Prompted by First District Representative Ollie M. James ' decision to seek election to the U.S. Senate in 1912 , Barkley declared his candidacy for the district 's congressional seat in December 1911 . Courting the votes of the district 's farmers , Barkley advocated lower taxes and increased regulation of railroads by the Interstate Commerce Commission . After one challenger withdrew in March , three more candidates entered the race – Trigg County Commonwealth 's Attorney Denny Smith , Ballard County Judge Jacob Corbett , and John K. Hendrick , Barkley 's former employer . All were conservative Democrats who branded Barkley a socialist because he supported federal funding of highway construction . Hendrick attacked Barkley 's youth , inexperience and ambition to seek higher offices . Barkley admitted his eventual desire for a Senate seat and countered that Hendrick had also frequently sought office : " When the Pope died some years ago , nobody would tell Hendrick , for fear he would declare for that office . " Charging that Barkley 's membership in Woodsmen of the World was politically motivated , Hendrick ended up attacking the organization itself , angering the approximately 5,000 club members in the First District . In June , the nomination of Woodrow Wilson for president and adoption of a progressive platform at the 1912 Democratic National Convention bolstered Barkley 's candidacy . He won 48.2 % of the votes in the primary and went on to win the general election
1912 Democratic National Convention
1912 Democratic National Convention
Alben W. Barkley