The Mississippi River flood of 1927 caused great damage, breaking the dams and levees of the Mississippi River. This caused millions of dollars worth of flood damage with more than half a million people displaced from their homes. President Coolidge appointed Hoover to handle the fallout and help administer relief efforts. Several governors communicated directly with Hoover, not President Coolidge, for aid and government help. This turn of events placed Hoover as the front-runner to succeed Coolidge as president.