1944 Republican National Convention

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 the Wisconsin primary, the lack of support from the Republican 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.

File:Thomas E. Dewey.jpg|Governor
Thomas E. Dewey
of New York

File:John William Bricker (Gov., Sen. OH).jpg|Governor
John W. Bricker
of Ohio
(Withdrew -
Supported Dewey)

File:Gov. Harold E. Stassen LCCN2016877429 (cropped).jpg|Former Governor
Harold Stassen
of Minnesota
(Withdrawn)

File:Douglas MacArthur 58-61.jpg|General
Douglas MacArthur
of Arkansas
(Declined Consideration)

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 of Donald Trump who in 2020 delivered his re-nomination acceptance speech from the White House because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Hunter |title=Biden won't travel to Milwaukee to accept presidential nomination as coronavirus scuttles both political conventions |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/biden-wont-travel-to-milwaukee-to-accept-presidential-nomination-as-coronavirus-scuttles-both-political-conventions-175555792.html |website=ca.news.yahoo.com |date=August 5, 2020 |publisher=Yahoo News |access-date=5 August 2020 |language=en-CA}}{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Dartunorro |title=Gettysburg or White House: Trump narrows RNC speech backdrop choices, decision coming 'soon' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/gettysburg-or-white-house-trump-narrows-rnc-speech-backdrop-choices-n1236302 |website=NBC News |access-date=10 August 2020 |language=en |date=10 August 2020}}

Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (June 28, 1944)

File:1944RepublicanPresidentialNomination1stBallot.png|1st Presidential Ballot

File:John William Bricker (Gov., Sen. OH).jpg|Governor
John W. Bricker
of Ohio

File:Earl Warren Portrait, half figure, seated, facing front, as Governor (cropped 3x4).jpg|Governor
Earl Warren
of California
(Not Nominated -
Declined Consideration)

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 Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (June 28, 1944)

File:1944RepublicanVicePresidentialNomination1stBallot.png|1st
Vice Presidential Ballot

The 1944 Republican platform included a call for a Constitutional amendment establishing equal rights for women. This line was included in all subsequent platforms until 1980,{{cite book|title= How We Got Here: The '70s|last= Frum|first= David|author-link= David Frum|year= 2000|publisher= Basic Books|location= New York, New York|isbn= 0-465-04195-7|page= [https://archive.org/details/howwegothere70sd00frum/page/245 245]|url= https://archive.org/details/howwegothere70sd00frum/page/245|url-access= registration}} when the debate over the Equal Rights Amendment was occurring.

During the convention, Chicago's Billy 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.[http://www.billygoattavern.com/history.html Our History: Birth of a legend] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915070621/http://www.billygoattavern.com/history.html |date=September 15, 2008 }}

• 1944 Republican Party vice presidential candidate selection
• History of the United States Republican Party
• List of Republican National Conventions
• United States presidential nominating convention
• 1944 Republican Party presidential primaries
• 1944 United States presidential election
• 1944 Democratic National Convention

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25835 Republican Party platform of 1944] at The American Presidency Project
• [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=75627 Dewey acceptance speech] at The American Presidency Project

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Category:Republican National Conventions

Republican National Convention

Category:Political conventions in Chicago

Republican National Convention

Republican National Convention

Republican National Convention

Republican National Convention, 1944

Republican National Convention, 1944

Category:Thomas E. Dewey

Category:Douglas MacArthur