Poll: GOP in Kansas favors Dewey by big margin
MacArthur, Willkie next in popularity
By George Gallup, Director, American Institute of Public Opinion
When Alfred M. Landon, the 1936 GOP nominee, predicted that Governor Thomas E. Dewey will be nominated as the Republican presidential candidate this year, he was expressing the wishes of his fellow Kansas – at least as of today.
Kansas voters who state a preference today for a Republican for President name Governor Dewey their first choice for the GOP nomination by a 58% majority. Gen. MacArthur is chosen second most frequently, Wendell Willkie third, Governor John W. Bricker and former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen next.
Voters state preference
Here is a table showing the actual percentage of the Republican vote won by the possible candidates included in today’s survey:
| Dewey | 58% |
| MacArthur | 20% |
| Willkie | 11% |
| Bricker | 6% |
| Stassen | 5% |
Each voter in the survey was asked to select his present preference from a list of men most prominently mentioned today as likely candidate for President in both parties, and the results shown above are based on those who named a Republican.
Dewey strong in Kansas
Former Kansas Governor Landon made his prediction that Mr. Dewey will be nominated at the convention in a statement to the press several months ago.
Latest published surveys in sentiment in the entire West Central area, including Kansas, when compared with today’s survey of the Sunflower State show Mr. Dewey more popular in Kansas than he is in the area as a whole. His percentage vote in the entire area is 44%. The states making up the West Central section, in addition to Kansas, are Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri.
MacArthur second
Gen. MacArthur’s strength on the basis of percentages, is the same in Kansas as in the whole West Central section. Mr. Willkie is stronger in the area as a whole than in Kansas, winning 18% in the eight states grouped, as against 11% in today’s survey.
Minnesota’s former governor, Harold Stassen, has 14% of the Republican vote in the whole area, as compared to 5% in Kansas.