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 County Results
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The1944 United States presidential election in Wisconsin was held on November 7, 1944, as part of the1944 United States presidential election. State voters chose 12 electors to theElectoral College, who voted forpresident andvice president.
Politics in Wisconsin since thePopulist movement had been dominated by the Republican Party.[1] The Democratic Party had been uncompetitive outside certain eastern German as the upper classes, along with the majority of workers who followed them, fled fromWilliam Jennings Bryan's agrarian andfree silver sympathies.[2] Although the state did develop a strongSocialist Party to provide opposition to the GOP, Wisconsin developed the direct Republican primary in 1903 and this ultimately created competition between the "League" underRobert M. La Follette, and the conservative "Regular" faction.[3] This ultimately would develop into theWisconsin 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 the1940 presidential election, fought whilst the United States was still neutral inWorld War II, the conservative German counties, especially the "WOW counties" near Milwaukee and other counties along theLake Michigan coast,turned abruptly away from Roosevelt. These counties viewed RussianCommunism as a much greater threat to America than GermanNazism,[4] and believed Roosevelt offered too much aid to Britain and France.[5] The result was that the historically Democratic German Catholic counties likeKewaunee andCalumet rivalled longtime GOP bastions likeWaupaca andWaushara Counties as the most Republican in the state, and GOP nomineeWendell Willkie came within two points of carrying the state afterAlf Landon had lost by two-to-onefour years earlier.
Early Gallup polls in August showed Republican nominee Thomas E. Dewey leading Roosevelt in Wisconsin[6] by as much as twelve percentage points at the end of the second week of that month.[7] The fact that the state's disintegrating Progressive Party was divided on whether to support Roosevelt did nothing to help the President,[8] neither did Dewey's claim that Roosevelt had close ties to Communists at home and abroad.[9]
Although wartime conditions limited campaigning in the state by the twoDutchess County natives, by mid-October polls had not changed from where they were two months previously.[10] At that time Governor Dewey visitedMilwaukee on a rail trip toMinneapolis,[11] and more detailed opinion polls later in October said that powerful isolationist sentiment in rural Wisconsin and tighter unity of his opposition would ensure that Roosevelt had little hope of holding the state.[12]
Ultimately Dewey carried Wisconsin as polls had predicted he would, although by a substantially smaller margin of just 1.80 percentage points. Continuing trends inThird Party System Democratic counties aroundGreen Bay andAppleton proved decisive in tipping the state, as Dewey tightened Willkie gains that would not be substantially reversed in the ensuing eighty years: even duringLyndon B. Johnson's1964 landslide, RepublicanBarry Goldwater did much better in this area than he did nationally.
This was the first election in whichForest County andVilas County did not vote for the eventual winner in Wisconsin.Ashland County also saw its state bellwether streak broken for the first time since1884. Starting with this election,Buffalo County andTrempealeau County would back the statewide winner in every election until2020 andBarron County would do the same until2000.
| 1944 United States presidential election in Wisconsin[13][14] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Republican | Thomas E. Dewey | 674,532 | 50.37% | 12 | |
| Democratic | Franklin D. Roosevelt (incumbent) | 650,413 | 48.57% | 0 | |
| Socialist | Norman Thomas | 13,205 | 0.99% | 0 | |
| Socialist Labor[a] | Edward A. Teichert | 1,002 | 0.07% | 0 | |
| Totals | 1,339,152 | 100.00% | 12 | ||
| County[13][14] | Thomas E. Dewey Republican | Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic | Norman Thomas Socialist | Edward A. Teichert Socialist Labor | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,579 | 51.40% | 1,478 | 48.11% | 10 | 0.33% | 5 | 0.16% | 101 | 3.29% | 3,072 |
| Ashland | 3,183 | 40.60% | 4,609 | 58.80% | 42 | 0.54% | 5 | 0.06% | -1,426 | -18.19% | 7,839 |
| Barron | 7,137 | 55.66% | 5,585 | 43.55% | 92 | 0.72% | 9 | 0.07% | 1,552 | 12.10% | 12,823 |
| Bayfield | 2,475 | 42.02% | 3,362 | 57.08% | 48 | 0.81% | 5 | 0.08% | -887 | -15.06% | 5,890 |
| Brown | 17,762 | 50.14% | 17,576 | 49.61% | 76 | 0.21% | 12 | 0.03% | 186 | 0.53% | 35,426 |
| Buffalo | 3,416 | 63.19% | 1,948 | 36.03% | 39 | 0.72% | 3 | 0.06% | 1,468 | 27.16% | 5,406 |
| Burnett | 2,119 | 52.72% | 1,868 | 46.48% | 26 | 0.65% | 6 | 0.15% | 251 | 6.25% | 4,019 |
| Calumet | 5,611 | 73.58% | 1,966 | 25.78% | 46 | 0.60% | 3 | 0.04% | 3,645 | 47.80% | 7,626 |
| Chippewa | 7,691 | 53.59% | 6,567 | 45.76% | 77 | 0.54% | 16 | 0.11% | 1,124 | 7.83% | 14,351 |
| Clark | 7,948 | 62.80% | 4,612 | 36.44% | 89 | 0.70% | 8 | 0.06% | 3,336 | 26.36% | 12,657 |
| Columbia | 7,867 | 56.50% | 5,997 | 43.07% | 55 | 0.40% | 5 | 0.04% | 1,870 | 13.43% | 13,924 |
| Crawford | 4,199 | 57.12% | 3,130 | 42.58% | 21 | 0.29% | 1 | 0.01% | 1,069 | 14.54% | 7,351 |
| Dane | 23,021 | 37.96% | 37,076 | 61.13% | 530 | 0.87% | 24 | 0.04% | -14,055 | -23.17% | 60,651 |
| Dodge | 14,102 | 64.44% | 7,667 | 35.04% | 102 | 0.47% | 12 | 0.05% | 6,435 | 29.41% | 21,883 |
| Door | 5,668 | 68.25% | 2,599 | 31.29% | 30 | 0.36% | 8 | 0.10% | 3,069 | 36.95% | 8,305 |
| Douglas | 7,132 | 35.20% | 12,985 | 64.08% | 134 | 0.66% | 12 | 0.06% | -5,853 | -28.89% | 20,263 |
| Dunn | 5,980 | 60.37% | 3,853 | 38.90% | 69 | 0.70% | 3 | 0.03% | 2,127 | 21.47% | 9,905 |
| Eau Claire | 9,470 | 51.13% | 8,962 | 48.39% | 86 | 0.46% | 2 | 0.01% | 508 | 2.74% | 18,520 |
| Florence | 765 | 45.59% | 897 | 53.46% | 15 | 0.89% | 1 | 0.06% | -132 | -7.87% | 1,678 |
| Fond du Lac | 16,785 | 63.81% | 9,378 | 35.65% | 128 | 0.49% | 15 | 0.06% | 7,407 | 28.16% | 26,306 |
| Forest | 1,391 | 36.22% | 2,436 | 63.44% | 10 | 0.26% | 3 | 0.08% | -1,045 | -27.21% | 3,840 |
| Grant | 10,226 | 62.56% | 6,091 | 37.27% | 24 | 0.15% | 4 | 0.02% | 4,135 | 25.30% | 16,345 |
| Green | 5,556 | 57.28% | 4,101 | 42.28% | 36 | 0.37% | 6 | 0.06% | 1,455 | 15.00% | 9,699 |
| Green Lake | 4,571 | 67.38% | 2,190 | 32.28% | 17 | 0.25% | 6 | 0.09% | 2,381 | 35.10% | 6,784 |
| Iowa | 4,608 | 56.00% | 3,585 | 43.57% | 30 | 0.36% | 5 | 0.06% | 1,023 | 12.43% | 8,228 |
| Iron | 1,345 | 31.51% | 2,894 | 67.81% | 26 | 0.61% | 3 | 0.07% | -1,549 | -36.29% | 4,268 |
| Jackson | 3,182 | 50.86% | 3,040 | 48.59% | 30 | 0.48% | 4 | 0.06% | 142 | 2.27% | 6,256 |
| Jefferson | 10,245 | 59.16% | 6,988 | 40.35% | 76 | 0.44% | 8 | 0.05% | 3,257 | 18.81% | 17,317 |
| Juneau | 4,733 | 61.97% | 2,857 | 37.41% | 42 | 0.55% | 5 | 0.07% | 1,876 | 24.56% | 7,637 |
| Kenosha | 12,436 | 39.96% | 18,325 | 58.88% | 337 | 1.08% | 23 | 0.07% | -5,889 | -18.92% | 31,121 |
| Kewaunee | 4,153 | 61.25% | 2,611 | 38.51% | 15 | 0.22% | 1 | 0.01% | 1,542 | 22.74% | 6,780 |
| La Crosse | 12,784 | 50.93% | 12,247 | 48.79% | 65 | 0.26% | 7 | 0.03% | 537 | 2.14% | 25,103 |
| Lafayette | 4,421 | 54.27% | 3,696 | 45.37% | 26 | 0.32% | 4 | 0.05% | 725 | 8.90% | 8,147 |
| Langlade | 4,036 | 48.23% | 4,310 | 51.50% | 19 | 0.23% | 4 | 0.05% | -274 | -3.27% | 8,369 |
| Lincoln | 5,564 | 64.71% | 2,938 | 34.17% | 78 | 0.91% | 18 | 0.21% | 2,626 | 30.54% | 8,598 |
| Manitowoc | 14,047 | 53.52% | 11,949 | 45.53% | 217 | 0.83% | 34 | 0.13% | 2,098 | 7.99% | 26,247 |
| Marathon | 15,782 | 53.54% | 13,192 | 44.75% | 484 | 1.64% | 19 | 0.06% | 2,590 | 8.79% | 29,477 |
| Marinette | 7,159 | 52.21% | 6,483 | 47.28% | 59 | 0.43% | 11 | 0.08% | 676 | 4.93% | 13,712 |
| Marquette | 2,853 | 73.47% | 1,016 | 26.17% | 14 | 0.36% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,837 | 47.31% | 3,883 |
| Milwaukee | 142,448 | 40.15% | 205,282 | 57.85% | 6,705 | 1.89% | 395 | 0.11% | -62,834 | -17.71% | 354,830 |
| Monroe | 7,277 | 64.09% | 4,013 | 35.34% | 61 | 0.54% | 3 | 0.03% | 3,264 | 28.75% | 11,354 |
| Oconto | 5,923 | 57.38% | 4,348 | 42.12% | 45 | 0.44% | 6 | 0.06% | 1,575 | 15.26% | 10,322 |
| Oneida | 3,253 | 44.06% | 4,076 | 55.21% | 53 | 0.72% | 1 | 0.01% | -823 | -11.15% | 7,383 |
| Outagamie | 18,294 | 64.44% | 9,955 | 35.07% | 120 | 0.42% | 20 | 0.07% | 8,339 | 29.37% | 28,389 |
| Ozaukee | 5,655 | 60.66% | 3,579 | 38.39% | 81 | 0.87% | 8 | 0.09% | 2,076 | 22.27% | 9,323 |
| Pepin | 1,902 | 64.28% | 1,029 | 34.78% | 25 | 0.84% | 3 | 0.10% | 873 | 29.50% | 2,959 |
| Pierce | 5,137 | 62.40% | 3,033 | 36.84% | 60 | 0.73% | 3 | 0.04% | 2,104 | 25.56% | 8,233 |
| Polk | 5,329 | 53.58% | 4,489 | 45.14% | 121 | 1.22% | 6 | 0.06% | 840 | 8.45% | 9,945 |
| Portage | 5,405 | 38.27% | 8,678 | 61.44% | 36 | 0.25% | 6 | 0.04% | -3,273 | -23.17% | 14,125 |
| Price | 3,258 | 47.78% | 3,515 | 51.55% | 40 | 0.59% | 6 | 0.09% | -257 | -3.77% | 6,819 |
| Racine | 18,220 | 41.11% | 25,697 | 57.97% | 390 | 0.88% | 18 | 0.04% | -7,477 | -16.87% | 44,325 |
| Richland | 5,088 | 61.85% | 3,109 | 37.79% | 24 | 0.29% | 5 | 0.06% | 1,979 | 24.06% | 8,226 |
| Rock | 18,477 | 52.23% | 16,766 | 47.39% | 104 | 0.29% | 29 | 0.08% | 1,711 | 4.84% | 35,376 |
| Rusk | 3,092 | 48.40% | 3,238 | 50.69% | 42 | 0.66% | 16 | 0.25% | -146 | -2.29% | 6,388 |
| Sauk | 9,751 | 62.72% | 5,690 | 36.60% | 95 | 0.61% | 10 | 0.06% | 4,061 | 26.12% | 15,546 |
| Sawyer | 2,421 | 55.02% | 1,947 | 44.25% | 26 | 0.59% | 6 | 0.14% | 474 | 10.77% | 4,400 |
| Shawano | 8,732 | 68.16% | 4,015 | 31.34% | 57 | 0.44% | 7 | 0.05% | 4,717 | 36.82% | 12,811 |
| Sheboygan | 15,291 | 49.42% | 15,062 | 48.68% | 557 | 1.80% | 28 | 0.09% | 229 | 0.74% | 30,938 |
| St. Croix | 5,660 | 53.01% | 4,930 | 46.17% | 80 | 0.75% | 8 | 0.07% | 730 | 6.84% | 10,678 |
| Taylor | 3,194 | 48.24% | 3,215 | 48.56% | 209 | 3.16% | 3 | 0.05% | -21 | -0.32% | 6,621 |
| Trempealeau | 4,719 | 51.06% | 4,496 | 48.65% | 27 | 0.29% | 0 | 0.00% | 223 | 2.41% | 9,242 |
| Vernon | 5,676 | 51.04% | 5,409 | 48.64% | 19 | 0.17% | 17 | 0.15% | 267 | 2.40% | 11,121 |
| Vilas | 2,021 | 48.91% | 2,079 | 50.31% | 25 | 0.61% | 7 | 0.17% | -58 | -1.40% | 4,132 |
| Walworth | 10,901 | 65.34% | 5,696 | 34.14% | 78 | 0.47% | 8 | 0.05% | 5,205 | 31.20% | 16,683 |
| Washburn | 2,441 | 53.85% | 2,059 | 45.42% | 29 | 0.64% | 4 | 0.09% | 382 | 8.43% | 4,533 |
| Washington | 8,921 | 69.44% | 3,840 | 29.89% | 77 | 0.60% | 9 | 0.07% | 5,081 | 39.55% | 12,847 |
| Waukesha | 17,995 | 57.44% | 13,038 | 41.62% | 278 | 0.89% | 15 | 0.05% | 4,957 | 15.82% | 31,326 |
| Waupaca | 11,495 | 74.44% | 3,879 | 25.12% | 63 | 0.41% | 5 | 0.03% | 7,616 | 49.32% | 15,442 |
| Waushara | 4,675 | 75.54% | 1,485 | 23.99% | 27 | 0.44% | 2 | 0.03% | 3,190 | 51.54% | 6,189 |
| Winnebago | 19,310 | 59.56% | 12,841 | 39.61% | 250 | 0.77% | 19 | 0.06% | 6,469 | 19.95% | 32,420 |
| Wood | 9,569 | 57.92% | 6,861 | 41.53% | 81 | 0.49% | 9 | 0.05% | 2,708 | 16.39% | 16,520 |
| Totals | 674,532 | 50.37% | 650,413 | 48.57% | 13,205 | 0.99% | 1,002 | 0.07% | 24,119 | 1.80% | 1,339,152 |
These were the names of the electors on each ticket.[13]
| Franklin D. Roosevelt &Harry S. Truman Democratic Party | Thomas E. Dewey &John W. Bricker Republican Party | Norman Thomas &Darlington Hoopes Socialist Party | Edward A. Teichert & Arla A. Albaugh Socialist Labor Party |
|---|---|---|---|
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State and district results of the1944 United States presidential election | ||
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