1948 United States presidential election in New Jersey

The 1948 United States presidential election in New Jersey took place on November 2, 1948. All contemporary 48 states were part of the 1948 United States presidential election. Voters chose 16 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president.

1948 United States presidential election in New Jersey

← 1944November 2, 19481952 →
 
NomineeThomas E. DeweyHarry S. Truman
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Home stateNew YorkMissouri
Running mateEarl WarrenAlben W. Barkley
Electoral vote160
Popular vote981,124895,455
Percentage50.33%45.93%

County Results

President before election

Harry S. Truman
Democratic

Elected President

Harry S. Truman
Democratic

New Jersey was won by the Republican nominees, former Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York and his running mate Governor Earl Warren of California. Dewey and Warren defeated the Democratic nominees, incumbent President Harry S. Truman of Missouri and his running mate Senator Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky. Also in the running was the Progressive Party candidate, former Democratic Vice President Henry A. Wallace, who ran with former Senator Glen H. Taylor of Idaho.

Dewey carried New Jersey with 50.33% of the vote to Truman's 45.93%, a margin of 4.39%. Wallace came in a distant third, with 2.19%.[1]

Despite the closeness of the statewide result, Dewey won 15 of the state's 21 counties, while Truman won 6. However, Truman won several of the most heavily populated urban counties in the state, taking over 60% of the vote in Hudson County, winning majorities in Mercer, Camden, and Middlesex counties, and in rural Salem County, and winning with a plurality in Passaic County. However, Dewey won majorities in several heavily populated counties, including Bergen, Morris, Union, Monmouth, and Ocean counties, and also narrowly winning Essex County with a plurality, along with winning most of the state's Southern and rural counties. Wallace for his part performed most strongly in North Jersey, particularly in Essex, Union, and Passaic Counties.

New Jersey in this era was usually a swing state with a Republican lean, and its results in 1948 adhered to that pattern. As Truman narrowly defeated Dewey nationally in an upset victory, Dewey's narrow victory in New Jersey made the state almost 9% more Republican than the national average. Republicans won Burlington, Atlantic, Gloucester, and Cumberland counties for the first time since 1932. This is the last time Democrats won the presidency without Essex County.

Primary election edit

1948 New Jersey Unofficial presidential primary

April 20, 1948 (1948-04-20)
 
CandidateThomas E. DeweyHarold E. StassenHarry S. Truman
PartyRepublicanRepublicanDemocratic
Home stateNew YorkMinnesotaMissouri
Popular vote3,7143,1291,100
Percentage36.54%30.72%10.82%

 
CandidateDouglas MacArthurArthur Vandenberg
PartyRepublicanRepublican
Home stateNew YorkMichigan
Popular vote718516
Percentage7.06%5.08%

Neither of the major parties held primaries for presidential candidates, but some counties held unofficial nonpartisan primaries. The sums of such elections are shown below. Most votes were Republican candidates, with Thomas E. Dewey and Harold Stassen as the top candidates.

Unofficial primary results[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanThomas E. Dewey 3,714 36.54
RepublicanHarold Stassen3,12330.72
DemocraticHarry S. Truman1,10010.82
RepublicanDouglas MacArthur7187.06
RepublicanArthur Vandenberg5165.08
RepublicanRobert Taft4954.87
IndependentDwight Eisenhower2882.83
ProgressiveHenry Wallace870.86
RepublicanJoseph Martin640.63
RepublicanAlfred E. Driscoll440.43
RepublicanEarl Warren140.14
DemocraticElmer Wene10.01
DemocraticJustice Douglas10.01
Total votes10,165 100.0

Results edit

1948 United States presidential election in New Jersey
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
RepublicanThomas E. Dewey981,12450.33%16
DemocraticHarry S. Truman (incumbent)895,45545.93%0
ProgressiveHenry A. Wallace42,6832.19%0
National ProhibitionClaude A. Watson10,5930.54%0
SocialistNorman Thomas10,5210.54%0
Socialist WorkersFarrell Dobbs5,8250.30%0
Socialist LaborEdward A. Teichert3,3540.17%0
Totals1,949,555100.0%16

Results by county edit

CountyThomas E. Dewey[3]
Republican
Harry S. Truman[3]
Democratic
Henry A. Wallace[3]
Independent Progressive
Claude A. Watson[3]
National Prohibition
Norman M. Thomas[3]
Socialist
Farrell Dobbs[3]
Socialist Workers
Edward A. Teichert[3]
Socialist Labor
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%
Atlantic31,60854.43%25,31343.59%9951.71%560.10%790.14%80.01%120.02%6,29510.84%58,071
Bergen142,65765.70%69,13231.84%3,5031.61%3270.15%1,3120.60%820.04%1180.05%73,52533.86%217,131
Burlington21,18349.92%20,80149.02%2780.66%410.10%1260.30%10.00%20.00%3820.90%42,432
Camden51,97742.91%66,38854.81%1,8861.56%1170.10%4190.35%3130.26%320.03%-14,411-11.90%121,132
Cape May11,22764.46%6,03134.63%1180.68%140.08%200.11%50.03%20.01%5,19629.83%17,417
Cumberland16,55651.24%15,19547.02%4491.39%420.13%460.14%70.02%180.06%1,3614.21%32,313
Essex166,96348.60%155,46845.25%11,7413.42%6,5601.91%2,0040.58%3430.10%4880.14%11,4953.35%343,567
Gloucester19,47754.46%15,78544.14%3490.98%470.13%970.27%70.02%30.01%3,69210.32%35,765
Hudson111,11336.47%182,97960.06%6,0491.99%2,9200.96%1,1460.38%1480.05%2980.10%-71,866-23.59%304,653
Hunterdon10,65460.85%6,51537.21%2501.43%180.10%610.35%10.01%100.06%4,13923.64%17,509
Mercer37,79442.26%49,69055.56%1,4511.62%310.03%4570.51%60.01%70.01%-11,896-13.30%89,436
Middlesex49,81042.86%61,63453.04%2,6492.28%940.08%1,7911.54%1360.12%960.08%-11,824-10.17%116,210
Monmouth52,90862.22%30,50735.88%1,3431.58%480.06%2140.25%50.01%80.01%22,40126.34%85,033
Morris42,55868.01%18,86430.15%7461.19%220.04%3620.58%40.01%180.03%23,69437.87%62,574
Ocean16,74070.43%6,36626.79%5792.44%60.03%740.31%20.01%00.00%10,37443.65%23,767
Passaic59,67545.75%60,14746.11%4,8703.73%700.05%5740.44%4,6853.59%4090.31%-472-0.36%130,430
Salem8,96148.65%9,27850.37%1270.69%250.14%200.11%20.01%50.03%-317-1.72%18,418
Somerset22,03459.77%14,10438.26%5431.47%130.04%1620.44%30.01%30.01%7,93021.51%36,862
Sussex9,26966.50%4,52732.48%1010.72%50.04%340.24%10.01%20.01%4,74234.02%13,939
Union87,40253.89%66,75941.16%4,5142.78%1270.08%1,4930.92%660.04%1,8191.12%20,64312.73%162,180
Warren10,55850.97%9,97248.14%1420.69%100.05%300.14%20.01%20.01%5862.83%20,716
Totals981,12450.33%895,45545.93%42,6832.19%10,5930.54%10,5210.54%5,8250.30%3,3540.17%85,6694.39%1,949,555

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "1948 Presidential General Election Results - New Jersey". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  2. ^ "Results of the Primary Election Held April 20, 1948" (PDF). New Jersey Division of Elections. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "NJ US President Race, November 02, 1948". Our Campigns.