▁direct ors ▁member ▁for ▁the ▁Alb any ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Com merce . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁H ack ett ▁developed ▁a ▁friendship ▁with ▁Daniel ▁P . ▁O ' Con nell , ▁another ▁South ▁End ▁resident , ▁who ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 0 s ▁to ▁re est ab lish ▁Alb any ' s ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁following ▁over ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁of ▁dom ination ▁by ▁the ▁Republican ▁organization ▁of ▁William ▁Bar nes ▁Jr ., ▁the ▁grand son ▁of ▁Th ur low ▁We ed . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁H ack ett ▁agreed ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁Democratic ▁candidate ▁for ▁mayor . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁successful ▁in ▁the ▁race ▁against ▁Republican ▁William ▁Van ▁R ens sel a er ▁Er ving , ▁which ▁enabled ▁implementation ▁of ▁the ▁O ' Con nell ▁organization ' s ▁long time ▁strategy ▁of ▁running ▁wealth y ▁non - eth nic ▁Protest ants ▁like ▁Ed win ▁Cor ning , ▁Parker ▁Cor ning , ▁and ▁Er ast us ▁Cor ning ▁ 2 nd ▁for ▁major ▁offices ▁including ▁mayor ▁and ▁Congress man ▁to ▁enh ance ▁the ▁respect ability ▁and ▁cred ibility ▁of ▁a ▁Democratic ▁organization ▁run ▁by ▁working ▁class ▁Irish - American , ▁Catholic ▁figures ▁like ▁O ' Con nell . ▁ ▁H ack ett ▁won ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁While ▁campaign ing ▁for ▁his ▁third ▁term , ▁H ack ett ▁emer ged ▁as ▁a ▁likely ▁candidate ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ine e ▁for ▁Governor ▁of