Poll: Dewey pushes farther ahead in GOP’s favor
Willkie, MacArthur lose ground as Bricker shows gain
By George Gallup, Director, American Institute of Public Opinion
During the last eight weeks, two Republican leaders, Governor Dewey of New York and Governor Bricker of Ohio, have increased somewhat in popularity as presidential nominees, while Wendell L. Willkie and Gen. Douglas MacArthur have dropped slightly in popular support among the rank and file of Republican voters.
While the GOP nominating convention barely six months ahead, no one candidate seems to have majority support as yet from the rank and file.
Governor Dewey is the leading choice today, with Willkie a fairly close second, Gen. MacArthur third, and Governor Bricker fourth.
Other candidates
In addition to the four leaders mentioned above, the list of candidates for the poll included Senator Taft of Ohio, former Governor Stassen of Minnesota (now serving in the Navy), Governor Saltonstall of Massachusetts, Governor Warren of California, and Eric Johnston, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The vote today as compared with two previous surveys follows:
Interviewing Date 11/25 – 12/1/43 Survey #307-K Question #7Republicans were asked: Which one of the following would you like to see nominated for President by the Republican Party next year?
| Today | October | September | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dewey | 36% | 32% | 35% |
| Willkie | 25% | 28% | 29% |
| MacArthur | 15% | 19% | 15% |
| Bricker | 10% | 8% | 8% |
| Stassen | 6% | 6% | 4% |
| Taft | 5% | 5% | 6% |
| Saltonstall | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Warren | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Eric Johnston | 1% | 0% | 0% |
At a comparable period before the 1936 GOP convention, Governor Landon was leading with about the same vote among the rank and file of Republicans, according to Institute surveys, as Dewey has today.
Sectional picture
Governor Dewey’s strongest section today is the Mid-Atlantic area. He is also high in the East Central states – Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan – where Mr. Willkie is relatively weak. Both Governor Bricker and Gen. MacArthur outpoll Willkie today in the East Central section. Willkie’s strongest sections are New England, the South and the Far West.
The following table shows the sectional vote on the four leading candidates:
| Dewey | Willkie | MacArthur | Bricker | Others | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England | 35% | 39% | 9% | 5% | 12% |
| Mid-Atlantic | 42% | 27% | 14% | 7% | 10% |
| East Central | 37% | 13% | 15% | 21% | 14% |
| West Central | 34% | 22% | 16% | 6% | 22% |
| South | 25% | 34% | 21% | 9% | 11% |
| Mountain | 32% | 28% | 20% | 5% | 15% |
| Pacific | 29% | 28% | 10% | 6% | 22% |
As for the remaining candidates, ex-Governor Stassen’s best section is the West Central area, where he polls 15%. Mr. Warren and Mr. Johnson show better on the West Coast than elsewhere, Mr. Warren with 10% there and Mr. Johnston with 6%. New England is Mr. Saltonstall’s best section (7%), while the Midwest and South are Senator Taft’s strongest areas.