Former Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections[1] and caucuses culminating in the 1956 Democratic National Convention held from August 13 to August 17, 1956, in Chicago, Illinois.

Adlai Stevenson II Estes Kefauver W. Averell Harriman The following candidates ran only in their home state's primary or caucuses for the purpose of controlling its delegate slate at the convention and did not appear to be considered national candidates by the media.

In the March 13, 1956 New Hampshire presidential primary, Kefauver defeated Stevenson, his only formidable opponent for the nomination, by a margin of 21,701 to 3,806.

By April 1956, "it appeared that Kefauver was on his way to a primary sweep matching the spectacular performance in 1952.

[5][6] Russell Baker of The New York Times wrote that the two contenders took near-identical stances on most of the issues discussed in the debate.