WI: FDR defeated in 1928

You probably know that Franklin Roosevelt was first elected governor of New York in 1928 to fill the open seat (Al Smith retired to run for president). What I recently learned was how close that election was; he only beat his Republican opponent, Albert Ottinger, by .6%, or 24,000 votes. If Ottinger had won, who would be the Democratic nominee (and effectively the president-elect) in 1932?
 
Smith. Almost certainly Smith, given he is the only candidate there that I think would be able to amass the vote required to gain the nomination, and a lot of the potential Roosevelt supporters would have turned to Smith were he not available.

Other than Smith? Melvin Traylor is the only one I think could do it, but largely because he was an unknown and I have no way to judge his strength at the convention. He didn't pursue the nomination, despite being put forth in the media quite prominently, and had little political experience though he was a major mind in the financial world.


 
Ariosto said:
Melvin Traylor ... little political experience though he was a major mind in the financial world.
Tho it seems unlikely he'd win (since this isn't "West Wing":rolleyes::p), the prospects of him as PotUS offer an interesting question: would he have enacted the New Deal? Enacted the CCC & Natl Recovery Act? Or would he have favored balanced budgets?
 
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