Willkie and McNary

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Wendell Willkie was an American lawyer and corporate executive who was nominated as the 1940 Republican nominee for President. Willkie was considered a surprising choice given that he had little experience in politics. Willkie was campaigning against President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who at the time was running for his third term in office. Running alongside Willkie as his Vice President was Senator Charles L. McNary of Oregon. McNary held more political experience than his running mate, being the Senate minority leader at the time. Though partners, Willkie and McNary had notably different opinions on a number of topics. While Willkie was a staunch opponent of President Roosevelt's implementation of the New Deal programs, McNary openly supported the policies. Another example was their disagreement on the Tennessee Valley Authority, a federally owned power-producing corporation. While McNary supported the corporation, Willkie opposed the company and their practices.