Dewey and Warren defeated the Democratic nominees, incumbent President Harry S. Truman of Missouri and his running mate Senator Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky.

Also in the running was the Progressive Party candidate, former Democratic Vice President Henry A. Wallace, who ran with former Senator Glen H. Taylor of Idaho.

Truman's most significant victory was winning a majority in populous Hillsborough County, home to Manchester and Nashua, which had been a reliable Democratic bastion since voting for Democrat Al Smith in 1928.

As Truman narrowly won an upset victory over Dewey nationally, New Hampshire's result would make the state about ten percentage points more Republican than the national average.

Dewey's 52.41% of the popular vote made New Hampshire his fifth strongest state after Vermont, Maine, Nebraska and Kansas.