United States presidential election, 1944 facts for kids
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531 electoral votes of the Electoral College 266 electoral votes needed to win |
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Presidential election results map. Red denotes states won by Dewey/Bricker, Blue denotes those won by Roosevelt/Truman. Numbers indicate the number of electoral votes allotted to each state.
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The United States presidential election of 1944 took place on Tuesday, November 7, 1944. The current President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, won the election. He was a Democrat. His opponent was Thomas E. Dewey from the Republican Party.
Roosevelt won 432 votes in the Electoral College. Dewey won 99 votes. This election was special because Roosevelt won his fourth term as President. No other president has served this long.
This election happened during the last part of World War II. The war was going well for the United States and its Allies. President Roosevelt was very popular. He had already served more terms than any other president.
Dewey, who was the Governor of New York, wanted to change things. He campaigned against Roosevelt's "New Deal" programs. He wanted a smaller government. But most people in the country wanted to stick with Roosevelt during the war.
Roosevelt's helpers kept his poor health a secret. He sadly passed away just three months after starting his fourth term. His Vice President, Harry S. Truman, then became president.
Contents
The 1944 Presidential Campaign
The Republican Party wanted to change the way the government worked. They campaigned against the "New Deal" programs. These programs had been started by President Roosevelt to help the country during the Great Depression. Republicans wanted the government to be smaller. They also wanted fewer rules for businesses.
President Roosevelt was still very popular. His popularity was a big part of his campaign. There were rumors that he was not healthy. To show he was strong, Roosevelt made a long campaign trip in October. He rode in an open car through many cities.
Roosevelt's Famous Fala Speech
A memorable moment in the campaign was when Roosevelt gave a speech on national radio. He made fun of Republican claims. They said his government wasted tax money and was corrupt. He especially laughed at a story that he had sent a US Navy warship to pick up his dog, Fala. Fala was a Scottish Terrier. The Republicans claimed the dog was picked up in Alaska.
Roosevelt joked that "Fala was furious" about these rumors. The audience laughed and clapped loudly.
Dewey's Response and War Successes
In response, Dewey gave a strong speech a few days later. He accused Roosevelt of being connected to corrupt Democratic groups. He also said Roosevelt was linked to American Communists. Dewey called members of Roosevelt's team a "motley crew."
However, the Allies had important victories in the war during the campaign. These included freeing Paris in August 1944. They also won the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines in October 1944. These war successes were a huge help to Roosevelt's campaign. They showed that his leadership was working.
Election Results
The election results showed that most Americans wanted Roosevelt to continue leading the country during the war.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt and his running mate, Harry S. Truman, won the election.
- They received 25,612,916 votes from the public. This was about 53.4% of all votes.
- They won 432 electoral votes. This was about 81.4% of the total electoral votes.
- Thomas E. Dewey and his running mate, John W. Bricker, lost the election.
- They received 22,017,929 votes from the public. This was about 45.9% of all votes.
- They won 99 electoral votes. This was about 18.6% of the total electoral votes.
Why This Election Was Important
The 1944 presidential election was a big moment in American politics. It was important for a few reasons:
- It was the first time a candidate for president was born in the 20th century.
- It was the last time the Democratic Party won every state in the southern United States.
- This election also led to a new rule. In 1951, the Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed. This rule says that a president can only serve two terms. This was a direct result of Roosevelt serving four terms.
Images for kids
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Roosevelt/Truman poster
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Results by county showing the winning candidate's percentage. Blue for Roosevelt (Democratic), red for Dewey (Republican), and green for “No Candidate” (Texas Regulars).
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General Douglas MacArthur from New York
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Former Governor Harold Stassen of Minnesota
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Businessman Wendell Willkie from New York
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Presidential election results by county
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Democratic presidential election results by county
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Republican presidential election results by county
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"Other" presidential election results by county
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See also
In Spanish: Elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 1944 para niños
