The third year of the Hoover presidency marked a drastic slowdown in the reforms seen in the first two years since his inauguration. The coalition of Republicans and Democrats controlling the house was more ideologically rigid than the previous Gillet speakership, halting some more ambitious items from the Progressive agenda. The 1912 Radio Act was replaced with a new bill, creating the Federal Radio Commission, reforming the licensing process, and creating federal subsidies for public radio corporations. Hoover, who utilized radio on the campaign trail in 1920, and throughout his presidency to give addresses, wished to stop major radio stations from adopting advertisements in order to make profit. Thus, Hoover lobbied heavily for subsidies for major radio stations, despite criticism from many fiscal conservatives within the house.
Hoover's cabinet also went through a minor reorganization in 1923. Secretary of War Leonard Wood retired, citing health problems related to a brain tumor, which took his life the following year.
Wood was replaced by Attorney General Henry L. Stimson, who had served as Secretary of War in the Taft administration 10 years prior. Stimson was an uncontroversial pick for the position, and was approved by the Senate in a near-unanimous vote. Stimson's replacement for Attorney General, Leonidas C. Dyer, was not confirmed as easily. Dyer, the driving force behind the Dyer Anti-Lynching bill passed in 1921, was heavily opposed by a bloc of Southern Democrats. Despite their objections, Dyer was confirmed to the position of Attorney General. Dyer was succeeded in his house seat by Alice Curtice Moyer, a leading suffragette and chief of the State Industrial Inspection Department.
Leonard Wood was not the only one vacating his seat in government in 1923. A total of four Senators vacated their seats as well, with 3 deaths, and one resignation. Progressive Senator Lafa Pence of Colorado died, and in a strange turn of events, had former Missouri governor and Progressive Herbert S. Hadley appointed to his seat. Hadley moved to Colorado in 1917, and was swept into the house in 1920, winning a second term in 1923, before being appointed to the Senate by governor Edward Keating. Another Progressive Senator, Knute Nelson of Minnesota, passed as well, and Representative Sydney Anderson won the special election to succeed him. The radical wing of Minnesota's Progressives saw several candidates in the primary, and their failure to consolidate allowed for Anderson to triumph with a plurality. A Republican Senator, William P. Dillingham of Vermont, died too, with Lieutenant Governor Abram W. Foote winning the special election to succeed him in in a Republican dominated state.
A strange race occurred in Delaware. During his run for office in 1922, Senator Irenee du Pont became subject to numerous investigations due to a supposed incident of lead poisoning during his time as president of the DuPont corporation. With possible criminal charges overhanging him in 1923, Du Pont resigned, leading to a chaotic special election to succeed him. Governor John G. Townsend appointed Delaware's former Representative, Republican Caleb R. Layton, to the seat. Layton easily won the Republican nomination for the special, but faced two strong opponents. The first, Delaware's current representative, Progressive William Henry Boyce, was elected due to Layton's opposition to the Dyer Anti-Lynching bill, and had the support of the state's Prohibition Party, and many African American political activists. The second, Josiah O. Wolcott, lost to Du Pont in 1922, but sought to reclaim his old Senate Seat. In a vicious battle, Layton slowly fell out of contention, while Boyce and Wolcott jockeyed for first. The final results were incredibly close, with several recounts, and accusations of fraud, but the seat would ultimately be won by William Henry Boyce.
A handful of normal elections also occurred in the off year. Democrat Henry Whitfield succeeded the term-limited Lee Russell as governor of Mississippi, with no major opponents in the Democratic primary, and only minor resistance from Prohibition and Progressive candidates in the general election.
Maryland's gubernatorial race followed a similar dynamic, with incumbent governor Albert Ritchie cruising to a second term over a fractured opposition of Prohibitionists, Republicans, Progressives, and Socialists, with all garnering over 5% of the vote, but none even coming within 10% of Ritchie.
In Kentucky, term limited Governor Edwin P. Morrow pushed his successor, state Attorney General Charles I. Dawson, who easily triumphed in the Republican Primary. Representative Alben Barkley won both the Democratic and Prohibition primaries, and had the support of Senator J.C.W. Beckham. Progressive Senator Augustus Owsley Stanley, an ally of Morrow and opponent of Beckham, attempted to throw the state Progressive Party behind Dawson, but would lose to former Court of Appeals Judge Edward C. O'Rear. O'Rear's nomination was disproved of by many more radical Progressives, due to his support of racial segregation and prohibition, leading to many votes going towards Socialist Party candidates or Dawson. Dawson's campaign was similarly poor, with Edwin Morrow giving little support to his successor, as he was preoccupied with the early stages of a run at the Republican nomination. These divisions handed the election to Barkley, who won out with over 40%, while Dawson barely passed 30%.