The United States presidential election of 1952 was the 42nd quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 4, 1952. Incumbent Thomas E. Dewey, the Republican nominee, successfully ran for reelection against Alben W. Barkley, the Democratic nominee. After overseeing the post-war era with aplomb, Dewey was riding high in the polls all throughout his second term. Barkley, the unsuccessful vice-presidential nominee from 1948, attempted to blame Dewey for Communistic rumblings in Southeast Asia, but the accusations had little effect, allowing Dewey to be handily re-elected.