The 1913 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1913.
Democratic
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
acting Governor James Fairman Fielder, who resigned a week before the election so that he could succeed himself, defeated Republican former Governor
Edward C. Stokes
Edward Casper Stokes (December 22, 1860November 4, 1942) was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 32nd governor of New Jersey, from 1905 to 1908.
Biography
Stokes was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1860. He attende ...
and Progressive former State Senator Everett Colby.
The state's first-ever direct primary elections for governor were held on September 23, though the contests were largely uneventful. For the Democratic nomination, Fielder defeated former Trenton mayor
Frank S. Katzenbach
Frank Snowden Katzenbach, Jr. (November 5, 1868 – March 13, 1929) was an American jurist and Democratic party politician from New Jersey. He was an Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and was the Democratic nominee for Govern ...
, making his third run for governor. Stokes easily topped a four-man field in the Republican Party, including former U.S. Representative
Charles N. Fowler
Charles Newell Fowler Sr. (November 2, 1852, Lena, Illinois – May 27, 1932, Orange, New Jersey) was an American lawyer and Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1895 to ...
, whom he had defeated in the 1910 primary for U.S. Senate. The Progressive primary was closest, with Colby defeating Montclair industrialist Edmund Burke Osborne by 29 percent of the vote.
Frank S. Katzenbach
Frank Snowden Katzenbach, Jr. (November 5, 1868 – March 13, 1929) was an American jurist and Democratic party politician from New Jersey. He was an Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and was the Democratic nominee for Govern ...
, former mayor of Trenton and candidate for governor in 1907 and 1910
Withdrew
*
H. Otto Wittpenn
Henry Otto Wittpenn (October 23, 1871 – July 25, 1931) was an American politician who served as the Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from January 1, 1908 to June 16, 1913. He was a member of the New Jersey State Highway Commission and was the p ...
, mayor of
Jersey City
Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.James Fairman Fielder and
H. Otto Wittpenn
Henry Otto Wittpenn (October 23, 1871 – July 25, 1931) was an American politician who served as the Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from January 1, 1908 to June 16, 1913. He was a member of the New Jersey State Highway Commission and was the p ...
, the mayor of
Jersey City
Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Woodrow Wilson on July 23, when President Wilson called on Wittpenn to unite the party behind Fielder, who had "backed
ilson
Ilson Wilians Rodrigues (born March 12, 1979) is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for América Futebol Clube (SP). His previous clubs include FC Shinnik Yaroslavl and C.S. Marítimo
Club Sport Marítimo MH M, commonly known as Mar ...
so consistently, so intelligently, so frankly and honestly throughout my administration ... that I feel I would have no ground whatever upon which to oppose his candidacy."Biography of James Fairman Fielder (PDF) New Jersey State Library Wittpenn acquiesced and withdrew from the race.
Fielder, who thus had the support of Wilson and the party machine, easily defeated third-time candidate
Frank S. Katzenbach
Frank Snowden Katzenbach, Jr. (November 5, 1868 – March 13, 1929) was an American jurist and Democratic party politician from New Jersey. He was an Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and was the Democratic nominee for Govern ...
in the September 23 primary.
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
*Robert Carey, former
Jersey City
Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Charles N. Fowler
Charles Newell Fowler Sr. (November 2, 1852, Lena, Illinois – May 27, 1932, Orange, New Jersey) was an American lawyer and Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1895 to ...
, former U.S. Representative from Elizabeth and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1910
*Carlton B. Pierce, State Senator from Union County
*
Edward C. Stokes
Edward Casper Stokes (December 22, 1860November 4, 1942) was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 32nd governor of New Jersey, from 1905 to 1908.
Biography
Stokes was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1860. He attende ...
, former Governor of New Jersey and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1910
Campaign
Former U.S. Representative
Charles N. Fowler
Charles Newell Fowler Sr. (November 2, 1852, Lena, Illinois – May 27, 1932, Orange, New Jersey) was an American lawyer and Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1895 to ...
ran on a progressive platform favoring a convention to redraw the state constitution and various electoral reforms, including the recall of all officers except judges, initiative, referendum, and making failure to vote in a primary a bar to voting in the general election.
On July 26, both candidates spoke in Ocean Grove at a mass meeting of the New Jersey Men's League for Women's Suffrage, along with George La Monte, Lillian Feickert, and Mina Van Winkle.
Osborne originally requested that Colby tour the state with him, since both candidates were from Essex County, but Colby declined before acquiescing to a debate in Montclair on September 11. The debate was moved to Newark's Kreuger Auditorium at Osborne's request to accommodate a larger audience.
Results
General election
Candidates
*John C. Butterworth (Socialist Labor)
* Everett Colby, former State Senator for Essex County (Progressive)
*Daniel F. Dwyer (Independent)
* James Fairman Fielder, State Senator for Middlesex County, President of the New Jersey Senate, and acting Governor (Democratic)
*James G. Mason (Prohibition)
*
Edward C. Stokes
Edward Casper Stokes (December 22, 1860November 4, 1942) was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 32nd governor of New Jersey, from 1905 to 1908.
Biography
Stokes was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1860. He attende ...
, former Governor of New Jersey (Republican)
*James M. Reilly (Socialist)
Results
References
{{1913 United States elections
1913
Events January
* January 5 – First Balkan War: Battle of Lemnos (1913), Battle of Lemnos – Greek admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis forces the Turkish fleet to retreat to its base within the Dardanelles, from which it will not ven ...