1944 Republican Party presidential primaries

Selection of Republican US presidential candidate June 2025 1944 Republican Party presidential primaries United States 1912 primary no 1940 Republican Party presidential primaries 1940 1948 Republican Party presidential primaries 1948 March 14 to May 19, 1944 1,057 delegates to the Republican National Convention 529 (majority) File:Thomas Dewey in 1944 (3x4 cropped).jpg 150x150px Thomas E. Dewey FF8080 New York 391https://www.newspapers.com/image/701712990 11 Jun 1944 7 The Fresno Bee 31 Jan 2023 subscription Dewey Delegate Count is 138 Short of Needs 3 278,272 12.2% File:Portrait of Ohio Governor John Bricker (cropped2).jpg John W. Bricker 8080FF Ohio 65 1 366,444 16.0% File:Earl Warren Portrait, half figure, seated, facing front, as Governor (cropped 3x4).jpg Earl Warren A05A2C California 50 1 594,439 26.0% File:Harold E. Stassen (1).jpg Harold Stassen 37C871 Minnesota 34 1 67,508 3.0% 1944RepublicanPrimariesStatesByWinner.svg 350px Results map by state. Republican nominee Wendell Willkie Thomas E. Dewey From March 14 to June 11, 1944, voters of the Republican Party selected delegates to the 1944 Republican National Convention for the purpose of selecting their nominee for president in the 1944 election at the 1944 Republican National Convention held from June 26 to June 28, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois.https://books.google.com/books?id=9CZECwAAQBAJ&pg=PA397 Guide to U.S. Elections - Google Books 2016-02-19 9781483380353 2016-02-19 Kalb Deborah CQ Press Although the result of the elections were inconclusive, maneuvering by the delegates secured the nomination for Governor of New York Thomas E. Dewey before they convened in Chicago. Dewey easily overcame a challenge from Governor of Ohio John W. 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. Background 1940 presidential election 1940 Republican Party presidential primaries 1940 United States presidential election In 1940, the Republican nomination was won by Wendell Willkie over Thomas E. Dewey and Robert A. Taft. Willkie owed his nomination to late momentum, at least in part a result of his avowed internationalism; while Dewey and Taft had taken competing stances as isolationists, their popularity declined in response to the growing anxiety over World War II following the fall of France. Dewey, the 38-year old Manhattan district attorney, was particularly damaged by perception that he lacked the experience necessary to manage increasingly bellicose foreign powers. Following his loss to incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Willkie retained a public profile. As the United States entered the war, he took an aggressive stance in favor of Roosevelt's diplomatic and military policies, unlike most of his party. 1942 midterms In the 1942 midterm elections, Republicans ended the Democratic supermajority in the United States Senate.Murphy Paul 1974 Political Parties In American History, Volume 3, 1890-present G. P. Putnam's Sons Dewey ascended to leadership of the moderate Eastern wing of the party after his election as Governor of New York, one of the country's most powerful offices. 1943: Willkie declines As the American war effort progressed, the Republican Party struggled to find common ground on the divisive issue of foreign policy. Wendell Willkie had no such hesitation, publishing his views in the April 1943 book One World, an account of his trip abroad serving as a representative for President Roosevelt. The book alienated Republican nationalists, given Willkie's avowed Wilsonian idealism, and Western foreign policy professionals of all stripes, given his calls to abolish empire and defense of Joseph Stalin. The book was the third non-fiction to sell one million copies since 1900, but his tone and ongoing efforts to ally with the White House alienated Willkie from his adopted party and many of his former supporters.Smith 1982 382–86 One such alienated supporter was Harold Stassen, whose backing had been crucial to Willkie's nomination in 1940; Stassen now began to consider a campaign of his own.Smith 1982 382–86 A poll of delegates to the 1940 convention marked Willkie as the weakest possible candidate for 1944; the delegates now favored Dewey, followed by Ohio Governor John W. Bricker. Dewey also led public polling over Willkie.Smith 1982 382–86 Members of the party made plans to prevent Willkie from winning the party's nomination in the 1944 election. Clarence Budington Kelland, a member of the Republican National Committee, wrote in a letter to Landon that Harrison E. Spangler, the chair of the party, was attempting to find ten to twelve men to serve as new national figures of the party. Landon and House Minority Leader Joseph W. Martin Jr. worked on stopping Willkie and finding a replacement nominee. As 1944 began, the frontrunners for the Republican nomination appeared to be Willkie, Taft, and Dewey again. They were joined by General Douglas MacArthur, serving as Allied commander of the Pacific theater, and former Governor of Minnesota Harold Stassen, also serving the war effort in the Pacific as a naval officer. However, Taft surprised many by announcing he was not a candidate and instead backing Governor John W. Bricker, a fellow conservative Ohioan. With Taft out of the race, conservatives were divided between Bricker and General MacArthur. However, the campaign for MacArthur was limited by the General's inability to participate. Candidates Nominee CandidateExperienceHome stateCampaignPopular voteContests wonRunning mateThomas E. Deweyalt=|106x106pxGovernor of New York(1943–1954) Manhattan District Attorney(1938-1941) Candidate for president in 1940alt=|84x84px|New York (state)New York(Campaign) Secured nomination: June 26, 1944766,326 (33.9%)3John W. Bricker Major candidates These candidates participated in multiple state primaries or were included in multiple major national polls. CandidateExperienceHome stateCampaign Popular voteContests wonJohn W. Brickeralt=|106x106pxGovernor of Ohio(1939–1945) Attorney General of Ohio(1933–1937)alt=|85x85pxOhio(Campaign)326,444 (16.0%)1Douglas MacArthur105x105pxMilitary Advisor to the Philippines(1930–1935) Army Chief of Staff(1930–1935)94x94px|New YorkNew York(Campaign)January 20251Harold Stassen105x105pxGovernor of Minnesota(1939–1943)94x94pxMinnesota(Campaign)67,508 (3.0%)1Earl Warrenalt=|111x111pxGovernor of California(1943–1953) Attorney General of California(1939–1943) Chair of the California Republican Party(1932-1938) District Attorney of Alameda County(1925-1939) Candidate for president in 1936alt=|98x98pxCalifornia(Campaign)278,272 (26.0%)1Wendell Willkiealt=|116x116px Nominee for president in 1940 Activist and Statesman(1940–1944) Businessman(1919-1939)alt=|94x94px|New York (state)New York(Campaign)January 20250 Favorite sons The following candidates ran only in their home state's primary or caucus for the purpose of controlling its delegate slate at the convention and did not appear to be considered national candidates by the media. CandidateExperienceHome stateJoseph H. Bottumalt=|101x101pxState Director of Taxation(1937–1943)alt=|82x82pxSouth DakotaCharles A. Christophersonalt=|99x99pxU.S. Representative from SD-1 (1919–1933)alt=|82x82pxSouth DakotaChapman Revercombalt=|101x101pxU.S. Senator from West Virginia (1943–1949)alt=|82x82pxWest VirginiaLeverett Saltonstallalt=|108x108pxGovernor of Massachusetts (1939–1945)112x112px MassachusettsRiley A. BenderBusinessman? January 202584x84px|Illinois IllinoisSimeon Willisalt=|115x115pxGovernor of Kentucky(1943–1947)75x75px|Illinois KentuckyDwight Griswoldalt=|118x118pxGovernor of Nebraska(1941–1947)84x84px|Nebraska Nebraska Declined to run Senator Robert Taft of Ohio Senator Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan Polling National polling Graph of opinion polls conducted for the 1944 Republican Party presidential primaries.chart Graph of opinion polls conducted for the 1944 Republican Party presidential primaries.tab 500px yes Graph of opinion polls conducted SourcePublicationJohn W. Bricker 1 4Thomas Dewey 1 4Gen. Douglas MacArthur 1 4Harold Stassen 1 4Earl Warren 1 4Wendell Willkie 1 4Galluphttps://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=55184&ShowAllMUPoll=Y US President - R Primaries 15 Nov 2004 OurCampaigns.com 8 Apr 2020May 19438%38%17%7%1%28%GallupJune 194310%37%15%7%1%28%GallupSep. 19438%32%19%6%1%28%GallupDec. 194310%36%15%6%1%25%GallupJan. 19448%42%18%6%–23%GallupApr. 19449%55%20%7%–7%GallupMay 19449%65%–5%2%–GallupJune 194412%58%–6%–– Statewide contest by winner Willkie withdrew from the presidential campaign following his poor results in the Wisconsin primary. + Date PrimaryDelegates Douglas MacArthur Earl Warren John W. Bricker Thomas Dewey Harold Stassen Wendell Willkie Unpledged March 14 New Hampshire – – – 2 – – 100% April 5 WisconsinSearch UW-Madison Libraries https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AQVJ6L7MLLNNJK8H/full/A5U5PXDCUDGIAQ8S 2026-04-25 search.library.wisc.edu22 276,811 (24%) – 1(0%) 15143,041 (40%) 467,495 20% 49,535 16% –April 11 Illinoisnonbinding This was a non-binding preference primary with no delegates at stake. 92% – – 2% –– 6%Businessman Riley A. Bender received 6% of the vote. Nebraskanonbinding – – – 23% 66%10% – April 23 Pennsylvanianonbinding 5% – 2% 84% 1%2% – April 25 Massachusetts – – – – –– 100% May 1 Marylandnonbinding – – – – –21% 79%May 2 South Dakotanonbinding – – – – –– 100%60% of the vote was for Charles A. Christopherson and 40% was for Joseph H. Bottum Ohio – – 50(100%) – –– – West Virginianonbinding – – – – –– 100%All of the vote was for Senator Chapman Revercomb, the only candidate on the ballot.May 16 California – 100% – – –– – New Jerseynonbinding 1% – 1% 86% 1%3% – May 19 Oregon – – 5% 15(78%) 9%5% – The convention + Convention votePresidential ballot 1 Vice-presidential ballot 1New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey 1,056 Ohio Governor John W. Bricker 1,057General Douglas MacArthur 1 Abstaining 2 See also 1944 Democratic Party presidential primaries References Bibliography Smith Richard Norton Richard Norton Smith Thomas Dewey and His Times 1982 Simon and Schuster 978-0-671-41741-3 https://archive.org/details/thomasedeweyhist00smit registration Category:Thomas E. Dewey Category:Douglas MacArthur