United States presidential election, 1944
Encyclopedia
The United States presidential election of 1944 took place while the United States was preoccupied with fighting World War II
. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
(FDR) had been in office longer than any other president, but remained popular. Unlike 1940, there was little doubt that Roosevelt would run for another term as the Democratic candidate. His Republican opponent in 1944 was Governor of New York
Thomas E. Dewey. Dewey ran an energetic campaign, but as expected, Roosevelt prevailed.
This was the last election where the Democrat carried every Southern state. It was the first election where one of the candidates was born in the 20th century.
As 1944 began the frontrunners for the Republican nomination appeared to be Wendell Willkie
, the party's 1940 candidate, Senator Robert Taft
of Ohio
, the leader of the party's conservatives, New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, the leader of the party's powerful, moderate eastern establishment, General Douglas MacArthur
, then serving as an Allied
commander in the Pacific theater of the war, and former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen
, then serving as a U.S. naval officer in the Pacific. However, Taft surprised many by announcing that he was not a candidate; instead he voiced his support for a fellow conservative, Governor John W. Bricker
of Ohio. With Taft out of the race some GOP conservatives favored General MacArthur. However, MacArthur's chances were limited by the fact that he was leading Allied forces against Japan, and thus could not campaign for the nomination. His supporters did enter his name in the Wisconsin
primary. The Wisconsin primary proved to be the key contest, as Dewey won by a surprisingly wide margin; he took 14 delegates to four for Harold Stassen, while MacArthur won the three remaining delegates. Willkie was shut out in the Wisconsin primary; he did not win a single delegate. His unexpectedly poor showing in Wisconsin forced him to withdraw as a candidate for the nomination. At the 1944 Republican National Convention
in Chiacgo, Illinois
, Dewey easily overcame Bricker and was nominated on the first ballot. In a bid to maintain party unity, Dewey, a moderate, chose the conservative Bricker as his running mate; Bricker was nominated by acclamation
.
Although the party's conservatives could not stop FDR from winning the nomination, the obvious physical decline in the President's appearance, as well as rumors of secret health problems, led many delegates and party leaders to strongly oppose Henry A. Wallace
. Wallace, who was FDR's second Vice President
, was regarded by most conservatives as being too left-wing
and personally eccentric to be next in line for the Presidency. Many Democrats were uneasy with Wallace's New Age
spiritual beliefs and by the fact that he had written coded letters discussing prominent politicians (such as Roosevelt and Winston Churchill
) to his controversial Russian spiritual guru
, Nicholas Roerich
. Numerous party leaders privately told Roosevelt that they would fight Wallace's renomination, and they proposed Missouri
Senator Harry S. Truman
, a moderate who had become well-known as the chairman of a Senate wartime investigating committee, as FDR's new running-mate. Roosevelt, who personally liked Wallace and knew little about Truman, reluctantly agreed to accept Truman as his new running mate to preserve party unity. Even so, many liberal delegates refused to abandon Wallace, and they cast their votes for him on the first ballot. However, enough large Northern, Midwestern, and Southern states supported Truman to give him the victory on the second ballot. The fight over the vice presidential nomination proved to be historic, as FDR's declining health led to his death in April 1945, and Truman thus became the nation's 33rd President instead of Wallace.
Source: Richard C. Bain & Judith H. Parris, Convention Decisions and Voting Records (Washington DC: The Brookings Institution, 1973), pp. 266–267.
The Republicans campaigned against the New Deal
, seeking a smaller government and less-regulated economy as the end of the war seemed in sight. Nonetheless Roosevelt's continuing popularity was the main theme of the campaign. To quiet rumors of his poor health, Roosevelt insisted on making a vigorous campaign swing in October, and rode in an open car through city streets. A high point of the campaign occurred when Roosevelt, speaking to a meeting of labor union
leaders, gave a speech carried on national radio in which he ridiculed Republican claims that his administration was corrupt and wasteful with tax money. He particularly ridiculed a GOP claim that he had sent a US Navy warship to pick up his Scottish Terrier
Fala in Alaska, noting that "Fala was furious" at such rumors. The speech was met with loud laughter and applause from the labor leaders. In response, Dewey gave a blistering partisan speech in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
a few days later on national radio, in which he accused Roosevelt of being "indispensable" to corrupt big-city Democratic organizations and American Communists; he also referred to members of FDR's cabinet as a "motley crew". However, American battlefield successes in Europe and the Pacific during the campaign, such as the liberation of Paris in August 1944 and the successful Battle of Leyte Gulf
in the Philippines
in October 1944, made Roosevelt unbeatable.
In the election on November 7, 1944, Roosevelt scored a comfortable victory over Dewey. Roosevelt took 36 states for 432 electoral votes, while Dewey won 12 states and 99 electoral votes (266 were needed to win). In the popular vote Roosevelt won 25,612,916 votes to Dewey's 22,017,929. Dewey did better against Roosevelt than any of FDR's previous three Republican opponents, and he did have the personal satisfaction of beating Roosevelt in FDR's hometown of Hyde Park, New York
, and of winning Truman's hometown of Independence, Missouri
. Dewey would again be the Republican presidential nominee in 1948 and would again lose, but by a much smaller margin.
The 1944 Presidential race was the last time both major-party nominees were from the same state.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
(FDR) had been in office longer than any other president, but remained popular. Unlike 1940, there was little doubt that Roosevelt would run for another term as the Democratic candidate. His Republican opponent in 1944 was Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Thomas E. Dewey. Dewey ran an energetic campaign, but as expected, Roosevelt prevailed.
This was the last election where the Democrat carried every Southern state. It was the first election where one of the candidates was born in the 20th century.
Republican Party
Republican candidates:- GovernorGovernor of New YorkThe Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Thomas E. Dewey of New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... - Governor John W. BrickerJohn W. BrickerJohn William Bricker was a United States Senator and the 54th Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he was the Republican nominee for Vice President in 1944.-Early life:...
of OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus... - RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Everett DirksenEverett DirksenEverett McKinley Dirksen was an American politician of the Republican Party. He represented Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate...
of IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... - GeneralGeneral (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Douglas MacArthurDouglas MacArthurGeneral of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
of New York - Former GovernorGovernor of MinnesotaThe Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
Harold StassenHarold StassenHarold Edward Stassen was the 25th Governor of Minnesota from 1939 to 1943. After service in World War II, from 1948 to 1953 he was president of the University of Pennsylvania...
of MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... - SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Robert TaftRobert TaftRobert Alphonso Taft , of the Taft political family of Cincinnati, was a Republican United States Senator and a prominent conservative statesman...
of Ohio - Businessman Wendell WillkieWendell WillkieWendell Lewis Willkie was a corporate lawyer in the United States and a dark horse who became the Republican Party nominee for the president in 1940. A member of the liberal wing of the GOP, he crusaded against those domestic policies of the New Deal that he thought were inefficient and...
of New York
As 1944 began the frontrunners for the Republican nomination appeared to be Wendell Willkie
Wendell Willkie
Wendell Lewis Willkie was a corporate lawyer in the United States and a dark horse who became the Republican Party nominee for the president in 1940. A member of the liberal wing of the GOP, he crusaded against those domestic policies of the New Deal that he thought were inefficient and...
, the party's 1940 candidate, Senator Robert Taft
Robert Taft
Robert Alphonso Taft , of the Taft political family of Cincinnati, was a Republican United States Senator and a prominent conservative statesman...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, the leader of the party's conservatives, New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, the leader of the party's powerful, moderate eastern establishment, General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
, then serving as an Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
commander in the Pacific theater of the war, and former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen
Harold Stassen
Harold Edward Stassen was the 25th Governor of Minnesota from 1939 to 1943. After service in World War II, from 1948 to 1953 he was president of the University of Pennsylvania...
, then serving as a U.S. naval officer in the Pacific. However, Taft surprised many by announcing that he was not a candidate; instead he voiced his support for a fellow conservative, Governor John W. Bricker
John W. Bricker
John William Bricker was a United States Senator and the 54th Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he was the Republican nominee for Vice President in 1944.-Early life:...
of Ohio. With Taft out of the race some GOP conservatives favored General MacArthur. However, MacArthur's chances were limited by the fact that he was leading Allied forces against Japan, and thus could not campaign for the nomination. His supporters did enter his name in the Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
primary. The Wisconsin primary proved to be the key contest, as Dewey won by a surprisingly wide margin; he took 14 delegates to four for Harold Stassen, while MacArthur won the three remaining delegates. Willkie was shut out in the Wisconsin primary; he did not win a single delegate. His unexpectedly poor showing in Wisconsin forced him to withdraw as a candidate for the nomination. At the 1944 Republican National Convention
1944 Republican National Convention
The 1944 Republican National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, from June 26 to 28, 1944. It nominated Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York for President and Governor John Bricker of Ohio for Vice-President....
in Chiacgo, Illinois
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Dewey easily overcame Bricker and was nominated on the first ballot. In a bid to maintain party unity, Dewey, a moderate, chose the conservative Bricker as his running mate; Bricker was nominated by acclamation
Acclamation
An acclamation, in its most common sense, is a form of election that does not use a ballot. "Acclamation" or "acclamatio" can also signify a kind of ritual greeting and expression of approval in certain social contexts in ancient Rome.-Voting:...
.
Democratic Party nomination
Democratic candidates:- Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, President of the United States from New York
Candidates gallery
Roosevelt was a popular, war-time incumbent and faced little formal opposition. Although a growing number of the party's conservatives - especially in the South - were increasingly skeptical of Roosevelt's economic and social policies, few of them dared to publicly oppose Roosevelt, and he was renominated easily.Although the party's conservatives could not stop FDR from winning the nomination, the obvious physical decline in the President's appearance, as well as rumors of secret health problems, led many delegates and party leaders to strongly oppose Henry A. Wallace
Henry A. Wallace
Henry Agard Wallace was the 33rd Vice President of the United States , the Secretary of Agriculture , and the Secretary of Commerce . In the 1948 presidential election, Wallace was the nominee of the Progressive Party.-Early life:Henry A...
. Wallace, who was FDR's second Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, was regarded by most conservatives as being too left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
and personally eccentric to be next in line for the Presidency. Many Democrats were uneasy with Wallace's New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
spiritual beliefs and by the fact that he had written coded letters discussing prominent politicians (such as Roosevelt and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
) to his controversial Russian spiritual guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
, Nicholas Roerich
Nicholas Roerich
Nicholas Roerich, also known as Nikolai Konstantinovich Rerikh , was a Russian mystic, painter, philosopher, scientist, writer, traveler, and public figure. A prolific artist, he created thousands of paintings and about 30 literary works...
. Numerous party leaders privately told Roosevelt that they would fight Wallace's renomination, and they proposed Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Senator Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, a moderate who had become well-known as the chairman of a Senate wartime investigating committee, as FDR's new running-mate. Roosevelt, who personally liked Wallace and knew little about Truman, reluctantly agreed to accept Truman as his new running mate to preserve party unity. Even so, many liberal delegates refused to abandon Wallace, and they cast their votes for him on the first ballot. However, enough large Northern, Midwestern, and Southern states supported Truman to give him the victory on the second ballot. The fight over the vice presidential nomination proved to be historic, as FDR's declining health led to his death in April 1945, and Truman thus became the nation's 33rd President instead of Wallace.
| Vice Presidential Ballot | |||
| Ballot | 1st | 2nd Before Shifts | 2nd After Shifts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his... | 319.5 | 477.5 | 1,031 |
| Henry A. Wallace Henry A. Wallace Henry Agard Wallace was the 33rd Vice President of the United States , the Secretary of Agriculture , and the Secretary of Commerce . In the 1948 presidential election, Wallace was the nominee of the Progressive Party.-Early life:Henry A... | 429.5 | 473 | 105 |
| John H. Bankhead John H. Bankhead II John Hollis Bankhead II was a U.S. senator from the state of Alabama. Like his father, John H. Bankhead, he was elected three times to the Senate, and like his father, he died in office.... | 98 | 23.5 | 0 |
| Scott W. Lucas Scott W. Lucas Scott Wike Lucas was a two-term Democratic United States Senator from Illinois, and the United States Senate Majority Leader from 1948 to 1950.... | 61 | 58 | 0 |
| Alben W. Barkley Alben W. Barkley Alben William Barkley was an American politician in the Democratic Party who served as the 35th Vice President of the United States , under President Harry S. Truman.... | 49.5 | 40 | 6 |
| J. Melville Broughton J. Melville Broughton Joseph Melville Broughton was the 60th Governor of North Carolina from 1941 to 1945.-Biography:He was born on November 17, 1888 in Raleigh, North Carolina. He attended Harvard Law School then worked as a school principal and journalist before actively entering the legal profession... | 43 | 30 | 0 |
| Paul V. McNutt Paul V. McNutt Paul Vories McNutt was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Indiana during the Great Depression, high commissioner to the Philippines, administrator of the Federal Security Agency, chairman of the War Manpower Commission and ambassador to the Philippines.-Family and... | 31 | 28 | 1 |
| Prentice Cooper Prentice Cooper William Prentice Cooper was an American politician and Governor of Tennessee from 1939 to 1945.-Life and career:A native of Bedford County, Tennessee, he attended Vanderbilt University and then Harvard University... | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| Scattering | 118.5 | 20 | 7 |
Source: Richard C. Bain & Judith H. Parris, Convention Decisions and Voting Records (Washington DC: The Brookings Institution, 1973), pp. 266–267.
The Fall Campaign
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
, seeking a smaller government and less-regulated economy as the end of the war seemed in sight. Nonetheless Roosevelt's continuing popularity was the main theme of the campaign. To quiet rumors of his poor health, Roosevelt insisted on making a vigorous campaign swing in October, and rode in an open car through city streets. A high point of the campaign occurred when Roosevelt, speaking to a meeting of labor union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leaders, gave a speech carried on national radio in which he ridiculed Republican claims that his administration was corrupt and wasteful with tax money. He particularly ridiculed a GOP claim that he had sent a US Navy warship to pick up his Scottish Terrier
Scottish Terrier
The Scottish Terrier , popularly called the Scottie, is a breed of dog. Initially one of the highland breeds of Terrier that were grouped under the name of Skye Terrier, it is one of five breeds of terrier that originated in Scotland, the other four being the modern Skye, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, and...
Fala in Alaska, noting that "Fala was furious" at such rumors. The speech was met with loud laughter and applause from the labor leaders. In response, Dewey gave a blistering partisan speech in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
a few days later on national radio, in which he accused Roosevelt of being "indispensable" to corrupt big-city Democratic organizations and American Communists; he also referred to members of FDR's cabinet as a "motley crew". However, American battlefield successes in Europe and the Pacific during the campaign, such as the liberation of Paris in August 1944 and the successful Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in October 1944, made Roosevelt unbeatable.
In the election on November 7, 1944, Roosevelt scored a comfortable victory over Dewey. Roosevelt took 36 states for 432 electoral votes, while Dewey won 12 states and 99 electoral votes (266 were needed to win). In the popular vote Roosevelt won 25,612,916 votes to Dewey's 22,017,929. Dewey did better against Roosevelt than any of FDR's previous three Republican opponents, and he did have the personal satisfaction of beating Roosevelt in FDR's hometown of Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park is a town located in the northwest part of Dutchess County, New York, United States, just north of the city of Poughkeepsie. The town is most famous for being the hometown of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt....
, and of winning Truman's hometown of Independence, Missouri
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
. Dewey would again be the Republican presidential nominee in 1948 and would again lose, but by a much smaller margin.
The 1944 Presidential race was the last time both major-party nominees were from the same state.
Results
Source (Popular Vote): Source (Electoral Vote):Close states (margin of victory less than 5%)
- Ohio, 0.37%
- Michigan, 1.02%
- New Jersey, 1.35%
- Wisconsin, 1.80%
- Wyoming, 2.47%
- Pennsylvania, 2.78%
- Missouri, 2.94%
- Illinois, 3.47%
- Idaho, 3.49%
- Maryland, 3.70%
- New Hampshire, 4.24%
- Iowa, 4.50%
- Oregon, 4.85%
- Maine, 4.99%
Results by state
| Franklin Roosevelt Democratic |
Thomas Dewey Republican |
Other | State Total | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | electoral votes |
# | % | electoral votes |
# | % | electoral votes |
# | % | electoral votes |
# | |||||
| Alabama | 11 | 198,918 | 81.3 | 11 | 44,540 | 18.2 | ||||||||||
| 1,285 | 0.5 | |||||||||||||||
| 244,743 | AL | |||||||||||||||
| Arizona | 4 | 80,926 | 58.8 | 4 | 56,287 | 40.9 | ||||||||||
| 421 | 0.3 | |||||||||||||||
| 137,634 | AZ | |||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | 9 | 148,965 | 70.0 | 9 | 63,551 | 29.8 | ||||||||||
| 438 | 0.2 | |||||||||||||||
| 212,954 | AR | |||||||||||||||
| California | 25 | 1,988,564 | 56.5 | 25 | 1,512,965 | 43.0 | ||||||||||
| 19,346 | 0.6 | |||||||||||||||
| 3,520,875 | CA | |||||||||||||||
| Colorado | 6 | 234,331 | 46.4 | |||||||||||||
| 268,731 | 53.2 | 6 | 1,977 | 0.4 | ||||||||||||
| 505,039 | CO | |||||||||||||||
| Connecticut | 8 | 435,146 | 52.3 | 8 | 390,527 | 46.9 | ||||||||||
| 6,317 | 0.8 | |||||||||||||||
| 831,990 | CT | |||||||||||||||
| Delaware | 3 | 68,166 | 54.4 | 3 | 56,747 | 45.2 | ||||||||||
| 448 | 0.4 | |||||||||||||||
| 125,361 | DE | |||||||||||||||
| Florida | 8 | 339,377 | 70.3 | 8 | 143,215 | 29.7 | ||||||||||
| not on ballot | 482,592 | FL | ||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 12 | 268,187 | 81.7 | 12 | 59,880 | 18.3 | ||||||||||
| 42 | 0.0 | |||||||||||||||
| 328,109 | GA | |||||||||||||||
| Idaho | 4 | 107,399 | 51.6 | 4 | 100,137 | 48.1 | ||||||||||
| 785 | 0.4 | |||||||||||||||
| 208,321 | ID | |||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 28 | 2,079,479 | 51.5 | 28 | 1,939,314 | 48.1 | ||||||||||
| 17,268 | 0.4 | |||||||||||||||
| 4,036,031 | IL | |||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 13 | 781,403 | 46.7 | |||||||||||||
| 875,891 | 52.4 | 13 | 14,797 | 0.9 | ||||||||||||
| 1,672,091 | IN | |||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 10 | 499,876 | 47.5 | |||||||||||||
| 547,267 | 52.0 | 10 | 5,456 | 0.5 | ||||||||||||
| 1,052,599 | IA | |||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 8 | 287,458 | 39.2 | |||||||||||||
| 442,096 | 60.3 | 8 | 4,222 | 0.6 | ||||||||||||
| 733,776 | KS | |||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 11 | 472,589 | 54.5 | 11 | 392,448 | 45.2 | ||||||||||
| 2,884 | 0.3 | |||||||||||||||
| 867,921 | KY | |||||||||||||||
| Louisiana | 10 | 281,564 | 80.6 | 10 | 67,750 | 19.4 | ||||||||||
| 69 | 0.0 | |||||||||||||||
| 349,383 | LA | |||||||||||||||
| Maine | 5 | 140,631 | 47.5 | |||||||||||||
| 155,434 | 52.4 | 5 | 335 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||
| 296,400 | ME | |||||||||||||||
| Maryland | 8 | 315,490 | 51.9 | 8 | 292,949 | 48.2 | ||||||||||
| not on ballot | 608,439 | MD | ||||||||||||||
| Massachusetts | 16 | 1,035,296 | 52.8 | 16 | 921,350 | 47.0 | ||||||||||
| 4,019 | 0.2 | |||||||||||||||
| 1,960,665 | MA | |||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 19 | 1,106,899 | 50.2 | 19 | 1,084,423 | 49.2 | ||||||||||
| 13,901 | 0.6 | |||||||||||||||
| 2,205,223 | MI | |||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 11 | 589,864 | 52.4 | 11 | 527,416 | 46.9 | ||||||||||
| 8,249 | 0.7 | |||||||||||||||
| 1,125,529 | MN | |||||||||||||||
| Mississippi | 9 | 168,479 | 93.6 | 9 | 11,601 | 6.4 | ||||||||||
| not on ballot | 180,080 | MS | ||||||||||||||
| Missouri | 15 | 807,804 | 51.4 | 15 | 761,524 | 48.4 | ||||||||||
| 3,146 | 0.2 | |||||||||||||||
| 1,572,474 | MO | |||||||||||||||
| Montana | 4 | 112,556 | 54.3 | 4 | 93,163 | 44.9 | ||||||||||
| 1,636 | 0.8 | |||||||||||||||
| 207,355 | MT | |||||||||||||||
| Nebraska | 6 | 233,246 | 41.4 | |||||||||||||
| 329,880 | 58.9 | 6 | not on ballot | 563,126 | NE | |||||||||||
| Nevada | 3 | 29,623 | 54.6 | 3 | 24,611 | 45.4 | ||||||||||
| not on ballot | 54,234 | NV | ||||||||||||||
| New Hampshire | 4 | 119,663 | 52.1 | 4 | 109,916 | 47.9 | ||||||||||
| 46 | 0.0 | |||||||||||||||
| 229,625 | NH | |||||||||||||||
| New Jersey | 16 | 987,874 | 50.3 | 16 | 961,335 | 49.0 | ||||||||||
| 14,552 | 0.7 | |||||||||||||||
| 1,963,761 | NJ | |||||||||||||||
| New Mexico | 4 | 81,389 | 53.4 | 4 | 70,688 | 46.4 | ||||||||||
| 148 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||||
| 152,225 | NM | |||||||||||||||
| New York | 47 | 3,304,238 | 52.3 | 47 | 2,987,647 | 47.3 | ||||||||||
| 24,905 | 0.4 | |||||||||||||||
| 6,316,790 | NY | |||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | 14 | 527,399 | 66.7 | 14 | 263,155 | 33.3 | ||||||||||
| not on ballot | 790,554 | NC | ||||||||||||||
| North Dakota | 4 | 100,144 | 45.5 | |||||||||||||
| 118,535 | 53.8 | 4 | 1,492 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||
| 220,171 | ND | |||||||||||||||
| Ohio | 25 | 1,570,763 | 49.8 | |||||||||||||
| 1,582,293 | 50.2 | 25 | not on ballot | 3,153,056 | OH | |||||||||||
| Oklahoma | 10 | 401,549 | 55.6 | 10 | 319,424 | 44.2 | ||||||||||
| 1,663 | 0.2 | |||||||||||||||
| 722,636 | OK | |||||||||||||||
| Oregon | 6 | 248,635 | 51.8 | 6 | 225,365 | 46.9 | ||||||||||
| 6,147 | 1.3 | |||||||||||||||
| 480,147 | OR | |||||||||||||||
| Pennsylvania | 35 | 1,940,479 | 51.1 | 35 | 1,835,054 | 48.4 | ||||||||||
| 19,260 | 0.5 | |||||||||||||||
| 3,794,793 | PA | |||||||||||||||
| Rhode Island | 4 | 175,356 | 58.6 | 4 | 123,487 | 41.3 | ||||||||||
| 433 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||||
| 299,276 | RI | |||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 8 | 90,601 | 87.6 | 8 | 4,610 | 4.5 | ||||||||||
| 8,164 | 7.9 | |||||||||||||||
| 103,375 | SC | |||||||||||||||
| South Dakota | 4 | 96,711 | 41.7 | |||||||||||||
| 135,365 | 58.3 | 4 | not on ballot | 232,076 | SD | |||||||||||
| Tennessee | 12 | 308,707 | 60.5 | 12 | 200,311 | 39.2 | ||||||||||
| 1,674 | 0.3 | |||||||||||||||
| 510,692 | TN | |||||||||||||||
| Texas | 23 | 821,605 | 71.4 | 23 | 191,425 | 16.6 | ||||||||||
| 137,301 | 11.9 | |||||||||||||||
| 1,150,331 | TX | |||||||||||||||
| Utah | 4 | 150,088 | 60.9 | 4 | 97,891 | 39.4 | ||||||||||
| 340 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||||
| 248,319 | UT | |||||||||||||||
| Vermont | 3 | 53,820 | 42.9 | |||||||||||||
| 71,527 | 57.1 | 3 | 14 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||
| 125,361 | VT | |||||||||||||||
| Virginia | 11 | 242,276 | 62.4 | 11 | 145,243 | 37.4 | ||||||||||
| 966 | 0.3 | |||||||||||||||
| 388,485 | VA | |||||||||||||||
| Washington | 8 | 486,774 | 56.8 | 8 | 361,689 | 42.2 | ||||||||||
| 7,865 | 0.9 | |||||||||||||||
| 856,328 | WA | |||||||||||||||
| West Virginia | 8 | 392,777 | 54.9 | 8 | 322,819 | 45.1 | ||||||||||
| not on ballot | 715,596 | WV | ||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 12 | 650,413 | 48.6 | |||||||||||||
| 674,532 | 50.4 | 12 | 14,207 | 1.1 | ||||||||||||
| 1,339,152 | WI | |||||||||||||||
| Wyoming | 3 | 49,419 | 48.8 | |||||||||||||
| 51,921 | 51.2 | 3 | not on ballot | 101,340 | WY | |||||||||||
| TOTALS: | 531 | 25,612,916 | 53.4 | 432 | 22,017,929 | 45.9 | 99 | 346,218 | 0.7 | |||||||
| 47,977,063 | ||||||||||||||||
| TO WIN: | 266 | |||||||||||||||
Miscellanea
- The 1944 election was the first since Grover ClevelandGrover ClevelandStephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
's re-election in 1892 in which the bellwetherBellwetherA bellwether is any entity in a given arena that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings.The term is derived from the Middle English bellewether and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram leading his flock of sheep.The movements of...
state of OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
backed a losing candidate. - The 1944 election was the last election in which any candidate received over 90% of the vote in any state.
- The passing of the 22nd AmendmentTwenty-second Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe Twenty-second Amendment of the United States Constitution sets a term limit for the President of the United States. The Congress passed the amendment on March 21, 1947...
of the United States ConstitutionUnited States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
in 1947 renders this election the only occasion in United States history in which a candidate has been allowed to run for a fourth term as president. - The 1944 presidential race was the only one in history where both candidates hailed from the same county. Roosevelt's home was in Hyde Park, New York. Dewey called Pawling, New York home. Both are in Dutchess County.
- This was the first election since 1900United States presidential election, 1900The United States presidential election of 1900 was a re-match of the 1896 race between Republican President William McKinley and his Democratic challenger, William Jennings Bryan. The return of economic prosperity and recent victory in the Spanish–American War helped McKinley to score a decisive...
when IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
did not vote the same as each other, and the last to date. - Had Dewey won the 1944 election, he would have become the youngest president in U.S. history, being 20 days younger (as of January 20, 1945) than Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, when he took office in 1901 upon the assassinationAssassinationTo carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of William McKinleyWilliam McKinleyWilliam McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
.
See also
- President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
- United States Senate elections, 1944
- Homefront-United States-World War II
- Hell-Bent for ElectionHell-Bent for ElectionHell-Bent For Election was a 1944 two-reel animated cartoon short subject. The short was one of the first major films from United Productions of America , which would go on to become the most influential animation studio of the 1950s...
, an animated Roosevelt campaign film.
Further reading
- Cantril, Hadley and Mildred Strunk, eds.; Public Opinion, 1935-1946 (1951), massive compilation of many public opinion polls from USA
- Gallup, George Horace, ed. The Gallup Poll; Public Opinion, 1935-1971 3 vol (1972) esp vol 1; summarizes results of each poll as reported to newspapers
- Jordan, David M. FDR, Dewey, and the Election of 1944 (Indiana U.P. 2011)
- Smith, Richard Norton. Thomas E. Dewey and His Times (1984), the standard scholarly biography
External links
- 1944 popular vote by counties
- How close was the 1944 election? — Michael Sheppard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology