength, when in 1024 lie succeeded in deadlocking the Democratic Convention to Smith’s disadvantage. Walsh was .McAdoo’s candidate for Democratic nomination, and while it was not seriously considered that Walsh would obtain this, it, was nevertheless obvious that MeArloo s strength lay in California and if lie could throw it to Walsh. Smith would have trouble next June. There is now some reason to attach importance to the contention of Smith’s friends' 1 that the Democratic Convention will nominate him by acclaim. His advancement has been phenomenal and on the basis of primaries alone Smith’s dry and Protestant opponents will have to weigh the advantage of certainly the most popular Democratic figure against the thought of supporting a Catholic and wet, and if they want victory at the polls, which is the Democratic politicians dream, they will have to swallow their chagrin and support Smith. Meantime the next six weeks will bring out what inherent, although still inapparent strength Senator Reed may show as an opponent to Smith.

California’s twenty-nine Republican delegates were instructed to vote for Hoover, there being no opposition.