1940 United States Presidential Election (Germania)

For related races, see 1940 United States elections.

The 1940 United States presidential election was the 39th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 5, 1940. The election was contested in the shadow of World War II in Europe, as the United States was emerging from the Great Depression. Democratic candidate Joseph P. Kennedy defeated Republican senator Robert A. Taft to be elected into office.

Kennedy was a famous yet unlikely candidate for the presidency. He rose to popularity after conversations between John Garner and Franklin D. Roosevelt were leaked, which showed Roosevelt's intention to try to continue support for the United Kingdom against the German Reich. His intentions later would mention going to war with Germany. This is a factor that lost Roosevelt's support in the 1940 Democratic National Convention.

Kennedy, who believed in strong isolationist and non-interventionism, promised there would be no involvement in foreign wars if he were elected. He also supported the policy of ending the aid to Britain. Taft, who had not previously run for public office, conducted an isolationist campaign and managed to gain Republican votes in areas of the Midwest and West Coast. A part of Taft's success in the Midwest was due to German ancestry within the regions. As the Democratic Party had elected someone who planned on going to war with Germany, they voted for what was seen as the safer option for their beliefs. Kennedy was able to gain support from Democrats by denouncing Roosevelt. He also stated that while serving as ambassador to the United Kingdom he could safely say that the war for Britain was lost. His policy of ending the United State's support of Britain was able to gain mainstream popularity due to Kennedy.

Kennedy was leading in polls, with Taft being predicted to lose in a close race. However, the polls would be proven wrong as Kennedy come out victorious with a major lead of over 5,000,000 votes. Kennedy appealed to the masses due to his pragmatic and open ideas. He gained strong support from labor unions, urban political machines, ethnic minority voters, and the traditionally Democratic Solid South, allowing Kennedy to win his first term.