The Presidential Election of 1944 took place during World War 2 and would be the fourth time that Franklin Roosevelt would run for President.
FDR had come to power during a different time. He had guided the nation through the Great Depression and World War 2. Ironically, it was World War 2 that bolstered the American economy and brought them out of the Great Depression.
The citizens of the United States loved and trusted FDR. He was their president, and they did not want to let him go. However, his health was failing, and he probably should not have run for President; however, he wanted to guide America to a close of this war.
The Republicans had begun to gain some power in the government after the FDR decade of dominance. However, the war was going well for the Allies at this point, and Roosevelt received much of the credit, and he remained popular.
The candidates were as follows:
- Republicans: Thomas Dewey and Vice President John W. Bricker
- Democrats: Franklin D. Roosevelt and Vice President Harry S. Truman
Platforms
Republicans: Thomas Dewey campaigned against Roosevelt's New Deal and had the support of General MacArthur. They again attacked the efficiency of the New Deal but were in an uphill battle as the war was trending towards a victory for the Allies. They continued to speak about the additional terms that Roosevelt had served.
Democrats: Roosevelt stuck to the war and also delivered an electric speech to labor unions to gain their support. It was important to Roosevelt to see this war through. Despite the Polio that he was suffering from, Roosevelt wanted to finish what had been started. He remained popular among Americans and had been a fixture throughout the Great Depression and World War 2.
Outcome
The Republicans made a little ground, but FDR won in another landslide.
It was clear that America trusted him. However, they did not know about his health. His health was failing, and Americans really did not vote for Roosevelt but instead for Harry Truman.
Roosevelt would die three months after he was elected, and Truman would become President prior to the war being completed.
The main issue was that of reconstruction after the war was over. Should Dewey oversee it or Roosevelt? Roosevelt would win the election based on his leadership and ability to connect with the voters.