Franklin D. Roosevelt crushed his opponents in the 1940 presidential election, securing a third term in the White House. The charismatic leader's New Deal policies and leadership during the Great Depression and World War II's early stages resonated with Americans, earning him 54.7% of the popular vote and 449 electoral votes. This milestone win cemented Roosevelt's status as a towering figure in American politics, as he became the first and only president to break the two-term tradition.