Wendell Lewis Willkie ( born Lewis Wendell Willkie ; February 18 , 1892 – October 8 , 1944 ) was an American lawyer and corporate executive , and the 1940 Republican nominee for President . Willkie appealed to many convention delegates as the Republican field 's only interventionist : although the U.S. remained neutral prior to Pearl Harbor , he favored greater U.S. involvement in World War II to support Britain and other Allies . His Democratic opponent , incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt , won the 1940 election with about 55 % of the popular vote and took the electoral college vote by a wide margin
convention
1940 Republican National Convention
Wendell Willkie