In 1928, Herbert Hoover (Republican) won 444 of 531 electoral votes, defeating Al Smith by 357 EV during the Roaring Twenties era. In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) won 472 of 531, defeating Herbert Hoover by 413 EV during the New Deal Coalition era. Turnout: 56.9% vs 56.9%.
vs
1928
Roaring Twenties
Herbert Hoover
Republican
Electoral votes
444 of 531
EV margin
357
Popular vote
58.2%
Turnout
56.9%
Runner-up
Al Smith (Dem)
Republican Herbert Hoover won in a landslide over Democrat Al Smith, the first Catholic presidential nominee of a major party. Anti-Catholic prejudice, Smith's opposition to Prohibition, and Coolidge-era prosperity all worked against Smith, who lost several traditionally Democratic Southern states. Hoover promised continued prosperity but the stock market crashed in October 1929, just eight months into his term, triggering the Great Depression that would doom his presidency.
1932
New Deal Coalition
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic
Electoral votes
472 of 531
EV margin
413
Popular vote
57.4%
Turnout
56.9%
Runner-up
Herbert Hoover (Rep)
Franklin Roosevelt won in a massive landslide over incumbent Herbert Hoover as the Great Depression devastated the nation. With 25% unemployment, Hoover was blamed for economic catastrophe and humiliated at the polls. Roosevelt promised a 'New Deal' for the American people and brought hope with his famous declaration that 'the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' FDR built a broad coalition of urban workers, farmers, ethnic minorities, and the Solid South that would dominate American politics for decades.