1908 Republican National Convention

The 1908 Republican National Convention in session at Chicago Coliseum

The 1908 Republican National Convention was held in Chicago Coliseum, Chicago, Illinois from June 16 to June 19, 1908. It nominated presidents that were in the Republican party.

Theodore Roosevelt liked William Howard Taft, so he was nominated. The convention nominated James S. Sherman to be the vice president.

Candidates for president

Before the convention, Charles Fairbanks and Charles Evans Hughes both seemed like possible nominees, but Roosevelt chose to pick the president himself.^[1] Roosevelt wanted Elihu Root to be president, but Root was too young, so Roosevelt chose William Howard Taft instead.^[2] Taft was sure that he would win.^[3] Taft won the presidential nomination on the first ballot.^[4]

Secretary of War
William Howard Taft
of Ohio
Speaker
Joseph G. Cannon
of Illinois
Vice President
Charles W. Fairbanks
Senator
Joseph B. Foraker
of Ohio
Governor
Charles E. Hughes
of New York
Senator
Philander C. Knox
of Pennsylvania
Senator
Robert M. La Follette
of Wisconsin
Former Secretary of the Treasury
L. M. Shaw
of Iowa

Left before convection

Secretary of the Treasury
George B. Cortelyou
of New York

Chose not to be nominated

Senator
Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana
Governor
Albert B. Cummins of Iowa
Senator
Jonathan P. Dolliver of Iowa
Attorney General
Herbert S. Hadley of Missouri
Governor
Charles E. Hughes of New York

Vice Presidential Candidates

Taft wanted a progressive running mate like Albert Beveridge or Jonathan Dolliver, but Joseph Gurney Cannon and the New York delegation chose James S. Sherman.^[2] Sherman was a conservative, but the progressive wing of the party chose him anyway.^[2] Sherman won the vice presidential nomination on the first ballot, and he won 816 of the 979 votes.^[5]