▁marked ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Four th ▁Party ▁System ▁and ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Party ▁System . ▁The ▁election ▁is ▁widely ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁real ign ing ▁election , ▁and ▁the ▁newly ▁established ▁Democratic ▁New ▁De al ▁coal ition ▁experienced ▁much ▁more ▁success ▁than ▁their ▁prede cess ors ▁had ▁in ▁the ▁Four th ▁Party ▁System . ▁ ▁Democratic ▁New ▁York ▁Governor ▁Franklin ▁D . ▁Ro ose vel t ▁defeated ▁Republican ▁inc umb ent ▁ ▁President ▁Herbert ▁Ho over . ▁Ro ose vel t ▁won ▁in ▁a ▁lands lide , ▁and ▁Ho over ▁only ▁won ▁six ▁N ort he astern ▁states . ▁Ro ose vel t ' s ▁victory ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁by ▁a ▁Democratic ▁candidate ▁since ▁Wood row ▁Wilson ▁won ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁Ro ose vel t ▁took ▁his ▁party ' s ▁nom ination ▁on ▁the ▁fourth ▁ball ot , ▁defe ating ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁nom ine e ▁Al ▁Smith ▁and ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁John ▁N ance ▁Gar ner . ▁ ▁The ▁Republic ans ▁suffered ▁massive ▁defe ats ▁in ▁both ▁con gression al ▁ch amb ers ▁with ▁many ▁seats ▁switching ▁to ▁Democratic ▁control . ▁Democr ats ▁gained ▁nin ety - se ven ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁increasing ▁their ▁majority ▁over ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁( and ▁ach ieving ▁a ▁House ▁super major ity ). ▁The ▁Democr ats ▁also ▁took ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Senate , ▁gain ing ▁twelve ▁seats ▁from ▁the ▁Republic ans . ▁Republic ans ▁had