Problem was the Democrats had a far deeper bench than the GOP, which had been annihilated through the 1930s. The Democrats had Governors, Senators, FDR's cabinet and more. The Republicans had a few Senators, like Vandenberg and Taft, but they had taken unpopular positions, Dewey was too inexperienced, and the others had too little of a national profile. Willkie, as an outsider without baggage, was probably the best choice. He would find it much harder, probably impossible, to be selected in the Democratic Party.