Congress in 1948 if Dewey won

[President Johnson]

The amazing thing about the 1948 election is not just Truman's upset victory, it's also that Democrats took back congress they've lost two years earlier. The only time in modern history a presidential party managed to reclaim the majority they had lost in the previous midterm.

What would have happened at the congressional level if Dewey narrowly won the presidency? Something like this:

✓ Governor Thomas E. Dewey (R-NY)/Governor Earl Warren (R-CA): 284 EV. (47.26%)
President Harry S. Truman (D-MO)/Senator Alben W. Barkley (D-KY): 209 EV. (45.35%)
Governor Strom Thurmond (Dixie-SC)/Governor Fielding Wright (Dixie-MS): 38 EV. (2.61%)

[brucejoel99]

Even if Dewey manages to pull off a narrow presidential victory, the GOP probably still loses control of both the Senate & the House due to the reputation of the "do-nothing Congress," internal party dissension between Dewey & Taft's conservatives, & Dewey's pretty spineless campaign overall.

[morgankingsley]

I think even if Dewey won electorally, he would still lose the popular vote.

[One Term Floridian]

I could easily even see Dewey as a one-term President. He'd be hampered by the Democratic congress he'd inevitably have to govern with

[Podgy the Bear]

The Wallace and Thurmond vote in 1948 translated into Democratic votes at the state and local levels.  This meant that 55 percent of the vote went to Democratic candidates.  So even if Dewey did pick up enough votes to win CA, IL, and OH and 78 electoral votes from Truman and therefore the presidency, it's unlikely he could have won the popular vote.  And it's very unlikely it would have reversed the Democratic pickup at the congressional level. 

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

I tend to think of this election as one case of reverse coattails...the Democrats retaking control of Congress carried Truman to victory.