1944 United States presidential election in Wisconsin

none June 2025 September 2023 1944 United States presidential election in Wisconsin Wisconsin 1913 presidential no 1940 United States presidential election in Wisconsin 1940 1948 United States presidential election in Wisconsin 1948 November 7, 1944 x200px Dewey circa 1946 (cropped).jpg Thomas E. Dewey Republican Party (United States) New York John W. Bricker 12 674,532 50.37% 1944 portrait of FDR (1)(small).jpg Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic Party (United States) New York Harry S. Truman 0 650,413 48.57% 1944 United States presidential election in Wisconsin results map by county.svg 300px County results Dewey #f2b3be 40–50% #e27f90 50–60% #cc2f4a 60–70% #d40000 70–80% Roosevelt #b9d7ff 40–50% #86b6f2 50–60% #4389e3 60–70% President Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic Party (United States) Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic Party (United States) The 1944 United States presidential election in Wisconsin was held on November 7, 1944, as part of the 1944 United States presidential election. State voters chose 12 electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Politics in Wisconsin since the Populist movement had been dominated by the Republican Party.Burnham, Walter Dean; 'The System of 1896: An Analysis'; in The Evolution of American Electoral Systems, pp. 178-179 0313213798 The Democratic Party had been uncompetitive outside certain eastern German as the upper classes, along with the majority of workers who followed them, fled from William Jennings Bryan's agrarian and free silver sympathies.Sundquist, James; Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years, p. 526 0815719094 Although the state did develop a strong Socialist Party to provide opposition to the GOP, Wisconsin developed the direct Republican primary in 1903 and this ultimately created competition between the "League" under Robert M. La Follette, and the conservative "Regular" faction.Hansen, John Mark; Shigeo Hirano, and Snyder, James M. Jr.; 'Parties within Parties: Parties, Factions, and Coordinated Politics, 1900-1980'; in Gerber, Alan S. and Schickler, Eric; Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America, pp. 165-168 978-1-107-09509-0 This ultimately would develop into the Wisconsin Progressive Party in the late 1930s, which was opposed to the conservative German Democrats and to the national Republican Party, and allied with Franklin D. Roosevelt at the federal level. During the 1940 presidential election, fought whilst the United States was still neutral in World War II, the conservative German counties, especially the "WOW counties" near Milwaukee and other counties along the Lake Michigan coast, turned abruptly away from Roosevelt. These counties viewed Russian Communism as a much greater threat to America than German Nazism,Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 387-388 978-0-691-16324-6 and believed Roosevelt offered too much aid to Britain and France.Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 47, 159 The result was that the historically Democratic German Catholic counties like Kewaunee and Calumet rivalled longtime GOP bastions like Waupaca and Waushara Counties as the most Republican in the state, and GOP nominee Wendell Willkie came within two points of carrying the state after Alf Landon had lost by two-to-one four years earlier. Early Gallup polls in August showed Republican nominee Thomas E. Dewey leading Roosevelt in WisconsinGallup, George; 'Three More Midwest States Throw Support to Dewey'; The Washington Post, August 9, 1944, p. 2 by as much as twelve percentage points at the end of the second week of that month.Gallup, George; 'Dewey Leads 32-State Poll'; The Washington Post, August 13, 1944, p. B5 The fact that the state's disintegrating Progressive Party was divided on whether to support Roosevelt did nothing to help the President,'How Wisconsin Looks to Gould Lincoln'; Daily Boston Globe, October 3, 1944, p. 5 neither did Dewey's claim that Roosevelt had close ties to Communists at home and abroad.Fried, Richard M.; '"Operation Polecat": Thomas E. Dewey, the 1948 Election, and the Origins of McCarthyism'; Journal of Policy History, Vol. 22, Issue 1, (January 2010), pp. 1-22 Although wartime conditions limited campaigning in the state by the two Dutchess County natives, by mid-October polls had not changed from where they were two months previously.'Dewey Gains in Midwest Farm States: Gallup'; The Washington Post, October 11, 1944, p. 1 At that time Governor Dewey visited Milwaukee on a rail trip to Minneapolis,Folliard, Edward T.; 'Dewey Leaves Today on New Midwest Tour'; The Washington Post, October 23, 1944, p. 3 and more detailed opinion polls later in October said that powerful isolationist sentiment in rural Wisconsin and tighter unity of his opposition would ensure that Roosevelt had little hope of holding the state.Catledge, Turner; 'Isolationism Dims Wisconsin Picture: Labor Backers of Roosevelt Have Task of Overcoming Strong Trend to Dewey'; The New York Times, October 22, 1944, p. 39 Ultimately Dewey carried Wisconsin as polls had predicted he would, although by a substantially smaller margin of just 1.80 percentage points. Continuing trends in Third Party System Democratic counties around Green Bay and Appleton proved decisive in tipping the state, as Dewey tightened Willkie gains that would not be substantially reversed in the ensuing eighty years: even during Lyndon B. Johnson's 1964 landslide, Republican Barry Goldwater did much better in this area than he did nationally. This was the first election in which Forest County and Vilas County did not vote for the eventual winner in Wisconsin. Ashland County also saw its state bellwether streak broken for the first time since 1884. Starting with this election, Buffalo County and Trempealeau County would back the statewide winner in every election until 2020 and Barron County would do the same until 2000. Results 1944 United States presidential election in WisconsinWisconsin Historical Society, Certificate of Board of State Canvassers Relative to Presidential Candidates and Presidential Electors - November 7, 1944The Wisconsin Blue Book 1946 Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library Summary Vote For President By Counties Madison, Wisconsin 662 https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AQVJ6L7MLLNNJK8H/full/AS27HVJVOYY7348WPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Republican Thomas E. Dewey 674,532 50.37% 12 Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt (incumbent) 650,413 48.57% 0 Socialist Norman Thomas 13,205 0.99% 0 Socialist LaborWas listed as "Independent Socialist Labor" in Wisconsin Edward A. Teichert 1,002 0.07% 0 Totals 1,339,152 100.00% 12 Results by county County Thomas E. DeweyRepublican Franklin D. RooseveltDemocratic Norman ThomasSocialist Edward A. TeichertSocialist Labor Margin Total votescast # % # % # % # % # % Adams 1,579 51.40% 1,478 48.11% 10 0.33% 5 0.16% 101 3.29% 3,072 Ashland 3,183 40.60% 4,609 58.80% 42 0.54% 5 0.06% -1,426 -18.19% 7,839 Barron 7,137 55.66% 5,585 43.55% 92 0.72% 9 0.07% 1,552 12.10% 12,823 Bayfield 2,475 42.02% 3,362 57.08% 48 0.81% 5 0.08% -887 -15.06% 5,890 Brown 17,762 50.14% 17,576 49.61% 76 0.21% 12 0.03% 186 0.53% 35,426 Buffalo 3,416 63.19% 1,948 36.03% 39 0.72% 3 0.06% 1,468 27.16% 5,406 Burnett 2,119 52.72% 1,868 46.48% 26 0.65% 6 0.15% 251 6.25% 4,019 Calumet 5,611 73.58% 1,966 25.78% 46 0.60% 3 0.04% 3,645 47.80% 7,626 Chippewa 7,691 53.59% 6,567 45.76% 77 0.54% 16 0.11% 1,124 7.83% 14,351 Clark 7,948 62.80% 4,612 36.44% 89 0.70% 8 0.06% 3,336 26.36% 12,657 Columbia 7,867 56.50% 5,997 43.07% 55 0.40% 5 0.04% 1,870 13.43% 13,924 Crawford 4,199 57.12% 3,130 42.58% 21 0.29% 1 0.01% 1,069 14.54% 7,351 Dane 23,021 37.96% 37,076 61.13% 530 0.87% 24 0.04% -14,055 -23.17% 60,651 Dodge 14,102 64.44% 7,667 35.04% 102 0.47% 12 0.05% 6,435 29.41% 21,883 Door 5,668 68.25% 2,599 31.29% 30 0.36% 8 0.10% 3,069 36.95% 8,305 Douglas 7,132 35.20% 12,985 64.08% 134 0.66% 12 0.06% -5,853 -28.89% 20,263 Dunn 5,980 60.37% 3,853 38.90% 69 0.70% 3 0.03% 2,127 21.47% 9,905 Eau Claire 9,470 51.13% 8,962 48.39% 86 0.46% 2 0.01% 508 2.74% 18,520 Florence 765 45.59% 897 53.46% 15 0.89% 1 0.06% -132 -7.87% 1,678 Fond du Lac 16,785 63.81% 9,378 35.65% 128 0.49% 15 0.06% 7,407 28.16% 26,306 Forest 1,391 36.22% 2,436 63.44% 10 0.26% 3 0.08% -1,045 -27.21% 3,840 Grant 10,226 62.56% 6,091 37.27% 24 0.15% 4 0.02% 4,135 25.30% 16,345 Green 5,556 57.28% 4,101 42.28% 36 0.37% 6 0.06% 1,455 15.00% 9,699 Green Lake 4,571 67.38% 2,190 32.28% 17 0.25% 6 0.09% 2,381 35.10% 6,784 Iowa 4,608 56.00% 3,585 43.57% 30 0.36% 5 0.06% 1,023 12.43% 8,228 Iron 1,345 31.51% 2,894 67.81% 26 0.61% 3 0.07% -1,549 -36.29% 4,268 Jackson 3,182 50.86% 3,040 48.59% 30 0.48% 4 0.06% 142 2.27% 6,256 Jefferson 10,245 59.16% 6,988 40.35% 76 0.44% 8 0.05% 3,257 18.81% 17,317 Juneau 4,733 61.97% 2,857 37.41% 42 0.55% 5 0.07% 1,876 24.56% 7,637 Kenosha 12,436 39.96% 18,325 58.88% 337 1.08% 23 0.07% -5,889 -18.92% 31,121 Kewaunee 4,153 61.25% 2,611 38.51% 15 0.22% 1 0.01% 1,542 22.74% 6,780 La Crosse 12,784 50.93% 12,247 48.79% 65 0.26% 7 0.03% 537 2.14% 25,103 Lafayette 4,421 54.27% 3,696 45.37% 26 0.32% 4 0.05% 725 8.90% 8,147 Langlade 4,036 48.23% 4,310 51.50% 19 0.23% 4 0.05% -274 -3.27% 8,369 Lincoln 5,564 64.71% 2,938 34.17% 78 0.91% 18 0.21% 2,626 30.54% 8,598 Manitowoc 14,047 53.52% 11,949 45.53% 217 0.83% 34 0.13% 2,098 7.99% 26,247 Marathon 15,782 53.54% 13,192 44.75% 484 1.64% 19 0.06% 2,590 8.79% 29,477 Marinette 7,159 52.21% 6,483 47.28% 59 0.43% 11 0.08% 676 4.93% 13,712 Marquette 2,853 73.47% 1,016 26.17% 14 0.36% 0 0.00% 1,837 47.31% 3,883 Milwaukee 142,448 40.15% 205,282 57.85% 6,705 1.89% 395 0.11% -62,834 -17.71% 354,830 Monroe 7,277 64.09% 4,013 35.34% 61 0.54% 3 0.03% 3,264 28.75% 11,354 Oconto 5,923 57.38% 4,348 42.12% 45 0.44% 6 0.06% 1,575 15.26% 10,322 Oneida 3,253 44.06% 4,076 55.21% 53 0.72% 1 0.01% -823 -11.15% 7,383 Outagamie 18,294 64.44% 9,955 35.07% 120 0.42% 20 0.07% 8,339 29.37% 28,389 Ozaukee 5,655 60.66% 3,579 38.39% 81 0.87% 8 0.09% 2,076 22.27% 9,323 Pepin 1,902 64.28% 1,029 34.78% 25 0.84% 3 0.10% 873 29.50% 2,959 Pierce 5,137 62.40% 3,033 36.84% 60 0.73% 3 0.04% 2,104 25.56% 8,233 Polk 5,329 53.58% 4,489 45.14% 121 1.22% 6 0.06% 840 8.45% 9,945 Portage 5,405 38.27% 8,678 61.44% 36 0.25% 6 0.04% -3,273 -23.17% 14,125 Price 3,258 47.78% 3,515 51.55% 40 0.59% 6 0.09% -257 -3.77% 6,819 Racine 18,220 41.11% 25,697 57.97% 390 0.88% 18 0.04% -7,477 -16.87% 44,325 Richland 5,088 61.85% 3,109 37.79% 24 0.29% 5 0.06% 1,979 24.06% 8,226 Rock 18,477 52.23% 16,766 47.39% 104 0.29% 29 0.08% 1,711 4.84% 35,376 Rusk 3,092 48.40% 3,238 50.69% 42 0.66% 16 0.25% -146 -2.29% 6,388 Sauk 9,751 62.72% 5,690 36.60% 95 0.61% 10 0.06% 4,061 26.12% 15,546 Sawyer 2,421 55.02% 1,947 44.25% 26 0.59% 6 0.14% 474 10.77% 4,400 Shawano 8,732 68.16% 4,015 31.34% 57 0.44% 7 0.05% 4,717 36.82% 12,811 Sheboygan 15,291 49.42% 15,062 48.68% 557 1.80% 28 0.09% 229 0.74% 30,938 St. Croix 5,660 53.01% 4,930 46.17% 80 0.75% 8 0.07% 730 6.84% 10,678 Taylor 3,194 48.24% 3,215 48.56% 209 3.16% 3 0.05% -21 -0.32% 6,621 Trempealeau 4,719 51.06% 4,496 48.65% 27 0.29% 0 0.00% 223 2.41% 9,242 Vernon 5,676 51.04% 5,409 48.64% 19 0.17% 17 0.15% 267 2.40% 11,121 Vilas 2,021 48.91% 2,079 50.31% 25 0.61% 7 0.17% -58 -1.40% 4,132 Walworth 10,901 65.34% 5,696 34.14% 78 0.47% 8 0.05% 5,205 31.20% 16,683 Washburn 2,441 53.85% 2,059 45.42% 29 0.64% 4 0.09% 382 8.43% 4,533 Washington 8,921 69.44% 3,840 29.89% 77 0.60% 9 0.07% 5,081 39.55% 12,847 Waukesha 17,995 57.44% 13,038 41.62% 278 0.89% 15 0.05% 4,957 15.82% 31,326 Waupaca 11,495 74.44% 3,879 25.12% 63 0.41% 5 0.03% 7,616 49.32% 15,442 Waushara 4,675 75.54% 1,485 23.99% 27 0.44% 2 0.03% 3,190 51.54% 6,189 Winnebago 19,310 59.56% 12,841 39.61% 250 0.77% 19 0.06% 6,469 19.95% 32,420 Wood 9,569 57.92% 6,861 41.53% 81 0.49% 9 0.05% 2,708 16.39% 16,520Totals674,53250.37%650,41348.57%13,2050.99%1,0020.07%24,1191.80%1,339,152 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Adams Brown Burnett Eau Claire Jackson Manitowoc Marinette Sheboygan Washburn Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Florence Electors These were the names of the electors on each ticket. Franklin D. Roosevelt & Harry S. TrumanDemocratic Party Thomas E. Dewey & John W. BrickerRepublican Party Norman Thomas & Darlington HoopesSocialist Party Edward A. Teichert & Arla A. AlbaughSocialist Labor Party text-align:center William McCauley James Corcoran Katherine Wenning Jane Schultz Albert Wolfe Walter McGrath Clem Kalvelage Charles E. Broughton John Lawrie Frank Sturzl Mary Quinn Felix Idziorek text-align:center Melvin R. Laird Arthur A. Lenroot Jr. Edward F. Hilker George Hartman William R. Graves Charles I. Wesley Julius P. Heil William J. Campbell Julius Spearbraker Frank P. Corelisen Kenneth White Carl V. Nelson text-align:center Edward Weston Frank Lubinski Arthur Swenson Dorothy Bright Arthur C. Ochsner Christine Podjavorsek Emil Brodde Ferdinand Albertin Herman Marth Clinton B. Ballard Olin Swenson Henry Bergmann text-align:center Frank Brlas Arnold Fortman Marko Golubich Robert Hofem Jerry R. Kenyon Anthony Kolosso Louis Myler Stephen Paschke Sebastian Rack Alex Schaufelberger Jr. Walter E. Semrau Arthur E. Wepfer See also United States presidential elections in Wisconsin Notes References 60em Wisconsin 1944 Category:1944 Wisconsin elections