1940 Democratic Party presidential primaries
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March 12 to June 27, 1940
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Delegates to the Democratic National Convention 547 delegates votes needed to win | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 First place finishes by convention roll call | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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]
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
[edit]Franklin D. Roosevelt
[edit]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. 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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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.
- Former lieutenant governor Charles W. Sawyer of Ohio
- Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney of Wyoming
- Senator Millard Tydings of Maryland
- Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Montana
Declined
[edit]The following candidates were the subject of media speculation regarding a potential candidacy or were ambitious of the presidency, but ultimately declined to run:
- William O. Douglas, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and former chair of the Securities Exchange Commission[5]
- Harry Hopkins, U.S. secretary of commerce and trusted advisor to Roosevelt[5]
- Cordell Hull, U.S. secretary of state[5]
- Robert H. Jackson, attorney general of the United States[5]
- Paul V. McNutt, administrator of the Federal Security Agency and former governor of Indiana[5]
- Henry A. Wallace, U.S. secretary of Agriculture[5]
- Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James[9]
Schedule and results
[edit] |
| Date (daily totals) |
Total pledged delegates |
Contest and total popular vote |
Delegates won and popular vote | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Roosevelt | John Nance Garner | James Farley | Uninstructed | Other | |||
| March 12 | 8 | New Hampshire primary[10] | 8 10,567[a][b] (50.0%) |
3,457[a][c] (16%) |
4,503[a][d] (21%) |
— | |
| March 27 | 10 | Maine convention[11] | 10 | — | — | — | — |
| April 2 | 24 | Wisconsin primary | 21 322,991 (75%) |
3 105,662 (25%) |
— | — | — |
| April 6 | 6 | Arizona convention[12] | — | — | — | 6 | — |
| April 7 | 6 | Puerto Rico convention | — | — | 6 | — | — |
| April 9 (64) |
50 (of 58) | Illinois primary | 50 1,176,531 (86.0%) |
190,081 (13.9%) | — | — | 35 (0.0%) |
| 14 | Nebraska primary | 14 111,902 (100.0%) |
— | — | — | — | |
| April 15 | 8 (of 94) | New York convention[13] | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| April 23 | 72 | Pennsylvania primary | 72 724,657 (100%) |
— | — | — | — |
| April 25 | 24 | Georgia state committee[14] | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| April 26 | 6 | Hawaii convention[15] | 6 | — | — | — | — |
| April 30 | 34 | Massachusetts primary[16] | 0.5 | — | 32.5[f] 76,919[g] (100.0%) |
1 | — |
| May 5 | 8 | South Dakota primary | — | — | — | 8 27,636 (100%) |
— |
| May 7 (66) |
22 | Alabama primary | — | — | — | — | 22 196,508 [h] (100%) |
| 44 | California primary | 44 723,782 (74%) |
114,594 (12%) |
— | — | 139,055[i] (14%) | |
| May 11 | 22 | Oklahoma convention[18] | 22 | — | — | — | — |
| May 12 | 22 | Iowa convention[19] | 22 | — | — | — | — |
| May 13 | 16 | North Dakota convention | 16 | — | — | — | — |
| May 14 (68) |
52 | Ohio primary | — | — | — | — | 52 283,952[j] (100%) |
| 16 | West Virginia primary[20] | 16 102,729[k] (100%) |
— | — | — | — | |
| May 17 (36) |
10 | Oregon primary[21] | 10 109,913 (87%) |
15,584 (12%) |
— | — | 601 (0.5%) |
| 26 | North Carolina convention[22] | 26 | — | — | — | — | |
| May 20 | 6 | Delaware convention[23] | 6 | — | — | — | — |
| May 21 | 32 | New Jersey primary[24] | 32 34,278 (99.5%) |
59 (0.2%) |
— | — | 111 (0.3%) |
| May 22 | 16 | Maryland convention[25] | — | — | — | — | 16[l] |
| May 23 | 6 | Vermont convention[26] | 6 | — | — | — | — |
| June 4 | 16 | Connecticut convention[27] | 16 | — | — | — | — |
| June 5 | 20 | Louisiana state committee[28] | — | — | — | — | 20[m] |
| June 10 | 18 | Kansas convention[29] | 18 | — | — | — | — |
| June 11 | 18 | Mississippi convention[30] | [data missing] | ||||
| June 14 | 22 | Virginia state committee[31] | — | — | — | 20 | — |
| June 15 | 38 | Michigan convention[32] | 38 | — | — | — | — |
| June 16 (28) |
12 | Nevada convention[33] | — | — | — | 12 | — |
| 16 | Washington convention[34] | 16 | — | — | — | — | |
| June 18 | 18 | Arkansas state committee[35] | 18 | — | — | — | — |
| June 22 | 8 (of 58) | Illinois convention[36] | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| June 27 | 28 | Indiana convention[37] | 28 | — | — | — | — |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- 1 2 3 These vote tallies are based on the candidate for delegate that gathered the most votes, not the slate as a whole.
- ↑ There were eleven Pro-Roosevelt Delegates running.
- ↑ There was one Pro-Garner Delegate running.
- ↑ There were three Pro-Farley Delegates running.
- There were two Unpledged Delegates running.
- ↑ The Massachusetts delegate slate was filed by party chairman William H. Burke Jr. as pledged to Farley with a caveat that if Roosevelt openly declared himself a candidate, the delegates were free to abandon their pledge to Farley in favor of Roosevelt.[17] Ultimately, Roosevelt did enter the race, and the Massachusetts delegation voted for him at the convention.
- ↑ A breakdown of the delegate vote wasn't provided.
- ↑ The uninstructed delegates elected by the Alabama primary later supported favorite son William B. Bankhead.
- ↑ 90,718 votes for Willis Allen and 48,337 votes for Ellis E. Patterson.
- ↑ The uninstructed delegates later supported favorite son Charles W. Sawyer.
- ↑ H. C. Allen ran as a stalking horse for Roosevelt.
- ↑ All 16 delegates were pledged to support favorite son Millard Tydings.
- ↑ Although the twenty delegates were initially unpledged, they supported favorite son O. John Rogge.
References
[edit]- ↑ Kalb, Deborah (February 19, 2016). Guide to U.S. Elections - Google Books. CQ Press. ISBN 9781483380353. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ "The Only Ballot". The New York Times. July 18, 1940.
- ↑ "ROOSEVELT VOTES NOW NUMBER 707; Delegates Pledged or Semi-Pledged to the President Give Him a Wide Lead GARNER STANDS SECOND Texas is the Backbone of His Support--Farley is Third-- 146 Are Uninstructed". The New York Times. June 22, 1940.
- 1 2 3 Smith 2007, pp. 441–43.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Smith 2007, p. 443.
- ↑ Smith 2007, p. 447.
- ↑ Smith 2007, p. 457.
- 1 2 Smith 2007, p. 442.
- ↑ NOT A CANDIDATE, KENNEDY ASSERTS; Won't Permit Filing of Name for President in Primary in Massachusetts, He Says ENVOY SEES ROOSEVELT Plans for Orderly Selling of Foreign-Held Securities Among Topics Discussed, The New York Times. February 14, 1940. https://www.nytimes.com/1940/02/14/archives/not-a-candidate-kennedy-asserts-wont-permit-filing-of-name-for.html
- ↑ "STYLES BRIDGES BID IS SEEN ENHANCED; Ex-Senator Moses Says New Hampshire Has Best Presidential Chance in DecadesTHIRD-TERMERS VICTORSRoosevelt Men Win All Eight Delegate Places, but VoteIs Below '36 Primary's". The New York Times. March 14, 1940.
- ↑ "MAINE DEMOCRATS BACK THIRD TERM; Pledge Ten Convention Votes to Roosevelt, or to Farley If President Retires GARNER FORCES DEFEATED Instructions Given to 20 Delegates--Chairman Urges aUnited Front in Speech". The New York Times. March 28, 1940.
- ↑ "BACKER OF FARLEY LOSES; Arizona Democrats Pick New National Committee Woman". The New York Times. April 7, 1940.
- ↑ "STATE DEMOCRATS RE-ELECT FARLEY; Resolution Implies Backing of Presidential Candidacy if Roosevelt Declines CHIEF EXECUTIVE LAUDED Lehman Also Praised for His Administration--Delegates to Convention Named". The New York Times. April 16, 1940.
- ↑ "NEW DEALERS KEEP GEORGIA IN THE BAG; Garner-George Forces Barred in 'Hand Picked' Delegation Selected for Chicago ROOSEVELT ASKED TO RUN State Committee Shunts Aside Petition of 25,000 to Put Up Slates in a Primary". The New York Times. April 26, 1940.
- ↑ "Hawaiians Back Third Term". The New York Times. April 27, 1940.
- ↑ "MINOR UPSETS MARK MASSACHUSETTS VOTE; Farley Slate Loses Few Places --Republicans Unpledged". The New York Times. May 1, 1940.
- ↑ "More About the Primary in Massachusetts". The New York Times. February 15, 1940. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
This 'assumption,' telegraphed by the State Chairman to the State-wide candidates for delegates he himself had chosen, was that, if elected, they and Mr. Farley will support the President for renomination if in the meantime Mr. Roosevelt decides he wants them to. In other words, the "Farley" delegates offer themselves to the voters on a pledge that the President will have a first mortgage on them up to adjourning time of the national convention and Mr. Farley only a second lien. So the situation will stand on primary day unless previously repudiated by the President, Mr. Farley or the delegates themselves.
- ↑ "OKLAHOMA FOR 3D TERM; Vote of Counties Indicates Delegation for Roosevelt". The New York Times. May 12, 1940.
- ↑ "IOWA DEMOCRATS BACK THIRD TERM; Wallace Is the 'Favorite Son' Choice for Nomination if Roosevelt Does Not Run SECRETARY IS KEYNOTER He Denounces Republicans as 'Double Dealers' and Dewey as Leader in Practice". The New York Times. May 13, 1940.
- ↑ "BURTON IS TRAILING IN OHIO'S PRIMARY; But D. A. White Ahead as Rural Vote Mounts in Republican Contest for Senator DAVEY IS AGAIN NOMINEE Neely Ahead in West Virginia Party Race for Governor-- Senator Holt Trails". The New York Times. May 15, 1940.
- ↑ Abstract of Votes-Democratic Party-Primary Election, May 17, 1940-Canvassed June 17, 1940. Oregon Secretary of State. 1940.
- ↑ "NORTH CAROLINA GIVES 26 VOTES TO PRESIDENT; Republicans in Tennessee Unit Back Dewey for Nomination". The New York Times. May 18, 1940.
- ↑ "Delaware Party Backs 3d Term". The New York Times. May 21, 1940.
- ↑ "HENDRICKSON LEADS IN JERSEY PRIMARY; Willkie Gets Surprise Write-In Vote Against Dewey in Presidential Contest". The New York Times. May 22, 1940.
- ↑ "16 VOTES FOR TYDINGS; But Maryland Delegates Will Be Freed if Roosevelt Runs". The New York Times. May 23, 1940.
- ↑ "Majority in Convention Obtained by Roosevelt". The New York Times. May 24, 1940.
- ↑ "CONNECTICUT'S 16 GO TO ROOSEVELT; State Democratic Convention Pledges Its Votes and Puts Unit Rule on Delegates FORTY-EIGHT ARE CHOSEN Maloney Is Renominated for Senate--Achievements of the New Deal Hailed". The New York Times. June 5, 1940.
- ↑ "BAR ROOSEVELT SUPPORT; Louisiana Democrats Refuse to Hear Plea for Candidacy". The New York Times. June 6, 1940.
- ↑ "Kansas Slate for Third Term". The New York Times. June 11, 1940.
- ↑ "HARRISON NOW SAYS A 3D TERM IS VITAL; Asserts World Crisis Demands Re-election of President as One Versed in Affairs LAUDS CONDUCT AT HELM Senator Urges Mississippians to Back Roosevelt at Democratic Convention Tuesday". The New York Times. June 5, 1940.
- ↑ "VIRGINIANS BACK ALLIES; Democratic State Convention Asks Full Help for Them". The New York Times. June 15, 1940.
- ↑ "MICHIGAN FOR ROOSEVELT; Democratic Convention Urges Him to Accept Third Term". The New York Times. June 16, 1940.
- ↑ "Nevada Delegates Unpledged". The New York Times. June 17, 1940.
- ↑ "DELEGATION FOR 3D TERM; Washington Democrats Pledge Unit Vote for Roosevelt". The New York Times. June 17, 1940.
- ↑ "Arkansans Vote Third Term". The New York Times. June 19, 1940.
- ↑ "ILLINOIS FOR ROOSEVELT; State Democrats Back Foreign Policy, Ask Defense 'Billions'". The New York Times. June 23, 1940.
- ↑ "3D TERM BACKED BY INDIANA PARTY; Democrats Renominate Senator Minton, Name Schrickerfor the GovernorshipP.V. M'NUTT IS KEYNOTERHe Urges We Stay Out of War --Van Nuys Is Left Off theNational Delegation". The New York Times. June 28, 1940.
Further reading
[edit]- Smith, Jean Edward (2007). FDR. Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6121-1.