Catholic Hoover voters in 1928

[Asenath Waite]

Were Catholics who lived in areas with traditionally strong Republican machines more likely to remain loyal to the GOP in 1928? Given that Hoover won big cities such as Philadelphia and Chicago (the last Republican to do so) he must have managed to carry a decent number of Catholic voters.

[TDAS04]

Probably.  Hoover also carried the Hispanic areas of New Mexico.

[Podgy the Bear]

Undoubtedly Hoover carried a substantial amount of the Catholic vote in 1928.  With a sizable Catholic population, Smith was barely able to win RI and MA--indicating that a lot of Catholics in those states stayed Republican.    Of course, the Republican machine, particularly in the Northeast and big states, was exceptionally powerful in 1928.  In states like PA and OH (with large percentages of Catholics), the Democrats got only about 35% of the vote.

Historically, we look at the 1928 election as a precursor to what happened in the 1930s and beyond with the New Deal coalition.  But at the time it was looked as another crushing defeat for the Democrats.  And it wasn't really unexpected.  With losses in the Outer South states, Hoover ran the highest electoral vote margin to that time. 

[Asenath Waite]

I kind of did wonder just because I remember reading somewhere that Smith won 90% of the Catholic vote nationally which does seem to be an overestimation given the actual results and what others noted above. Demographic based exit polls were probably still in their infancy and not all that accurate at the time.

[NotSoLucky]

I kind of did wonder just because I remember reading somewhere that Smith won 90% of the Catholic vote nationally which does seem to be an overestimation given the actual results and what others noted above. Demographic based exit polls were probably still in their infancy and not all that accurate at the time.

"Dewey Defeats Truman"