1940_Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries

1940 Democratic Party presidential primaries

1940 Democratic Party presidential primaries

Selection of the Democratic Party nominee


From March 12 to June 27, 1940, voters of the Democratic Party elected delegates to the 1940 Democratic National Convention through a series of primaries, caucuses, and conventions.[1] Incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt was selected as the party's presidential nominee despite not formally declaring a campaign for a third term. Supporters effectively drafted Roosevelt, who was non-committal about seeking re-election, amid rising concerns over war in Europe.[2]

Quick Facts Delegates to the Democratic National Convention 547 delegates votes needed to win, Candidate ...

Ahead of the convention, the primary process and other means of delegate allocation had led to the New York Times to project that Roosevelt had 691.5 delegates in support of him, well above Garner's 69.5 and Farley's 38.5.[3]

Candidates

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Incumbent President Roosevelt remained sufficiently popular to seek nomination for a third term, if he desired, though he had alienated many conservative and Southern members of his party, whom he had relied on for his 1932 nomination, by attempting to purge critics of the New Deal in the 1938 elections.

As foreign policy tensions mounted in Europe following the German annexation of Czechoslovakia and partition of Poland, Roosevelt was urged to run for an unprecedented third consecutive term.[4] Roosevelt encouraged speculation but remained quiet. Privately, he prepared for his post-presidency, putting the finishing touches on a presidential library and signing a contract to become a contributing editor with Collier's upon his departure from office.[4] In response to private lobbying from Senator George W. Norris, Roosevelt openly spoke of his hopes for retirement. In February, he suffered a minor heart attack. Meanwhile, the war in Europe had largely dragged to a halt, entering a phase now known as the "Phoney War." Amid rising hope for peace, Roosevelt returned to focusing on retirement.[4]

The heir apparent to Roosevelt, should he decline to run, was Secretary of State Cordell Hull. Roosevelt encouraged his ambitions, intimating to Hull's wife at a cabinet dinner that the Secretary "had better get used to [making speeches]," because "[h]e'll have a lot of it to do soon."[5] However, Hull found it impermissible to campaign while actively serving as Secretary and, knowing that his nomination would depend on Roosevelt's support, remained silent pending Roosevelt's decision.[5]

Any chance of peace in Europe was ended on April 9, 1940, when Germany invaded Denmark and Norway.[5] Around one month later, the Battle of France began and French forces quickly fell into retreat. Though Roosevelt never formally declared a candidacy, supporters entered his name in presidential preference contests and stood as delegates with the promise to nominate Roosevelt at the national party convention. In the Illinois primary, which required a candidate to make a sworn declaration of intent to seek the presidency, Roosevelt's name was placed on the ballot without any such declaration. Officials reasoned that he had been at sea when the deadline to declare passed.[6]

Any doubts Roosevelt had about a third term were erased upon the Italian declaration of war on France. This, combined with isolationism among both parties in Congress, solidified his decision to accept re-nomination to a third term. When the Democratic delegates convened in July, none doubted that Roosevelt would accept their nomination.[7]

John Nance Garner

Vice President John Nance Garner, who had been one of Roosevelt's primary opponents in 1932, announced his candidacy on December 18, 1939.[8] His candidacy centered on opposition to the New Deal, Roosevelt personally, and the idea of a third term, but his conservatism put him on an uphill course with the rank-and-file of the party.[8]

James Farley

Postmaster General and party chairman James Farley was the second challenger to Roosevelt but far more aligned with the New Deal platform than Garner. Farley had support from professional politicians but suffered from a lack of familiarity with policy issues and lingering anti-Catholicism. Cardinal George Mundelein lobbied Farley not to run, but he forcefully declined: "I will not let myself be kicked around by Roosevelt or anyone else."[5]

Favorite sons

The following candidates were "favorite sons," who stood for nomination only in their respective home states for the purpose of controlling that state's delegation at the 1940 Democratic National Convention.

Declined

The following candidates were the subject of media speculation regarding a potential candidacy or were ambitious of the presidency, but ultimately declined to run:

Primary Results

Democratic Presidential Nominating State Conventions and Primaries
Date State Contest
Type
Candidate Votes
Won (#)
Votes
Won (%)
Delegates
Won
Reference(s)
March 12 New
Hampshire
Primary
(8 of 8 delegates)
Uninstructed
(Support Franklin D. Roosevelt)
10,567[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]
49.50 / 100(50%)
8 / 8(100%)
[9]
Uninstructed
(Support James Farley)
4,503[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 3]
21.10 / 100(21%)
-
Uninstructed
(Support John Nance Garner)
3,457[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 4]
16.20 / 100(16%)
-
Uninstructed 2,819[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 5]
13.21 / 100(13%)
-
April 2 Wisconsin Primary
(24 of 24 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt 322,991
75.35 / 100(75%)
21 / 24(88%)
-
John Nance Garner 105,662
24.65 / 100(25%)
3 / 24(13%)
April 9 Illinois Primary
(50 of 58 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt 1,176,531
86.04 / 100(86%)
50 / 50(100%)
-
John Nance Garner 190,081
13.95 / 100(14%)
-
Others 35 (W)
0.00 / 100(0%)
-
Nebraska Primary
(14 of 14 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt 111,902
100 / 100(100%)
14 / 14(100%)
-
April 30 Massachusetts Primary
(34 of 34 delegates)
Uninstructed
(Support James Farley)
76,919[lower-alpha 6]
100 / 100(100%)
32.5 / 34(96%)
[10]
Uninstructed -
1 / 34(3%)
Uninstructed
(Support Franklin D. Roosevelt)
-
0.5 / 34(1%)
May 5 South
Dakota
Primary
(8 of 8 delegates)
Uninstructed 27,636
100 / 100(100%)
8 / 8(100%)
-
May 7 Alabama Primary
(22 of 22 delegates)
Uninstructed
(Support William B. Bankhead)
196,508
100 / 100(100%)
22 / 22(100%)
-
California Primary
(44 of 44 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt 723,782
74.05 / 100(74%)
44 / 44(100%)
-
John Nance Garner 114,594
11.72 / 100(12%)
-
Willis Allen 90,718
9.28 / 100(9%)
-
Ellis E. Patterson 48,337
4.95 / 100(5%)
-
May 14 Ohio Primary
(52 of 52 delegates)
Uninstructed
(Support Charles W. Sawyer)
283,952
100 / 100(100%)
52 / 52(100%)
-
West
Virginia
Primary
(16 of 16 delegates)
H. C. Allen
(Supporting Franklin D. Roosevelt)
102,729
100 / 100(100%)
16 / 16(100%)
[11]
May 17 Oregon Primary
(10 of 10 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt 109,913
87.17 / 100(87%)
10 / 10(100%)
-
John Nance Garner 15,584
12.36 / 100(12%)
-
Others 601
0.48 / 100(0.5%)
-
May 21 New
Jersey
Primary
(32 of 32 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt 34,278 (W)
99.51 / 100(100%)
32 / 32(100%)
[12]
John Nance Garner 59 (W)
0.17 / 100(0.2%)
-
Others 111 (W)
0.32 / 100(0.3%)
-

Delegates not selected in primaries

Many delegations were not selected in public primaries. The following table shows delegates awarded at a state level by convention, committees, and other means.

Delegates not awarded via primaries
Other delegate allocation
Date State Contest
Type
Candidate Votes
Won (#)
Votes
Won (%)
Delegates
Won
Reference(s)
March 27 Maine State
Convention
(10 of 10 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
10 / 10(100%)
[13]
April 6 Arizona State
Convention
(6 of 6 delegates)
Uninstructed -
6 / 6(100%)
[14]
April 7 Puerto
Rico
State
Convention
(6 of 6 delegates)
James Farley -
6 / 6(100%)
[15]
April 25 Georgia State
Committee
(24 of 24 delegates)
Uninstructed
(Support Franklin D. Roosevelt)
-
24 / 24(100%)
[16]
April 15 New
York
State
Convention
(8 of 94 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
8 / 8(100%)
[17]
April 26 Hawaii State
Convention
(6 of 6 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
6 / 6(100%)
[18]
May 11 Oklahoma State
Convention
(22 of 22 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
22 / 22(100%)
[19]
May 12 Iowa State
Convention
(22 of 22 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
22 / 22(100%)
[20]
May 13 North
Dakota
State
Convention
(16 of 16 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
16 / 16(100%)
[21]
April 23 Pennsylvania Primary
Convention
(72 of 72 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt 724,657
100 / 100(100%)
72 / 72(100%)
[citation needed]
May 17 North
Carolina
State
Convention
(26 of 26 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
26 / 26(100%)
[22]
May 20 Delaware State
Convention
(6 of 6 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
6 / 6(100%)
[23]
May 23 Vermont State
Convention
(6 of 6 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
6 / 6(100%)
[24]
May 22 Maryland State
Convention
(16 of 16 delegates)
Millard Tydings -
16 / 16(100%)
[25]
June 4 Connecticut State
Convention
(16 of 16 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
16 / 16(100%)
[26]
June 5 Louisiana State
Committee
(20 of 20 delegates)
Uninstructed
(Later Supported O. John Rogge)[27]
-
20 / 20(100%)
[28]
June 10 Kansas State
Convention
(18 of 18 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
18 / 18(100%)
[29]
June 11 Mississippi State
Convention
(18 of 18 delegates)
- - - [30]
June 14 Virginia State
Committee
(22 of 22 delegates)
Uninstructed -
20 / 20(100%)
[31]
June 15 Michigan State
Convention
(38 of 38 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
38 / 38(100%)
[32]
June 16 Nevada State
Convention
(12 of 12 delegates)
Uninstructed -
12 / 12(100%)
[33]
Washington State
Convention
(16 of 16 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
16 / 16(100%)
[34]
June 18 Arkansas State
Committee
(18 of 18 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
18 / 18(100%)
[35]
June 22 Illinois State
Convention
(8 of 58 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
8 / 8(100%)
[36]
June 27 Indiana State
Convention
(28 of 28 delegates)
Franklin D. Roosevelt -
28 / 28(100%)
[37]

See also

Notes

  1. These vote tallies are based on the candidate for delegate that gathered the most votes, not the slate as a whole.
  2. There were eleven Pro-Roosevelt Delegates running.
  3. There were three Pro-Farley Delegates running.
  4. There was one Pro-Garner Delegate running.
  5. There were two Unpledged Delegates running.
  6. A breakdown of the delegate vote wasn't provided.

References

  1. Kalb, Deborah (2016-02-19). Guide to U.S. Elections - Google Books. ISBN 9781483380353. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  2. Smith 2007, pp. 441–43.
  3. Smith 2007, p. 443.
  4. Smith 2007, p. 447.
  5. Smith 2007, p. 457.
  6. Smith 2007, p. 442.
  7. "Hawaiians Back Third Term". The New York Times. April 27, 1940.
  8. "North Dakotans for Roosevelt". The New York Times. May 14, 1940.
  9. "Delaware Party Backs 3d Term". The New York Times. May 21, 1940.
  10. "Majority in Convention Obtained by Roosevelt". The New York Times. May 24, 1940.
  11. "Kansas Slate for Third Term". The New York Times. June 11, 1940.
  12. "Nevada Delegates Unpledged". The New York Times. June 17, 1940.
  13. "Arkansans Vote Third Term". The New York Times. June 19, 1940.

Further reading

  • Smith, Jean Edward (2007). FDR. Random House.

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