Presidency, U.S.

Al Smith

Alfred E. Smith was born to Irish Catholic parents in New York City and became a career politician. Smith became the first Catholic presidential nominee in 1928. His career started by working his way up through Tammany Hall to secure backing for a seat in the New York State Assembly. Smith later won four terms as New York governor. However, Smith is best remembered for losing the 1928 presidential election badly to Herbert Hoover. Smith won only eight states and 41 percent of the vote. Although Smith tried to wage his campaign on the issues of the day, he was unable to overcome constant questions about his Catholicism and connections to Tammany Hall in New York City. Among the questions he faced about becoming the first Catholic president was how his allegiance to the United States weighed against his allegiance to the Catholic Church and the pope. His overwhelming loss was attributed in no small part to concerns about his religion, a barrier that would not be broken until 1960, when Kennedy would become the only Catholic president ever elected. Both Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon were Quakers, and there is some debate about whether Quakers should be considered Protestants. However, neither of these presidents faced any serious challenges during their candidacies or terms in office because of their religious affiliation.

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