This time, the GOP takes only two states, and loses nearly 30 more seats in the House. Republicans do not regain control of Congress for another decade. A seemingly minor rules adjustment forever changes the face of the Democratic party. In 1936 this is changed to a simple majority. The result is that Southern states, generally more conservative, no longer have an effective veto power.
Liberal candidates can now win the party nomination without the support of the Southern states.
Polls suggest that New York Gov. Thomas Dewey, the Republican candidate, will win big. The Republican party is now visibly divided into conservative and moderate camps that can be traced back to the split over how to respond to the New Deal. Sen. Robert Taft of Ohio leads the conservatives, while Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower advances at the head of the moderate faction. A fight over floor rules breaks out at the convention, but in the end, Eisenhower wins on the first ballot. He goes on to defeat Democratic nominee Adlai Stevenson for the presidency.