The 1932 Florida gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1932. Democratic nominee

David Sholtz David Sholtz (October 6, 1891 – March 21, 1953) was the 26th Governor of Florida. Prior to serving as Governor he would be a state attorney serving Florida's 7th Judicial Circuit Court and previously as a member of the Florida House of Repres ...

defeated

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

nominee William J. Howey with 66.62% of the vote.

Primary elections

Primary election Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...

s were held on June 7, 1932.

Democratic primary

During the Democratic primary, the campaign platforms for several candidates are known.

would run on a campaign involving: increasing government services, giving back pay for teachers, making school terms 9 months log, free textbook for school students, creating a workers' compensation law, increasing bank regulation and providing more funding for public welfare. Carl Maples would pitch himself as being someone who supported a localized self-government. Former governor

Cary A. Hardee Cary Augustus Hardee (November 13, 1876 – November 21, 1957) was an American educator, lawyer, legislator, and banker who served as the 23rd Governor of Florida. Biography Early life and career Born in Taylor County, Florida, he spent mo ...

would emphasize his record when he was governor while running in the primaries. Another former governor,

John W. Martin John Wellborn Martin (June 21, 1884 – February 22, 1958) was an American politician who served as the 24th Governor of Florida, from 1925 to 1929. He also served as Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, from 1917 to 1923. Born in Plainfield in Mario ...

would emphasize that he led to many roads being paved in Florida and would promise that if elected for a second nonconsecutive term as governor he would give: "a dollar in his pocket and a smile on his face."Cox, Merlin G. (1964) "David Sholtz: New Deal Governor of Florida," Florida Historical Quarterly: Vol. 43 : No. 2 , Article 5. Many political observers believed that former governors John W. Martin and Cary A. Hardee would face off against each other in a runoff race.

Candidates

, former

State Representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...

, former

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, former Governor *Stafford Caldwell, attorney for

Florida East Coast Railway The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida, currently owned by Grupo México. Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a pr ...

*Charles W. Durrance *T. S. Hart *Arthur Gomez,

State Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

for the 24th Districthttp://archive.flsenate.gov/data/Historical/Senate%20Journals/1930s/1933/9A%5C4_04_33.pdf *

J. Thomas Watson John Thomas Watson (November 20, 1885 – October 24, 1954) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 27th Attorney General of Florida from 1941 to 1949. Early life and education Watson was born in Danville, Virginia, on Novembe ...

, State Representative

Results

General election

William J. Howey would run on a similar campaign platform as he did in 1928. During his 1932 platform he would promise to reducing the amount of circuit courts, replace county school boards with appointed superintendents and give parole to prisoners after serving 1/3 of their sentence. He would support refinancing the state's bonds at lower interest rates. As a way to pay off the state's debts, he would propose stopping all road construction and diverting the funds instead to paying off states debts. Howey was in favor of giving more legal rights to women and was fond of the benefits of having a two party system in the state. The Republicans were in favor of abolishing the poll tax in the state while the Democrats were against this as they saw this as a major blow to white supremacy in the state.

Candidates

*David Sholtz, Democratic * William J. Howey, Republican, businessman, real estate developer and mayor of Howey-in-the-Hills.

Results

References

{{1932 United States elections

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Gubernatorial A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political_regions, political region, ranking under the Head of State, head of state and in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of ...