James Arthur Edgerton was an American poet, philosopher and political activist from

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C. In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...

, United States. Edgerton was the vice-presidential nominee of the Prohibition Party in the

1928 presidential election The following elections occurred in the year 1928. Africa * 1928 Southern Rhodesian general election Asia * 1928 Japanese general election * 1928 Persian legislative election * 1928 Philippine House of Representatives elections * 1928 Philippin ...

. He was on the ticket alongside presidential nominee

William F. Varney William Frederick Varney (October 1, 1884 – December 13, 1960) was an American politician who served as the Prohibition Party's presidential candidate in 1928 and in other New York campaigns. Life On October 1, 1884, William Frederick Varney ...

. Edgerton defeated former Prohibition Party State Representative from Illinois Frank S. Regan by a 68–29 margin. Edgerton urged that his own ticket be withdrawn in states where it could have hurt the chances of

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...

's election to the presidency. Hoover favored prohibition, whereas his Democratic opponent, Al Smith, was well known for his anti-prohibition views. Varney and Edgerton were only on the ballot in seven states. The Prohibition Party in California refused to support their party's nominee and nominated the Republican ticket on Prohibition ballot line instead. Edgerton was a veteran alternative party activist by the time of his vice-presidential nomination; in 1897, he was the Populist Party's nominee for clerk of the United States House of Representatives, as well as having served on the national executive committee of that party.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edgerton, James A 1869 births Year of death missing Writers from Alexandria, Virginia Virginia Prohibitionists Virginia Populists 1928 United States vice-presidential candidates Prohibition Party (United States) vice presidential nominees