1938 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
Gubernatorial elections were held in Massachusetts on November 8, 1938.
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Turnout | 41.55% (total pop.) | ||||||||||||||||
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![]() County results Saltonstall: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Curley: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Massachusetts |
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Former Governor James Michael Curley defeated incumbent Governor Charles F. Hurley in the Democratic primary, but Curley was defeated by former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Leverett Saltonstall in the general election.
Saltonstall's victory returned control of Beacon Hill to the Republicans after an unprecedented eight years of Democratic Governors.
Democratic primary
Declared
- James Michael Curley, former Governor, Mayor of Boston, and U.S. Representative
- Charles F. Hurley, incumbent Governor
- Francis E. Kelly, incumbent Lieutenant Governor
- Richard M. Russell, former United States Representative
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | James Michael Curley | 210,286 | 41.13% | |
Democratic | Charles F. Hurley | 168,161 | 32.89% | |
Democratic | Francis E. Kelly | 101,978 | 19.95% | |
Democratic | Richard M. Russell | 30,485 | 5.96% | |
Write-in | All others | 383 | 0.07% | |
Total votes | 511,293 | 100.00% | ||
None | Blank votes | 13,882 | — | |
Turnout | 525,175 | 100.00% |
Declared
- James Henry Brennan, former State Senator and Member of the Executive Council[2]
- Edward T. Collins, Member of the Executive Council
- Alexander F. Sullivan, former State Representative
- Joseph C. White, State Senator
- William P. Yoerg, Mayor of Holyoke
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | James Henry Brennan | 139,653 | 30.50% | |
Democratic | Joseph C. White | 132,716 | 28.98% | |
Democratic | Edward T. Collins | 76,008 | 16.60% | |
Democratic | Alexander F. Sullivan | 66,007 | 14.42% | |
Democratic | William P. Yoerg | 34,221 | 7.47% | |
Write-in | All others | 241 | 0.05% | |
Total votes | 457,898 | 100.00% | ||
None | Blank votes | 67,277 | — | |
Turnout | 525,175 | 100.00% |
Republican primary
Declared
- Frederick Butler, chairman of the Essex County Board of Commissioners and former State Senator[4]
- William H. McMasters, publicity agent for Charles Ponzi and candidate for Governor in 1936
- Leverett Saltonstall, former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and nominee for Lt. Governor in 1936
- Richard Whitcomb, Director of the Boston Survey Commission[5]
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Leverett Saltonstall | 323,003 | 72.73% | |
Republican | William H. McMasters | 48,133 | 10.84% | |
Republican | Richard Whitcomb | 45,139 | 10.16% | |
Republican | Frederick Butler | 27,739 | 6.25% | |
Write-in | All others | 122 | 0.03% | |
Total votes | 444,136 | 100.00% | ||
None | Blank votes | 24,993 | — | |
Turnout | 469,129 | 100.00% |
Declared
- Dewey G. Archambault, Mayor of Lowell
- Horace T. Cahill, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
- J. Watson Flett, Chairman of the Belmont Board of Selectmen[7]
- Charles P. Howard, Massachusetts State Commissioner of Administration and Finance
- Kenneth D. Johnson, Judge for the Quincy District Court
- Robert Gardiner Wilson Jr., Member of the Boston City Council
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Horace T. Cahill | 112,140 | 26.78% | |
Republican | Kenneth D. Johnson | 93,538 | 22.33% | |
Republican | Charles P. Howard | 84,477 | 20.17% | |
Republican | Dewey G. Archambault | 52,358 | 12.50% | |
Republican | Robert Gardiner Wilson | 38,920 | 9.29% | |
Republican | J. Watson Flett | 37,329 | 8.91% | |
Write-in | All others | 50 | 0.01% | |
Total votes | 418,812 | 100.00% | ||
None | Blank votes | 50,317 | — | |
Turnout | 469,129 | 100.00% |
Independents and third parties
Communist
- Otis Archer Hood, candidate for Governor in 1936
Independent
- Roland S. Bruneau of Cambridge
Independent Tax Reform
- William A. Davenport, former State Representative
Prohibition
- George L. Thompson, former Chairman of the New Hampshire Prohibition Party
Socialist
- Jeffrey Campbell, black Universalist Unitarian minister
Socialist Labor
- Henning A. Blomen, perennial candidate
Sound, Sensible Government
- Charles L. Manser of Boston
Townsend Recovery Act
- William H. McMasters, publicity agent and whistleblower in the Charles Ponzi case
Following his loss in the Republican primary, McMasters declared his campaign as an independent on the Townsend Recovery Act line.
General election
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Leverett Saltonstall | 941,465 | 53.32% | ![]() | |
Democratic | James Michael Curley | 793,884 | 47.62% | ![]() | |
Townsend | William H. McMasters | 7,206 | 0.41% | N/A | |
Socialist | Jeffrey W. Campbell | 5,691 | 0.32% | ![]() | |
Communist | Otis Archer Hood | 3,488 | 0.20% | ![]() | |
Independent | Roland S. Bruneau | 3,400 | 0.19% | N/A | |
Independent Tax Reform | William A. Davenport | 3,118 | 0.18% | N/A | |
Prohibition | Alfred H. Evans | 2,046 | 0.12% | ![]() | |
Sound, Sensible Government | Charles L. Manser | 1,533 | 0.09% | N/A | |
Write-in | All others | 111 | 0.01% | ![]() | |
Total votes | 1,765,869 | 100.00% | |||
None | Blank votes | 29,820 | — | ||
Turnout | 1,795,689 | 100.00% | |||
Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | ||||
References
- Election Statistics 1939, p. 143.
- "Brennan Plans to Seek Office". The North Adams Transcript. 26 April 1938. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
- Election Statistics 1939, p. 149.
- "Believes He Can Make an Impression". North Adams Transcript. 11 August 1938. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
- "Familiar with Traditions of Bay State". The Acton-Concord Enterprise. 10 August 1938. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
- Election Statistics 1939, p. 41.
- "Belmont". The Boston Globe. 17 Oct 1938. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
- Election Statistics 1939, p. 47.
- "MA Governor, 1938". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
- Election Statistics 1939, p. 282.
Bibliography
Frederic W. Cook, Secretary of the Commonwealth (1939). Election Statistics, 1937–39. Boston, MA.
See also
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