1938 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

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

1938 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

November 8, 1938
Turnout	41.55% (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

• 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

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

• 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

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

• 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

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