Alf Landon, the Governor of Kansas who was the Republican Parties nominee in the 1936 Presidential Election was born on this day in 1887.

Landon was elected governor of Kansas in 1932 and was the only republican governor to win re-election in 1934. He was considered the best candidate they had to go up against President Franklin Roosevelt in 1936. Alf Landon liked and admired FDR and he backed some of the New Deal programs. Landon was against unions though. Landon believed that the government had to address certain social issues.

After he was nominated by the Republican Party he did something odd, he didn’t make a campaign appearance for two months. In the end it wouldn’t have mattered what he did, he was steamrolled by the machine that was FDR.  Roosevelt would win 60.8 percent of the vote to Landon’s 36.5%. It was even worse in the Electoral College. FDR thumped him 523 to 8. Landon lost his home state of Kansas. He was only able to win Maine and Vermont.

Alf Landon would finish his term as Governor of Kansas then go back to the oil business. He would never run for office again. Who could blame him.

Alf Landon’s daughter Nancy Kassabaum was elected U.S. Senator from Kansas in 1978 and served 3 terms. She is now married to former Tennessee Senator Howard Baker.

Alf Landon would live to age 100 dying not long after his 100th birthday in 1987.