1938 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

Gubernatorial elections were held in Massachusetts on November 8, 1938.

1938 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

November 8, 1938 (1938-11-08)
Turnout41.55% (total pop.)
 
Nominee Leverett Saltonstall James Michael Curley
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 941,465 793,884
Percentage 53.32% 46.08%

County results
Saltonstall:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Curley:      50–60%

Governor before election

Charles F. Hurley
Democratic

Elected Governor

Leverett Saltonstall
Republican

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

Results

1938 Democratic gubernatorial primary[1]
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

1938 Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary[3]
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

1938 Republican gubernatorial primary[6]
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

Results

1938 Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary[8]
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

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

1938 Massachusetts gubernatorial election[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Leverett Saltonstall 941,465 53.32% 7.24
Democratic James Michael Curley 793,884 47.62% 2.66
Townsend William H. McMasters 7,206 0.41% N/A
Socialist Jeffrey W. Campbell 5,691 0.32% 0.20
Communist Otis Archer Hood 3,488 0.20% 0.08
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% 0.07
Sound, Sensible Government Charles L. Manser 1,533 0.09% N/A
Write-in All others 111 0.01% 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

  1. Election Statistics 1939, p. 143.
  2. "Brennan Plans to Seek Office". The North Adams Transcript. 26 April 1938. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. Election Statistics 1939, p. 149.
  4. "Believes He Can Make an Impression". North Adams Transcript. 11 August 1938. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  5. "Familiar with Traditions of Bay State". The Acton-Concord Enterprise. 10 August 1938. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  6. Election Statistics 1939, p. 41.
  7. "Belmont". The Boston Globe. 17 Oct 1938. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  8. Election Statistics 1939, p. 47.
  9. "MA Governor, 1938". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  10. 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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