The 1944 United States elections was held on November 7, 1944, during the final stages of World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was easily re-elected to an unprecedented fourth term, and the Democratic Party retained their majorities in both chambers of Congress.

In the presidential election, President Franklin D. Roosevelt has now been in office for three terms and eleven years, making him the longest-serving President in U.S. history, but that and rumors of his failing health were not enough to convince the country, nor the Democratic Party, to desire a change and that was mostly due to Roosevelt's effective leadership in World War II. As the incumbent President of the United States, President Roosevelt was renominated with ease by the Democratic Party. In the Republican primaries, New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey won his party's nomination, defeating Ohio Governor John W. Bricker, California Governor Earl Warren, and Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen. In Texas, the Texas Regulars was formed to block President Roosevelt's reelection over the New Deal and his perceived supportive policies on African Americans, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Roosevelt easily defeated Dewey in a landslide, taking 432 electoral votes against Dewey's 99 electoral votes.

In the congressional elections, Democrats maintained control of Congress. In the Senate, Democrats lost seats but maintained control of the chamber. In the House of Representatives, Democrats won the popular vote by a margin of 4.7 percentage points and gained 22 seats for a healthy majority after the last term holding a razor-thin majority. In the governorships, Democrats gained a net three governorships. 

The elections of 1944 were a referendum on President Roosevelt's execution of the war. With the United States and the allies delivering successful results against the Axis powers, especially with the fall of Fascist Italy a year ago and the Normandy landings the last summer, and as a result of these military successes, the American public rallied around the President and his party. After the Democrats won the election, Roosevelt died in office in April 1945 after he was inaugurated President for the fourth time on January 20th.

President

Seeking a record fourth term, Democratic incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt was challenged by Republican Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York. Dewey ran an energetic campaign, seeking a smaller government and a less-regulated economy as the end of World War II seemed in sight. Roosevelt dominated the electoral college for the fourth straight election and won the popular vote by seven and a half points, his lowest margin. Roosevelt easily won his party's nomination, while Dewey took the Republican nomination on the first ballot over Ohio Governor John W. Bricker, who would be nominated for vice president. Future president Harry S. Truman won the Democratic nomination for vice president, replacing Henry A. Wallace on the Democratic ballot.

United States House of Representatives

The Democrats picked up a net gain of 20 seats in the House, increasing their majority, 242–191 (not included are two seats held by minor parties).

United States Senate

Although the Democrats suffered a net loss of one seat to the Republicans, they still kept a large majority in the Senate.

References

 
1944