Publication Date

7-1981

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

David Lee, F.H. Thompson, James Bennett

Degree Program

Department of History

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

Analysis showed that the 1938 Kentucky State primary became the focal point of a national political struggle over the New Deal. The Kentucky campaign was the most significant of the mid-term elections which represented a major test of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's political strength. Senate Majority Leader Alben W. Barkley gave unwavering support to Roosevelt and the New Deal while his opponent, Kentucky Governor Albert B. Chandler, represented conservative Democrats who sought to wrest control of the party from Roosevelt. The clash of two powerful Kentucky politicians and the widespread use of federal and state patronage distinguished the campaign. Barkley's victory is attributed to his political skills and the enduring popularity of the New Deal.

Disciplines

American Politics | Arts and Humanities | History | Political History | Political Science | Public History | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social History | United States History

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