From my historical perspective, I would never have voted for FDR in 1932 or 1936. By 1940, I would have voted for him because of his strong performance on the international front. From Lend-Lease to the creation of the Flying Tigers, FDR had to balance an anti-war public with the risk of having American allies defeated in the war America had not yet joined. China had been invaded in 1931 and had already been fighting for a decade before America joined. With no obligation to Chiang Kai Shek and the Nationalist Chinese, FDR still supported them financially and militarily to the best of his ability.
Long before war was declared in September 1940, the Axis powers were already on the move, conquering most of Europe and the Pacific. The only thing that stood in the way of the collapse of all free nations was FDR. He helped the British to hang on by the skin of their teeth even after France was defeated as the lone outpost in a now hostile Europe until help could arrive in the form of US soldiers. Without the British and the bases from which we flew daytime and nighttime raids against Nazi Germany and from which we launched Operation Overlord, the war in Europe would have been far more difficult, if not unwinnable. The world owes a huge debt to FDR for his foresight and dedication towards preserving freedom.
As for his economic policies, they could hardly have been worse.
