Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons History Faculty Publications History 1982 Rum, Romanism, and Virginia Democrats: The Party Leaders and the Campaign of 1928 James R. Sweeney Old Dominion University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/history_fac_pubs Part of the American Politics Commons, Political History Commons, and the United States History Commons Repository Citation Sweeney, James R., "Rum, Romanism, and Virginia Democrats: The aP rty Leaders and the Campaign of 1928" (1982). History Faculty Publications. 6. https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/history_fac_pubs/6 Original Publication Citation Sweeney, J. R. (1982). Rum, Romanism, and Virginia democrats: The ap rty leaders and the campaign of 1928. Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, 90(4), 403-431. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the History at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. The Virginia Magazine OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY ft Vol. 90 October 1982 No. 4 w *fc^?i*L> U&J*L> U*lJfcL> OfoJtU U&JRj im4b <J*IJ?L> ?J?im^ U&J&> 4?ft,t~JD* RUM, ROMANISM, AND VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS The Party Leaders and the Campaign of 1928 hy James R. Sweeney* 'The most exciting and most bitterly fought State-wide campaign held in Virginia since the days of General William Mahone and the Readjusters." In these words the Richmond Times-Dispatch described the just-concluded campaign on election day morning, 6 November 1928. Democratic nomi- nees had carried Virginia in every presidential election since 1872; how- ever, in predominantly agricultural, dry, Protestant Virginia a political upheaval was a distinct possibility in 1928.