1908: Mock Conventions
A recurring element of student political activity was the spring mock political convention, in which students mimicked the (pre-primary) work of the party conventions of drafting platforms and selecting nominees. The WRU student choice for the Republican Party nominee in 1908 was Robert LaFollette, Wisconsin Senator. The students’ choice was not echoed by the delegates to the Republican Party convention, who selected William H. Taft.
This first mock political convention held by either Case or WRU nominated Robert LaFollette of Wisconsin for president.
The Republican Party continued its previous support on the WRU campus with the resurrection of the Republican Club.
| Ohio Popular Vote | National Popular Vote | Electoral Vote |
| William H. Taft (R) 572,312 (51%) William J. Bryan (D) 502,721 (44.8%) Eugene V. Debs (Socialist) 33,795 (3%) Eugene W. Chafin (Prohibition) 11,402 (1%) August Gilhaus (Socialist Labor) 721 (0.1%) Thomas L. Hisgen (Independence) 439 Thomas Edward Watson (People’s) 162 | William H. Taft (R) 7,676,258 (51.58%) William J. Bryan (D) 6,406,801 (43.05%) Eugene V. Debs (Socialist) 420,380 (2.82%) Eugene W. Chafin (Prohibition) 252,821 (1.7%) Thomas L. Hisgen (Independence) 82,537 (0.55%) Thomas Edward Watson (People’s) 28,376 (0.19%) August Gilhaus (Socialist Labor) 14,018 (0.09%) | William H. Taft (R) 321 William J. Bryan (D) 162 |
Information was compiled by staff of the Case Western Reserve University Archives, September 2004.
