1948 United States presidential election in Wisconsin explained

See main article: article and 1948 United States presidential election.

Election Name:1948 United States presidential election in Wisconsin
Country:Wisconsin
Flag Year:1913
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1944 United States presidential election in Wisconsin
Previous Year:1944
Next Election:1952 United States presidential election in Wisconsin
Next Year:1952
Election Date:November 2, 1948
Image1:Harry S Truman, bw half-length photo portrait, facing front, 1945 (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Harry S. Truman
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State1:Missouri
Running Mate1:Alben W. Barkley
Electoral Vote1:12
Popular Vote1:647,310
Percentage1:50.70%
Nominee2:Thomas E. Dewey
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Home State2:New York
Running Mate2:Earl Warren
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:590,959
Percentage2:46.28%
Map Size:315px
President
Before Election:Harry S. Truman
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Harry S. Truman
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 1948 United States presidential election in Wisconsin was held on November 2, 1948, as part of the 1948 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.[1] The Democratic Party became uncompetitive outside certain eastern German areas as the upper classes, along with the majority of workers who followed them, fled from William Jennings Bryan’s agrarian and free silver sympathies.[2] 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.[3] 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 two wartime elections, the formerly Democratic German counties in the east of the state – which had been powerfully opposed to the Civil War because they saw it as a “Yankee” war and opposed the military draft instituted during it[4] – viewed Communism as a much greater threat to America than Nazism and consequently opposed President Roosevelt's war effort.[5] Consequently, these historically Democratic counties became virtually the most Republican in the entire state, and the two wartime elections were very close after Roosevelt had in 1932 and 1936, aided by the support of Robert M. La Follette Jr., carried Wisconsin by more than two-to-one.

As the Progressive Party disintegrated and its members returned to the GOP, that party regained its hegemony in the state legislature and Congressional representation, so that by 1946 Wisconsin had an entirely Republican Congressional delegation for the first time since the 71st Congress, and the Democrats’ representation in the state legislature fell as low as it had been since that same point.

Although the state's Republican presidential primary went to Harold E. Stassen of neighboring Minnesota, the earliest polls had second-time nominee Thomas E. Dewey well ahead of incumbent Harry S. Truman.[6] A final poll on the first day of November had Dewey leading by 56 percent to 41 percent, with “People’s Progressive” nominee and former Vice-president Henry A. Wallace on three percent.[7]

Nonetheless, as he achieved elsewhere in the Midwest, Truman made a major comeback to claim Wisconsin by a larger margin than Roosevelt had done in 1940. His victory was attributed to the fact that Dewey, compared to 1944, soft-pedalled the issue of communism,[8] to the fact that a large number of isolationist voters who had been responsible for the dramatic Republican presidential gains earlier in the decade stayed home, and to fear of loss of New Deal farm programs if Dewey were elected.[9] Henry Wallace's candidacy, of which much had been expected due to the state's isolationism, disappointed, receiving only 1.98 percent of the vote mostly from historically progressive Scandinavian-Americans,[10] further helping Truman.

Results

1948 United States presidential election in Wisconsin[11] [12]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
DemocraticHarry S. Truman (incumbent)647,31050.70%12
RepublicanThomas E. Dewey590,95946.28%0
People's ProgressiveHenry A. Wallace25,2821.98%0
SocialistNorman Thomas12,5470.98%0
Independent Socialist LaborEdward A. Teichert3990.03%0
Independent Socialist WorkersFarrell Dobbs3030.02%0
Totals1,276,800100.00%12

Results by county

CountyHarry S. Truman
Democratic
Thomas E. Dewey
Republican
Henry A. Wallace
Progressive
Norman Thomas
Socialist
All Others
Various
MarginTotal votes cast
%%%%%%
Adams1,41951.39%1,25945.60%702.54%100.36%30.11%1605.80%2,761
Ashland4,11054.73%3,13541.75%2343.12%280.37%20.03%97512.98%7,509
Barron6,14851.17%5,51645.91%2862.38%660.55%00.00%6325.26%12,016
Bayfield3,08152.80%2,33840.07%3926.72%240.41%00.00%74312.73%5,835
Brown18,44950.47%17,72948.50%2430.66%1210.33%160.04%7201.97%36,558
Buffalo2,56351.33%2,35047.07%480.96%310.62%10.02%2134.27%4,993
Burnett2,17755.83%1,59040.78%1203.08%80.21%40.10%58715.06%3,899
Calumet2,66238.53%4,18560.57%320.46%270.39%30.04%-1,523-22.04%6,909
Chippewa7,70254.62%6,14643.58%2101.49%410.29%30.02%1,55611.03%14,102
Clark4,84043.31%5,88552.66%3823.42%640.57%40.04%-1,045-9.35%11,175
Columbia5,61546.14%6,40652.64%1040.85%420.35%20.02%-791-6.50%12,169
Crawford3,63950.65%3,46548.23%550.77%180.25%80.11%1742.42%7,185
Dane35,48658.50%22,93437.80%1,3412.21%8701.43%330.05%12,55220.69%60,664
Dodge8,21243.59%10,38155.11%1600.85%780.41%70.04%-2,169-11.51%18,838
Door2,44032.71%4,91165.84%901.21%180.24%00.00%-2,471-33.13%7,459
Douglas12,27863.79%6,25232.48%6203.22%940.49%40.02%6,02631.31%19,248
Dunn4,89452.16%4,31946.03%1311.40%330.35%50.05%5756.13%9,382
Eau Claire9,97155.27%7,82543.37%1780.99%670.37%10.01%2,14611.89%18,042
Florence88550.34%75643.00%1076.09%90.51%10.06%1297.34%1,758
Fond du Lac8,90438.57%13,76059.61%2831.23%1260.55%100.04%-4,856-21.04%23,083
Forest2,20861.97%1,25135.11%892.50%100.28%50.14%95726.86%3,563
Grant6,57543.57%8,29955.00%1250.83%870.58%30.02%-1,724-11.43%15,089
Green3,88146.21%4,40352.43%680.81%450.54%10.01%-522-6.22%8,398
Green Lake1,72230.06%3,93968.76%500.87%170.30%10.02%-2,217-38.70%5,729
Iowa3,91750.26%3,74548.05%1001.28%310.40%10.01%1722.21%7,794
Iron2,66563.32%1,28130.43%2405.70%210.50%20.05%1,38432.88%4,209
Jackson2,92152.51%2,55345.89%631.13%250.45%10.02%3686.62%5,563
Jefferson7,25646.13%8,24452.42%1510.96%750.48%20.01%-988-6.28%15,728
Juneau2,88942.43%3,79355.71%991.45%280.41%00.00%-904-13.28%6,809
Kenosha17,98756.02%12,78039.80%1,0463.26%2810.88%150.05%5,20716.22%32,109
Kewaunee2,74642.39%3,64656.28%640.99%150.23%70.11%-900-13.89%6,478
La Crosse12,34553.07%10,52545.25%2991.29%860.37%50.02%1,8207.82%23,260
Lafayette3,74052.65%3,28846.28%550.77%190.27%20.03%4526.36%7,104
Langlade4,34653.78%3,44142.58%2753.40%180.22%10.01%90511.20%8,081
Lincoln3,36842.67%4,33954.97%1401.77%370.47%100.13%-971-12.30%7,894
Manitowoc13,40153.90%10,94744.03%3551.43%1500.60%100.04%2,4549.87%24,863
Marathon15,89856.62%11,49440.93%3681.31%3101.10%90.03%4,40415.68%28,079
Marinette6,46851.48%5,86946.71%1691.35%560.45%30.02%5994.77%12,565
Marquette1,09534.59%2,03364.21%240.76%140.44%00.00%-938-29.63%3,166
Milwaukee187,63754.72%138,67240.44%9,7182.83%6,5211.90%3620.11%48,96514.28%342,910
Monroe4,97047.38%5,34750.97%1131.08%590.56%10.01%-377-3.59%10,490
Oconto4,26946.17%4,86552.61%680.74%440.48%10.01%-596-6.45%9,247
Oneida4,08150.92%3,72946.53%1511.88%460.57%80.10%3524.39%8,015
Outagamie11,23340.59%16,16158.40%1510.55%1190.43%80.03%-4,928-17.81%27,672
Ozaukee4,15945.17%4,86652.85%1231.34%590.64%10.01%-707-7.68%9,208
Pepin1,38149.96%1,33348.23%361.30%140.51%00.00%481.74%2,764
Pierce4,39552.91%3,75345.18%bgcolor="#5FD170"
| 121| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1.46%| | 36| | 0.43%| | 1| | 0.01%| | 642| | 7.73%| | 8,306|- style="text-align:center;"| | Polk| | 5,330| | 55.68%| | 3,974| | 41.52%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 216| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 2.26%| | 50| | 0.52%| | 2| | 0.02%| | 1,356| | 14.17%| | 9,572|- style="text-align:center;"| | Portage| | 8,154| | 59.13%| | 5,424| | 39.33%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 134| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 0.97%| | 71| | 0.51%| | 8| | 0.06%| | 2,730| | 19.80%| | 13,791|- style="text-align:center;"| | Price| | 3,373| | 49.71%| | 2,952| | 43.51%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 415| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 6.12%| | 41| | 0.60%| | 4| | 0.06%| | 421| | 6.20%| | 6,785|- style="text-align:center;"| | Racine| | 23,266| | 53.12%| | 19,029| | 43.45%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1,165| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 2.66%| | 329| | 0.75%| | 8| | 0.02%| | 4,237| | 9.67%| | 43,797|- style="text-align:center;"| | Richland| | 2,990| | 43.30%| | 3,836| | 55.55%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 60| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 0.87%| | 17| | 0.25%| | 3| | 0.04%| | -846| | -12.25%| | 6,906|- style="text-align:center;"| | Rock| | 16,150| | 47.93%| | 17,068| | 50.66%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 297| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 0.88%| | 167| | 0.50%| | 10| | 0.03%| | -918| | -2.72%| | 33,692|- style="text-align:center;"| | Rusk| | 3,401| | 54.51%| | 2,623| | 42.04%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 187| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 3.00%| | 26| | 0.42%| | 2| | 0.03%| | 778| | 12.47%| | 6,239|- style="text-align:center;"| | Sauk| | 5,831| | 43.82%| | 7,140| | 53.66%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 130| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 0.98%| | 197| | 1.48%| | 9| | 0.07%| | -1,309| | -9.84%| | 13,307|- style="text-align:center;"| | Sawyer| | 2,177| | 47.75%| | 2,257| | 49.51%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 100| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 2.19%| | 25| | 0.55%| | 0| | 0.00%| | -80| | -1.75%| | 4,559|- style="text-align:center;"| | Shawano| | 4,192| | 39.33%| | 6,286| | 58.97%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 136| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1.28%| | 45| | 0.42%| | 0| | 0.00%| | -2,094| | -19.65%| | 10,659|- style="text-align:center;"| | Sheboygan| | 15,339| | 53.00%| | 12,459| | 43.05%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 692| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 2.39%| | 431| | 1.49%| | 21| | 0.07%| | 2,880| | 9.95%| | 28,942|- style="text-align:center;"| | St. Croix| | 6,173| | 57.69%| | 4,326| | 40.43%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 154| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1.44%| | 48| | 0.45%| | 0| | 0.00%| | 1,847| | 17.26%| | 10,701|- style="text-align:center;"| | Taylor| | 3,184| | 51.99%| | 2,579| | 42.11%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 200| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 3.27%| | 159| | 2.60%| | 2| | 0.03%| | 605| | 9.88%| | 6,124|- style="text-align:center;"| | Trempealeau| | 4,711| | 55.67%| | 3,650| | 43.13%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 74| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 0.87%| | 23| | 0.27%| | 5| | 0.06%| | 1,061| | 12.54%| | 8,463|- style="text-align:center;"| | Vernon| | 5,226| | 55.18%| | 4,139| | 43.71%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 75| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 0.79%| | 24| | 0.25%| | 6| | 0.06%| | 1,087| | 11.48%| | 9,470|- style="text-align:center;"| | Vilas| | 1,688| | 36.93%| | 2,665| | 58.30%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 169| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 3.70%| | 39| | 0.85%| | 10| | 0.22%| | -977| | -21.37%| | 4,571|- style="text-align:center;"| | Walworth| | 5,377| | 33.29%| | 10,509| | 65.07%| bgcolor="#5FD170"}| 170| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1.05%| | 94| | 0.58%| | 1| | 0.01%| | -5,132| | -31.78%| | 16,151|- style="text-align:center;"| | Washburn| | 2,708| | 54.98%| | 2,059| | 41.81%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 131| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 2.66%| | 23| | 0.47%| | 4| | 0.08%| | 649| | 13.18%| | 4,925|- style="text-align:center;"| | Washington| | 4,495| | 38.87%| | 6,876| | 59.46%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 127| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1.10%| | 64| | 0.55%| | 3| | 0.03%| | -2,381| | -20.59%| | 11,565|- style="text-align:center;"| | Waukesha| | 13,952| | 43.67%| | 17,324| | 54.22%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 400| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1.25%| | 260| | 0.81%| | 14| | 0.04%| | -3,372| | -10.55%| | 31,950|- style="text-align:center;"| | Waupaca| | 4,020| | 30.97%| | 8,764| | 67.51%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 132| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1.02%| | 64| | 0.49%| | 2| | 0.02%| | -4,744| | -36.54%| | 12,982|- style="text-align:center;"| | Waushara| | 1,430| | 27.69%| | 3,594| | 69.60%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 110| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 2.13%| | 28| | 0.54%| | 2| | 0.04%| | -2,164| | -41.91%| | 5,164|- style="text-align:center;"| | Winnebago| | 13,116| | 42.16%| | 17,165| | 55.18%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 536| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 1.72%| | 278| | 0.89%| | 15| | 0.05%| | -4,049| | -13.02%| | 31,110|- style="text-align:center;"| | Wood| | 7,999| | 49.23%| | 8,073| | 49.69%| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 125| bgcolor="#5FD170"| 0.77%| | 46| | 0.28%| | 4| | 0.02%| | -74| | -0.46%| | 16,247|- style="text-align:center;"!Totals!!647,310!!50.70%!!590,959!!46.28%!!25,282!!1.98%!!12,547!!0.98%!!702!!0.05%!!56,351!!4.41%!!1,276,800|}

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Electors

These were the names of the electors on each ticket.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Burnham, Walter Dean; 'The System of 1896: An Analysis'; in The Evolution of American Electoral Systems, pp. 178-179
  2. Sundquist, James; Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years, p. 526
  3. 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
  4. [Kevin Phillips (political commentator)|Phillips, Kevin P.]
  5. Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 387-388
  6. Gallup, George; ‘Dewey Barely Won Wisconsin In '44; It's in the Bag Today: Dewey to Fore In Wisconsin’; The Washington Post, September 25, 1948, p. 1
  7. Gallup, George; ‘Final Poll Gives Dewey 49.5%, Truman 44.5% of Popular Vote’; The Washington Post, November 1, 1948, p. 1
  8. 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
  9. Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 431
  10. Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 433
  11. Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for President, Vice President and Presidential Electors - General Election - 1948
  12. Book: The Wisconsin Blue Book 1950. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. Vote For President By Counties. Madison, Wisconsin. 746.