By the time of the 1952 New Hampshire primary , one of the first major contests held in the 1952 Democratic Party presidential primaries , Truman had not stated whether he would seek re-election , and no other candidate had won Truman 's backing . Although the Twenty-second Amendment had been ratified , Truman could run for another term due to a grandfather clause in the amendment . Truman 's first choice to succeed him , Chief Justice Vinson , had declined to run , Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson had also turned Truman down , Vice President Barkley was considered too old , and Truman disliked Senator Kefauver . Accordingly , Truman let his name be entered in the New Hampshire primary by supporters . The highly unpopular Truman was handily defeated by Kefauver ; 18 days later the president announced he would not seek a second full term . Truman was eventually able to persuade Stevenson to run , and the governor ultimately gained the nomination at the 1952 Democratic National Convention
1952 Democratic National Convention
1952 Democratic National Convention
Presidency of Harry S. Truman