Harry Truman carried Ohio in 1948 with 1,452,791 votes to 1,445,684 for Thomas Dewey, a margin of 7,107 votes, or 49.5 percent to 49.2 percent.1 Ohio had 25 electoral votes.2
Polls had favored Dewey, and the national pollster Elmo Roper stopped taking samples on September 9, saying only a political convulsion could prevent Dewey from winning.3 At midnight on election night, NBC reported that Truman was ahead by more than one million votes but that Dewey was still expected to win.4 The result was not clear until 9:30 the next morning, when the Ohio vote came in.5 On NBC, Senator J. Howard McGrath announced that Ohio's 25 electoral votes gave Truman and his running mate, Senator Barkley, 266, the minimum needed for victory.6
The Chicago Tribune, sure of the outcome, had printed the headline "Dewey Defeats Truman."7 Nationally, Truman received 303 electoral votes to Dewey's 189 and won the popular vote 24.1 million to 21.9 million.8
Sources for each sentence
Each numbered entry quotes the words that support that sentence, as they appear on the linked page.
- Back to sentence 1
Harry S Truman (D) 1,452,791 (49.5%) Thomas E. Dewey (R) 1,445,684 (49.2%)
case.edu/its/archives/campaign/1948.htm - Back to sentence 2
With Ohio’s twenty-five electoral votes, President Truman and Senator Barkley will have a total of two hundred and sixty-six votes in the Electoral College.
learningenglish.voanews.com/a/american-history-truman-wins-election-1948-127974763/116178.html - Back to sentence 3
political polls still favored the reserved Dewey
s1.sos.mo.gov/archives/exhibits/trumanproject/election Elmo Roper [national pollster] quit taking samples on September 9, with the comment that only a political convulsion could prevent Dewey from winning.
s1.sos.mo.gov/archives/exhibits/trumanproject/election - Back to sentence 4
At midnight, Truman heard NBC report that while he was ahead by more than one million votes, Dewey was still expected to win.
millercenter.org/president/truman/campaigns-and-elections - Back to sentence 5
Returns were not clear until the following morning at 9:30 when the Ohio vote came in
s1.sos.mo.gov/archives/exhibits/trumanproject/election - Back to sentence 6
We have obtained the results from the state of Ohio which assures victory for President Truman and Senator Barkley.
learningenglish.voanews.com/a/american-history-truman-wins-election-1948-127974763/116178.html With Ohio’s twenty-five electoral votes, President Truman and Senator Barkley will have a total of two hundred and sixty-six votes in the Electoral College. This is the minimum figure necessary for victory.
learningenglish.voanews.com/a/american-history-truman-wins-election-1948-127974763/116178.html - Back to sentence 7
The Chicago Tribune was also sure who the next president would be, declaring in a huge headline "Dewey Defeats Truman."
learningenglish.voanews.com/a/american-history-truman-wins-election-1948-127974763/116178.html - Back to sentence 8
Harry S. Truman [D] Main Opponent Thomas E. Dewey [R] Electoral Vote Winner: 303 Main Opponent: 189
archives.gov/electoral-college/1948 By a popular vote of 24.1 million to 21.9 million, Truman forced Dewey to concede defeat
s1.sos.mo.gov/archives/exhibits/trumanproject/election
Sources checked on October 3, 2026
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