1944 Republican Party presidential primaries
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From March 14 to May 19, 1944, voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for president in the 1944 United States presidential election. The nominee was selected through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1944 Republican National Convention held from June 26 to June 28, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois.[1]
At the 1944 Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, Thomas E. Dewey easily overcame 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.
Candidates[]
The Republican Party was divided over how to respond to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration. Wendell Willkie, the party's 1940 nominee, supported Roosevelt's foreign policies, Alf Landon, the party's 1936 nominee, supported a compromise, and Senator Gerald Nye opposed his policies. The Republicans gained enough seats in the United States Senate in the 1942 elections to end the Democrat's supermajority control.[2]
Willkie's support of Roosevelt's policies and work as Roosevelt's personal representative in foreign affairs decreased his influence in the party. 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 create ten to twelve new national figures. Landon and House Minority Leader Joseph W. Martin Jr. worked on stopping Willkie and finding a nominee to replace him.[2]
As 1944 began the frontrunners for the Republican nomination appeared to be Willkie, the party's 1940 candidate, Senator Robert A. 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.
Major candidates[]
These candidates participated in multiple state primaries or were included in multiple major national polls.
Competing in primaries[]
| Candidate | Most recent position | Home state | Campaign | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas E. Dewey | 
|
Governor of New York (1943–54) |
 New York |
(Campaign) | |
| Douglas MacArthur | 
|
Army Chief of Staff (1930–35) |
 New York |
(Campaign) | |
| Harold Stassen | 
|
Former Governor of Minnesota (1939–43) |
 Minnesota |
(Campaign) | |
| Wendell Willkie | 
|
Businessman and 1940 presidential nominee |
New York |
(Campaign) | |
Bypassing primaries[]
The following candidates did not actively campaign for any state's presidential primary (other than their own), but may have had their name placed on the ballot by supporters or may have sought to influence to selection of un-elected delegates or sought the support of uncommitted delegates.
| Candidate | Most recent position | Home state | Campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John W. Bricker | 
|
Governor of Ohio (1939–45) |
 Ohio |
|
| Earl Warren | 
|
Governor of California (1943–53) |
 California |
|
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.
- State Director of Taxation Joseph H. Bottum of South Dakota
- Representative Charles A. Christopherson of South Dakota
- Senator Chapman Revercomb of West Virginia
- Governor Earl Warren of California
Declined to run[]
- Senator Robert Taft of Ohio
- Senator Arthur Vandenburg of Michigan
Polling[]
National polling[]
| Source | Publication | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallup[3] | May 1943 | 8% | 38% | 17% | 7% | 1% | 28% |
| Gallup[3] | June 1943 | 10% | 37% | 15% | 7% | 1% | 28% |
| Gallup[3] | Sep. 1943 | 8% | 32% | 19% | 6% | 1% | 28% |
| Gallup[3] | Dec. 1943 | 10% | 36% | 15% | 6% | 1% | 25% |
| Gallup[3] | Jan. 1944 | 8% | 42% | 18% | 6% | – | 23% |
| Gallup[3] | Apr. 1944 | 9% | 55% | 20% | 7% | – | 7% |
| Gallup[3] | May 1944 | 9% | 65% | – | 5% | 2% | – |
| Gallup[3] | June 1944 | 12% | 58% | – | 6% | – | – |
Statewide contest by winner[]
Willkie withdrew from the presidential campaign following his poor results in the Wisconsin primary.[2]
| Date | Primary | Douglas MacArthur | Earl Warren | John W. Bricker | Thomas Dewey | W. Chapman Revercomb | Harold Stassen | Riley A. Bender | Charles A. Christopherson | Wendell Willkie | Joseph H. Bottum | Unpledged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 14 | New Hampshire | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| April 5 | Wisconsin | 24% | 0% | 0% | 40% | 0% | 20% | 0% | 0% | 16% | 0% | 0% |
| April 11 | Illinois | 92% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| April 11 | Nebraska | 0% | 0% | 0% | 23% | 0% | 66% | 0% | 0% | 10% | 0% | 0% |
| April 23 | Pennsylvania | 5% | 0% | 2% | 84% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
| April 25 | Massachusetts | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| May 1 | Maryland | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 21% | 0% | 79% |
| May 2 | South Dakota | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 60% | 0% | 40% | 0% |
| May 2 | Ohio | 0% | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| May 2 | West Virginia | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| May 16 | California | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| May 16 | New Jersey | 1% | 0% | 1% | 86% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 3% | 0% | 0% |
| May 19 | Oregon | 0% | 0% | 5% | 78% | 0% | 9% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 0% | 0% |
The convention[]
| Presidential ballot | 1 | Vice-presidential ballot | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey | 1,056 | Ohio Governor John W. Bricker | 1,057 |
| General Douglas MacArthur | 1 | Abstaining | 2 |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Kalb, Deborah (2016-02-19). Guide to U.S. Elections - Google Books. ISBN 9781483380353. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ^ a b c Murphy, Paul (1974). Political Parties In American History, Volume 3, 1890-present. G. P. Putnam's Sons.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "US President - R Primaries". OurCampaigns.com. 15 Nov 2004. Retrieved 8 Apr 2020.
- 1944 United States Republican presidential primaries