© 2024 Wyoming Public Media
800-729-5897 | 307-766-4240
Wyoming Public Media is a service of the University of Wyoming
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Transmission & Streaming Disruptions
Archives On The Air
Archives On The Air

Predicting a Presidential Upset #343: John Franklin Carter Papers

Published December 28, 2023 at 6:00 AM MST
Portrait of John Franklin Carter, 1959. Box 1, John Franklin Carter papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
1 of 4  — Predicting a Presidential Upset - John Franklin Carter Papers image1.jpg
Portrait of John Franklin Carter, 1959. Box 1, John Franklin Carter papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
American Heritage Center
John Franklin Carter, who wrote under the pseudonym “Jay Franklin”, accurately predicted Truman’s win in the 1948 Presidential election, on October 25, 1948. Box 21, John Franklin Carter papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
2 of 4  — Predicting a Presidential Upset - John Franklin Carter Papers image2.jpg
John Franklin Carter, who wrote under the pseudonym “Jay Franklin”, accurately predicted Truman’s win in the 1948 Presidential election, on October 25, 1948. Box 21, John Franklin Carter papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
American Heritage Center
Lyrics to a satirical song written lampooning the pollsters for the 1948 Presidential campaign, November 2, 1948. Box 2, John Franklin Carter papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
3 of 4  — Predicting a Presidential Upset - John Franklin Carter Papers image3.jpg
Lyrics to a satirical song written lampooning the pollsters for the 1948 Presidential campaign, November 2, 1948. Box 2, John Franklin Carter papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
American Heritage Center
A typical newspaper article was written by John Franklin Carter, under the pen name “Jay Franklin”, in 1948. Box 21, John Franklin Carter papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
4 of 4  — Predicting a Presidential Upset - John Franklin Carter Papers image4.jpg
A typical newspaper article was written by John Franklin Carter, under the pen name “Jay Franklin”, in 1948. Box 21, John Franklin Carter papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

American Heritage Center

The presidential election of 1948 pitted incumbent Harry Truman against Republican Thomas Dewey. But the election was complicated by the presence of two other candidates.

The States’ Rights Democratic party, also known as the “Dixiecrats”, had nominated a presidential candidate, as had the Progressive-American Labor party. It was assumed that both third-party candidates would draw votes away from Truman, the Democrat.

Pollsters and pundits across the U.S. predicted a win for Dewey. Some newspapers even pre-printed election morning headlines, declaring Dewey the winner. But in a surprise upset, Truman won. Additionally, the Democrats recaptured both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

One of the few political observers who predicted Truman’s win and the Democrats’ success in Congressional elections was John Franklin Carter.

Visit UW’s American Heritage Center to read his papers and learn more about politics in the 1940s.

For more information, visit the American Heritage Center site.

Tags
Archives On The Air American Heritage Center