The 1898 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1898. Republican incumbent Frank S. Black was defeated for re-nomination by Theodore Roosevelt, the former United States assistant secretary of the Navy and a returning hero of the Spanish–American War. In the general election, Roosevelt defeated judge Augustus Van Wyck.
Roosevelt outmaneuvered party bosses, particularly U.S. senator Thomas C. Platt, by leveraging his personal popularity and a threat to run as an independent reform candidate. After cornering the bosses, he secured the Republican nomination over incumbent Frank S. Black at the state convention.
As governor, Roosevelt pursued progressive reforms and continued to present an obstacle to boss rule. To remove him from Albany, Platt maneuvered to have Roosevelt nominated as President William McKinley's running mate in 1900, against the governor's wishes. He was elected and became president on September 14, 1901 after McKinley was assassinated.
Republican and Citizens Union nominations Candidates Frank S. Black, incumbent governor since 1895 Theodore Roosevelt, former United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy and New York City Police Commissioner
Campaign Returning from Cuba as a war hero, Theodore Roosevelt had popular approval but lacked support from the state's Republican political machine, which he had opposed as a member of the State Assembly and Police Commissioner. Instead of directly approaching Republican bosses Thomas C. Platt and Benjamin Odell, Roosevelt first approached the Citizens Union, a good government organization, and suggested the nomination of an independent good-government ticket. The executive committee of the Citizens Union endorsed the Roosevelt plan with only three dissenting votes.AN INDEPENDENT'S POSITION in NYT on October 31, 1898 As a result, an "Independent Citizens' Committee" was formed, and six thousand signatures were gathered on a petition for ballot access, with most signers believing that Roosevelt headed the ticket and that the Citizens Union backed it.At this time, a vote of 10,000 gave automatic ballot status for the next election, smaller parties or independent runners needed 3,000 voters to sign a petition to file a ticket and get on the ballot.
Facing the uncertain prospect of a three-cornered election against Roosevelt and the rival Democratic Party, the bosses instead offered Roosevelt the Republican nomination against the wishes of incumbent Frank S. Black. On September 24, three days ahead of the Republican state convention, Roosevelt suddenly declined to run on the independent ticket.
Results The state convention met on September 27 at Saratoga Springs with Sereno E. Payne serving as temporary chairman. Horace White was elected as permanent chairman, and Roosevelt was nominated for governor on the first ballot.ROOSEVELT THE STANDARD BEARER in NT on September 28, 1898
Aftermath On September 30, Robert Fulton Cutting and a majority of the Citizens Union executive committee rejected the idea of an independent state ticket (with or without Roosevelt) as "not only inconsistent with, but actually opposed to the fundamental principles and objects of" the Citizens Union.REBUKE FOR INDEPENDENTS in NYT on September 30, 1898 However, the Independent Citizens' Committee declared the next day that they would proceed with nominations,INDEPENDENTS TO PERSIST in NYT on October 1, 1898 and their petition was filed with the office of the secretary of state on October 12. Roosevelt immediately sent a letter to the secretary declining to run on the independent ticket, which would have threatened Republican candidates for lower offices.THE INDEPENDENT TICKET.; Petition for Nominations Is Delivered to the Secretary of State; MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FILED in NYT on October 13, 1898 As a result of Roosevelt's decision, the Independent Citizens' Committee substituted Theodore Bacon, a Rochester lawyer, as their nominee. Cutting, despite his earlier rejection of the state ticket idea per se, ultimately campaigned for the Bacon ticket.MEETING OF INDEPENDENTS in NYT on October 26, 1898THE CITIZENS' STATE TICKET in NYT on October 15, 1898
Democratic nomination Candidates James Kennedy McGuire, mayor of Syracuse John B. Stanchfield, New York City attorney, former assemblyman, and former mayor of Elmira Robert C. Titus, judge of the New York Supreme Court and former state senator from Buffalo Augustus Van Wyck, judge of the New York Supreme Court from Brooklyn and brother of New York City mayor Robert A. Van Wyck
Results The Democratic ticket was a compromise between the three most powerful Democratic bosses: David B. Hill from upstate, Richard Croker of Tammany Hall in Manhattan, and Hugh McLaughlin of Brooklyn.JUSTICE VAN WYCK FOR GOVERNOR in NYT on September 30, 1898 The Democratic convention met on September 28 and 29 at Syracuse. Brooklyn judge Augustus Van Wyck, the brother of New York City mayor Robert A. Van Wyck, was nominated on the first ballot.
Aftermath On September 30, one day after the Democratic convention, the National Democratic Party state committee met at 52 William Street in New York City. The committee resolved not to call a convention or endorse any candidates.ACTION OF GOLD DEMOCRATS in NYT on October 1, 1898
General election Candidates Theodore Bacon, Rochester attorney (Independent Citizens) Ben Hanford, printer and labor organizer (Socialist Labor) John Kline, Keuka College professor (Prohibition) Theodore Roosevelt, former United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy and New York City Police Commissioner (Republican) Augustus Van Wyck, judge of the New York Supreme Court from Brooklyn brother of Mayor of New York City Robert A. Van Wyck (Democratic)
Results
See also New York gubernatorial elections
Notes
Sources How to vote split tickets: HOW TO MARK THE BALLOT in NYT on October 31, 1898 The Democratic nominees: THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET.; Sketches of the Men Nominated for Office by the Syracuse Convention in NYT on September 30, 1898 Result in New York County: OFFICIAL ELECTION FIGURES.; Vote Cast in New York County... in NYT on December 24, 1898 Result in Kings County: ...The Official Vote in Kings in NYt on December 4, 1898