Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank L. Smith For Governor.
1916 Political Campaign Pin

According to Carroll Hill Wooddy, “The Case of Frank L. Smith”, the ruling ambition of Smith was to be governor of Illinois. A Representative and Senator-elect from Illinois; Dwight village clerk 1894; unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor 1904; internal-revenue collector 1905-1906; elected as a Republican to the Sixty-sixth Congress (March 4, 1919-March 3, 1921); was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for United States Senator; chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission 1921-1926; appointed as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1926 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William B. McKinley in the term ending March 3, 1927; presented credentials as a Senator-designate but was not permitted to qualify, presented credentials as a Senator-elect to the United States Senate for the term beginning March 4, 1927, but again was not permitted to qualify and subsequently tendered his resignation on February 9, 1928; unsuccessful candidate for election in 1930 to the Seventy-second Congress; member of the Republican National Committee in 1932.

Page 84 indicates that “In spite of the the sarcastic attitude of the newspapers toward his gubernatorial boom, Smith hoped that 1908 would be a favorable year for pressing his pretensions. No strong Chicago candidate appeared, however, to divide Deneen's vote in the metropolis, and Smith reluctantly abandoned the idea of running for the "real job”.

Page 91-92:
Smith’s eyes were still fixed on the governorship…
As early as December, 1914, it was known that he was a prospective candidate, and in March 1915, his formal announcement was made public.

Page 94-95:
…Not until mid-July 1916, …and with less than two months remaining before the primary the campaign settled down to a three-cornered race between Lowden, Smith and Hull, the minor candidates having by this time been eliminated.
            Opening his campaign, Smith stressed his record as a business man…
            His own congressional district went substantially for him, but outside of this home territory he made but a slight impression.
            Smith doubtless knew long in advance that his defeat was certain and when the returns were known he reconciled himself to the situation to the best of his ability… Sending his congratulations to the victor, he threw himself whole-heartedly into the campaign for the latter’s election.
            It should not be assumed, however, that his longing for office was in any way diminished…

This political pin was produced as part of his run for Governor in 1916.

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