1958 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

The 1958 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1958. Democrat Foster Furcolo was elected Governor of Massachusetts for a second term, defeating Republican Charles Gibbons, Socialist Labor candidate Henning A. Blomen, and Prohibition candidate Guy S. Williams.

1958 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

November 4, 1958
 
Nominee Foster Furcolo Charles Gibbons
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,067,020 818,463
Percentage 56.19% 43.10%

County results
Furcolo:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Gibbons:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%

Governor before election

Foster Furcolo
Democratic

Elected Governor

Foster Furcolo
Democratic

In the race for lieutenant governor, Democrat Robert F. Murphy, defeated Republican Elmer C. Nelson, Prohibition candidate Harold E. Bassett, and Socialist Labor candidate Francis A. Votano.

Democratic primary

Declared

Results

Governor Furcolo was unopposed for renomination.

Declared

Results

Lt. Governor Murphy was unopposed for renomination.

Republican primary

On ballot
Write-in candidates
  • Charles Gibbons, former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and nominee for Lt. Governor in 1956
  • Joseph P. McKay, Assistant Attorney General
  • John Volpe, former Public Works Commissioner

Campaign

Attorney General George Fingold was unopposed in the Republican primary.

On August 31, 1958, Fingold died unexpectedly at his home in Concord, Massachusetts.[1] As his death occurred only nine days before the primary, Fingold was the only candidate for Governor on the Republican ballot. Former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Charles Gibbons, former State Public Works Commissioner John A. Volpe, and Assistant Attorney General Joseph P. McKay ran as write-in candidates.[2]

Results

Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial primary, 1958 [3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles Gibbons (write-in) 158,944 84.32%
Republican George Fingold (deceased) 23,031 12.22%
Republican John A. Volpe (write-in) 3,703 1.96%
Republican Joseph P. McKay (write-in) 1,751 0.93%
Write-in All others 1,081 0.57%
Declared

Results

Nelson was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

General election

Results

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1958
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Foster Furcolo 1,067,020 56.19% 3.43
Republican Charles Gibbons 818,463 43.10% 3.77
Socialist Labor Henning A. Blomen 7,871 0.42% 0.17
Prohibition Guy S. Williams 5,745 0.30% 0.18

Results

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1958
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Robert F. Murphy 1,112,001 60.34% 9.11
Republican Elmer C. Nelson 711,362 38.60% 9.24
Socialist Labor Francis A. Votano 11,230 0.61% 0.02
Prohibition Harold E. Bassett 8,300 0.45% 0.06

References

  1. "George Fingold is Dead at 49. Massachusetts Attorney General; G.O.P.Candidate for Governor Had Campaigned Saturday --Serving Third Term". The New York Times. September 1, 1958.
  2. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=570867
  3. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=570867

Hayden, Irving N.; Grove, Lawrence R. (1959). A Manual for the Use of the General Court for 1959–1960. Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Company. pp. 298–99. Retrieved September 23, 2010.

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