Page "William Borah" Paragraph 22

In an attempt to revitalize the progressive wing of the Republican Party, in 1936 a 71-year-old Borah ran for nomination as candidate for President of the United States, becoming the first Idahoan to do so.

Borah's candidacy was opposed by the conservative Republican leadership and dismissed by Roosevelt.

He managed to win only a handful of delegates.

Borah won a majority of delegates in only one state, Wisconsin, where he had the endorsement of Progressive United States Senator Robert M. La Follette, Jr. Borah refused to endorse the eventual Republican nominee, Alf Landon, leading some to believe he might cross party lines and support Roosevelt's reelection.

As he had four years earlier, ultimately he chose to support neither candidate.