| 1944 presidential election | |
  Nominees Dewey and Bricker | |
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | June 26–28, 1944 |
| City | Chicago,Illinois |
| Venue | Chicago Stadium |
| Candidates | |
| Presidential nominee | Thomas E. Dewey ofNew York |
| Vice-presidential nominee | John W. Bricker ofOhio |
| ‹ 1940 · 1948 › | |
The1944 Republican National Convention was held inChicago, Illinois, from June 26 to 28, 1944. It nominatedGovernor Thomas E. Dewey ofNew York for president andGovernor John Bricker ofOhio for vice president.
When the convention opened, Governor Dewey was the front-runner for the nomination.1940 presidential nominee,Wendell Willkie again vied for the nomination, but when he lost theWisconsin primary, the lack of support from theRepublican Party became evident. (Before the election, Willkie would die of a heart attack.) General Douglas MacArthur withdrew his name from consideration in May.
Conservative opposition to Dewey coalesced briefly around Governor John W. Bricker of Ohio, but Dewey was the overwhelming favorite as the party's convention opened in Chicago in June.
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Before balloting began, Bricker withdrew in favor of Dewey, removing the last vestige of opposition. Dewey was nominated on the first ballot with 1,056 votes to 1 for MacArthur.
Dewey became the second Republican candidate to accept his party's nomination in-person at the convention. All subsequent Republican nominees have accepted their nominations in person with the exception ofDonald Trump who in2020 delivered his re-nomination acceptance speech from theWhite House because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[1][2]
| Presidential Ballot | |
|---|---|
| Candidate | 1st |
| Dewey | 1,056 |
| MacArthur | 1 |
| Absent | 2 |
Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (June 28, 1944)
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Bricker was nominated unanimously for the vice presidency. A deal was reached between the Dewey and Bricker factions the previous night in which Bricker would withdraw in favor of Dewey in exchange for the number two spot on the ticket.
| Vice Presidential Ballot | |
|---|---|
| Candidate | 1st |
| Bricker | 1,057 |
| Absent | 2 |
Vice Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (June 28, 1944)
The 1944 Republican platform included a call for aConstitutional amendment establishing equal rights for women. This line was included in all subsequent platforms until1980,[3] when the debate over theEqual Rights Amendment was occurring.
During the convention, Chicago'sBilly Goat Tavern gained notoriety for posting a notice saying "No Republicans Allowed". This caused Republican conventioneers to pack the place, demanding to be served, and led to increased publicity for the tavern.[4]
| Preceded by 1940 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Republican National Conventions | Succeeded by 1948 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |