The nomination of Robert M. La Follette for president took place at a convention held in Cleveland, Ohio from July 4-5, 1924. The convention was called by the Conference for Progressive Political Action (CPPA) and included accredited delegates from national trade unions, state branches of the CPPA, and other political organizations. Members of the Socialist Party of America played a prominent role in the organization of the July convention and the subsequent La Follette presidential campaign; representatives of the Communist Workers Party of America were banned.
On February 11 and 12, 1924, approximately 120 delegates from state branches of the Conference for Progressive Political Action (CPPA), the railroad brotherhoods, and several smaller organizations met at the 3rd Conference of the CPPA in St. Louis, Missouri. This meeting viewed the election results of November 1922 with some satisfaction and reaffirmed the CPPA's stated goal "to help nominate and elect to public office only those 'who are pledged to the interests of the producing classes and to the principles of genuine democracy in agriculture, industry, and government."
No action was taken for the November 1924 campaign, however, as no candidates had been nominated or political platforms passed by the Democratic or Republican parties (both of which organizations included progressive wings). Nor did sentiment exist for an effort under the auspices of the Socialist Party of America (SPA) or the Farmer-Labor Party (FLP).
Instead, the February 1924 CPPA Conference instructed the governing National Committee of the organization to schedule a convention to be held over the Fourth of July holiday "for the purpose of taking action on nomination of candidates for the offices of President and Vice-President of the United States, and on other questions that may come before the convention." The National Committee was also instructed to attempt to coordinate its efforts with an organizing committee of the FLP, which had signaled its intention to call a presidential nominating convention in St. Paul, Minnesota opening May 30, 1924.