Harry Truman was a very popular man going into the Presidential Election of 1952. With a booming economy and successful foreign policy, he was sure he could make his mark every bit as strong as his predecessor. Republicans had other plans. They had, they felt, missed their chance in 1948, and Conservatives in particular decided that after 20 years of Democratic rule, it would finally be time for a change. The stories of corruption coming out of the White House only helped reinforce this attitude.
Although many Republicans threw their hat into the ring for the nomination, conservatives quickly coalesced around Senator Robert Taft of Ohio. Opposed to them stood delegates in support of a variety of moderate candidates, including Earl Warren and Harold Stassen. After 4 ballots, Taft emerged victorious, and sent the Republican Party in a new, Conservative direction. He blasted President Truman as a Communist and openly campaigned against the new alliances the United States was entering into, especially the Brussels Pledge.
As election day grew closer, it became clear that these attacks were not sticking. Far from being a Communist, Truman had actually defeated Communist groups in China and Korea, while opposing the Soviet Union in Europe and rooting out Communists at home through the HUAC. Allegations of corruption faded away as the focus became the vibrant economy Truman had helped create, and the threat of the Soviet Union taking over Eurasia due to Taft's isolationism. As Taft went more and more on the defensive, Truman's lead increased, and all Republican leaders could do was hope that the polls were wrong again.
Truman: 59.3% Taft: 39.1%
Senate:
Democrats: 59 (+10)
Republicans: 35 (-10)
House:
Democrats: 279 (+41)
Republicans: 154 (-41)
The good news for Taft: the polls
were wrong again. The bad news: they were wrong in the direction of Truman. The only State Taft won was Kansas, and that was only by the slimmest of margins, less than 3,000 votes. In addition, Republicans had been crushed downballot, giving Democrats an insurmountable majority in all parts of government. Truman now had another chance to enact his legislative agenda, even better than his victory in 1948. The Republicans, meanwhile, found themselves back in their old familiar stomping grounds of the political wilderness.