The idea for this came from fooling around with that election calculator/election results site. If the information there is correct, Dewey came very very close to winning In Ohio and California and Illinois. Now winning all three states would result in an outright Dewey victory, but the results in those states, if the information from the site is accurate, presents an interesting possibility. It seems as if Ohio and California were slightly closer than Illinois was. So let's say that Dewey does every so slightly better, winning Ohio and California, but losing Illinois to Truman as he did historically.
The final election results electorally is
Truman: 254
Dewey: 239
Thurmond: 38
Despite the vote changes in Ohio and California, Truman does edge out Dewey in the popular vote.
If I have the electoral math right, neither Dewey nor Truman have enough electoral votes to win the election. Consequently, the election goes to the House of Representatives. If I remember correctly the House was Republican dominated in 1948. As a result, it seems likely that the House would pick Thomas Dewey and Earl Warren to be President/Vice President respectively.
Despite the fact that Truman received more popular and electoral votes, if I'm right about how the House would decide the election, it will be Dewey-not Truman-who becomes President come January 20th 1949.
What would be the overall impact of having the 1948 election decided in that manner. How would that kind of result affect the ways in which Truman and Dewey are perceived? Would there be calls for some kind of electoral reform among Democrats in the aftermath of Dewey's victory? How is the Dewey administration affected by this path to the Presidency, if at all?
I realize that a situation in which Dewey wins California and Ohio is also likely to result in a victory in Illinois as well, but bare with me for the sake of argument.
The final election results electorally is
Truman: 254
Dewey: 239
Thurmond: 38
Despite the vote changes in Ohio and California, Truman does edge out Dewey in the popular vote.
If I have the electoral math right, neither Dewey nor Truman have enough electoral votes to win the election. Consequently, the election goes to the House of Representatives. If I remember correctly the House was Republican dominated in 1948. As a result, it seems likely that the House would pick Thomas Dewey and Earl Warren to be President/Vice President respectively.
Despite the fact that Truman received more popular and electoral votes, if I'm right about how the House would decide the election, it will be Dewey-not Truman-who becomes President come January 20th 1949.
What would be the overall impact of having the 1948 election decided in that manner. How would that kind of result affect the ways in which Truman and Dewey are perceived? Would there be calls for some kind of electoral reform among Democrats in the aftermath of Dewey's victory? How is the Dewey administration affected by this path to the Presidency, if at all?
I realize that a situation in which Dewey wins California and Ohio is also likely to result in a victory in Illinois as well, but bare with me for the sake of argument.