Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1910

Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1910

November 8, 1910 (1910-11-08)

Candidate John K. Tener William H. Berry Party Republican Independent Popular vote 415,614 382,127 Percentage 41.6% 38.3   Candidate Webster Grim John W. Slayton Party Democratic Socialist Popular vote 129,395 53,055 Percentage 13.0% 5.3%

County results key:   John K. Tener   William H. Berry   Webster Grim

Governor before election Edwin Sydney Stuart Republican Elected Governor John K. Tener Republican

Elections in Pennsylvania
Federal government Presidential elections 1789 1792 1796 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 United States Senate elections Class One 1788 1793 1794 1797 1802 1808 February 1814 1814 1820-21 1826 1831 1832-33 1840 1845 1851 1857 1861 1863 1869 1875 1881 1887 1893 1901 1905 1909 1911 1916 1922 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1991 1994 2000 2006 2012 Class Three 1788 1795 1801 December 1801 1806 1812 1818 1824–25 1830 1834 1836 1843 1845 1849 1856 1861 1867 1873 1877 1879 1885 1891 1897 1903 1909 1914 1920 1922 1926 1930 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 House of Representatives elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
State government Gubernatorial elections 1790 1793 1796 1799 1802 1805 1808 1811 1814 1817 1820 1823 1826 1829 1832 1835 1838 1841 1844 1860 1898 1906 1910 1914 1918 1922 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 Attorney General elections 2000 2004 2008 · 2012 Auditor General elections 2000 2004 2008 2012 State Treasurer elections 2000 2004 2008 2012 State Senate elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 State House Elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Elections by year State elections 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2014
Philadelphia Mayoral elections 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015
Pittsburgh Mayoral elections 1929 1933 1937 1941 1945 1949 1953 1957 1959 1961 1965 1969 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2007 2009 2013
Lancaster Mayoral elections 2009

The Pennsylvania Gubernatorial election of 1910 was held on November 8, 1910. The candidates were Republican John Tenner, Democrat Webster Grim, Keystone Party leader William Berry, and Socialist John W. Slayton.

Candidates

Democratic

• Webster Grim, State Senator (from Bucks County)
  • runningmate: Thomas Greevy, attorney (from Blair County)

Keystone

• William Berry, former Pennsylvania State Treasurer (from Chester County)
  • runningmate: Clarence Gibboney, attorney (from Philadelphia County)

Republican

• John Tener, U.S. Congressman (from Washington County)
  • runningmate: John Reynolds (from Lancaster County)

Campaign

The election was mired in scandal. The main focus was on the Pennsylvania state capitol building, which cost $13 million to build, of which $9 million went for furnishings. Although the state Republican machine remained powerful, its reputation was in shambles, as five insiders were arrested in connection with the capitol cost overruns. Boies Penrose, the U.S. Senator and Republican boss searched for a candidate with high name recognition but little political experience to improve the standing of his organization. Penrose chose Tenner, a famous 19th Century baseball player who had kept a low profile as a banker until running for Congress in 1909.

Democrats, meanwhile, tried to turn to Berry as their candidate, as they believed he had the perfect reform image due to being the catalyst in uncovering the scandal. Berry was initially opposed by attorney Cyrus Munson, a party boss, but after he withdrew due to health concerns, Penrose attempted to infiltrate the Democratic convention. His move resulted in the nomination of State Senator Grim from Doylestown, and reformers from both parties attempted to rally behind Berry, who ran under a third party banner.

Although Penrose viewed Tener as a pawn, he was a viable campaigner in his own right. Tener took much more progressive stances than Penrose had envisoned, supporting education expansion, greater public finance for road construction, and women's suffrage. Tener also ran on his wholesome image as an old time ballplayer in an era when gambling concerns overran the sport. While Tener was unable to gain a majority of the vote, he was able to defeat Berry, as Grim, who had the support of the party machinery, split enough of the progressive vote to lead to a Republican win.

Results

References