Alfred Landon

Alfred Landon was born in West Middlesex on 9th September, 1887. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1908 he joined the oil business.

In 1912 Landon campaigned for Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Party. His proposed program included women's suffrage, direct election of senators, anti-trust legislation and the prohibition of child labour. Roosevelt won 4,126,020 votes, but as he split the traditional Republican Party vote, he enabled Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic candidate, to be elected.

Landon served in the United States Army during the First World War. After the war he joined the Republican Party and in 1932 was elected governor of Kansas. Re-elected in 1934, he was chosen as the party's presidential candidate to stand against Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936. Roosevelt was at the height of his popularity and easily won by 27,751,612 votes to 16,681,913.

After losing the election Landon returned to Kansas where he remained active in politics. Alfred Landon died in Topeka, Kansas on 12th October, 1987.