In which presidential election did Woodrow Wilson emerge victorious due to divided Republican votes?

Woodrow Wilson's victory in the 1912 presidential election was significantly influenced by the fragmentation of the Republican Party at that time. In this election, former President Theodore Roosevelt sought to regain the presidency after losing the Republican nomination to incumbent President William Howard Taft. Roosevelt then ran as a candidate for the Progressive Party, often referred to as the "Bull Moose Party." This split in the Republican vote allowed Wilson, the Democratic candidate, to secure the presidency with a plurality of the votes despite not having a majority.

This election is notable because it marked a shift in American politics, with the emergence of new progressive ideas and the weakening of the traditional two-party system. Wilson's platform focused on reform and was well-received in an environment where many were disillusioned with the status quo represented by the divided Republicans. The combination of Wilson's appealing progressive policies and the split between Taft and Roosevelt was crucial in paving the way for his electoral success.