1940 United States presidential election (Lagopus)

The 1940 United States presidential election was the 39th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 5, 1940. The Democratic candidate, Secretary of State James K. Lagopus handily defeated Republican candidate, Senator Edwin R. Warren.

The election was contested in the shadow of World War II in Europe, as the United States was emerging from the Great Depression. Despite calls from his party, incumbent President, Franklin D. Roosvelt declared he would not run for a third term. With an opening for the Democratic Nomination, three candidates became the frontrunners, Harry F. Byrd, John Nance Garner, and Henry Wallace. However, at the Democratic National Convention, no candidate gained the necessary delegates, opening the door for dark horse candidate, James K. Lagopus. Lagopus was nominated on the 13th ballot and chose, senator from New York, Benjamin Anderson. Warren, a popular isolationist and conservative senator from Kansas defeated challengers Thomas E. Dewey and Wendell Willkie on the fourth ballot at the 1940 Republican National Convention.