Robert Pierce Shuler

Shuler’s 560,088 votes in this election made him far and away the Prohibition Party’s most successful vote-getter.  He carried Orange and Riverside counties.
     Rev. Shuler was a demagogue who owned a radio station.  His broadcast sermons included diatribes against Catholics, Jews, Blacks, and the Hollywood elites – because of their use of alcohol.  His station license eventually was revoked because of this.
     The campaign pin below was manufactured by the Green Duck company.

Robert Shuler was the all-time record vote-getter of the Prohibition Party.  A well-known figure, he was pastor of trinity Methodist Church, Los Angeles from 1920 until his death in 1965.
      Shuler was born in Virginia on 4 August 1880.  He was a graduate of Emory and Henry College.  He was a prominent reformer, playing a central role in the impeachment of Texas Governor Ferguson, as well as getting involved in California controversies.
     Rev. Shuler very nearly won election on the Prohibition ticket as Senator, losing by only about 50,000 votes statewide; he carried two counties:  Orange and Riverside.
     Afterward, he came within a hair of winning election to the U.S. House.
     Shuler’s electoral ability came with a price, however.  He was flamboyant, sometimes engaging in comical or offensive behavior in order to attract attention.  After he failed to win election to the Senate, for example, he asserted that southern California would be “cursed” by an earthquake (didn’t happen).  He owned a radio station, KGEF, the call letters of which he claimed stood for “Keep God Ever First; the FCC eventually revoked his license because of his habit of broadcasting insults about Blacks, Jews, and Catholics.