ans in the Minority: 1932-52The Republicans were unable to find a candidate who could match Roosevelt's popular appeal. Alf Landon and Wendell L. WILLKIE failed in 1936 and 1940, respectively. Mostly isolationist before World War II, the Republicans backed the war effort, a stance that was to lead to support--enunciated by Sen. Arthur H. Vandenberg--for bipartisan foreign policy after the war. The 1944 elections came at a critical time in the midst of World War II, and New York governor Thomas E. DEWEY became the fourth Republican candidate to be overwhelmed by Roosevelt. In 1948, Dewey again was the Republican nominee, this time against Roosevelt's successor, Harry S. TRUMAN. He conducted a lackluster campaign, lulled into complacency by polls and expert opinions that forecast a landslide Republican victory. Truman, however, defeated Dewey in a great upset.The Eisenhower EraIn 1952 the Republican national convention nominated Gen. Dwight D. EISENHOWER to head its ticket. Although the party was split over the defeat of conservative senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio for that nomination, its ticket went on to win a landslide victory, carrying 39 states. Eisenhower's running mate was California senator Richard M. NIXON. The 1956 ticket of Eisenhower and Nixon won another decisive victory, due in part to Eisenhower's moderate course in foreign policy, his successful ending of the Korean War, and his great personal popularity. Democratic control of both houses, however, won in 1954, was continued.In 1960, Vice-President Nixon won an easy victory for nomination but lost the election to John F. KENNEDY of Massachusetts by the smallest popular margin in the 20th century--a difference of only about 113,000 votes out of more than 68 million cast. After a bitter internal party struggle prior to the 1964 Republican convention, Sen. Barry M. GOLDWATER of Arizona wrested the presidential nomination and control of the Republican party away from the Easte...
