1940 was a busy year for Wendell Willkie, who was competing for the Republican Presidential nomination against Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, Senator Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan, and Thomas E. Dewey of New York City.

Before June’s convention the nominee had not been decided (an interesting comparison to this year’s current 2012 Republican primary field). Willkie would go on to win the nomination but lose the general election against Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who was running for a unprecedented third term in office.

Here is Mr. Willkie in the 1940 U.S. Census living at 1010 5th Avenue in New York City. You will note that he is listed as an executive in the election business.

Wendell Willkie in the 1940 US Census