1938 Colorado gubernatorial election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1938 Colorado gubernatorial election

| country = Colorado

| flag_year = 1911

| type = Presidential

| previous_election = 1936 Colorado gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1936

| next_election = 1940 Colorado gubernatorial election

| next_year = 1940

| election_date = November 8, 1938

| image1 = File:Gov Ralph L Carr 1940 (cropped).jpg

| image_size = 150x150px

| nominee1 = Ralph Lawrence Carr

| party1 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 296,671

| percentage1 = 59.50%

| image2 = File:Teller Ammons (Colorado governor).gif

| nominee2 = Teller Ammons

| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 199,562

| percentage2 = 40.02%

| map_image = 1938 Colorado gubernatorial election results map by county.svg

| map_size = 250px

| map_caption = County results

Carr: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}

Ammons: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = Teller Ammons

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = Ralph Lawrence Carr

| after_party = Republican Party (United States)

}}

The 1938 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938. Republican nominee Ralph Lawrence Carr defeated Democratic incumbent Teller Ammons with 59.50% of the vote.

Democratic primary

=Candidates=

Teller Ammons, incumbent Governor of Colorado
George J. Knapp, Pueblo newspaper publisher

==Dropped out==

Elmer E. Headlee, State Senator from Monte Vista{{cite news|date=July 21, 1938|title=Political Notes|work=Steamboat Pilot|location=Steamboat Springs, Colorado|page=2|url=https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=STP19380721.2.40&srpos=9&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------|access-date=July 4, 2022}}

=Campaign=

First-term Democratic Governor Teller Ammons ran for re-election and faced uncertain opposition in the Democratic primary. He initially faced a primary challenge from conservative State Senator Elmer E. Headlee, who represented the San Luis Valley. However, at the state Democratic convention, Headlee ended his campaign, apparently concerned that he lacked enough votes to continue his campaign to the primary election. Accordingly, Ammons was nominated without opposition.{{cite news|date=July 28, 1938|title=Under the Capitol Dome|last=Swain|first=Alva A.|work=Steamboat Pilot|location=Steamboat Springs, Colorado|page=2|url=https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=STP19380728.2.46&srpos=15&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------|access-date=July 4, 2022}} Prior to the primary, however, Pueblo newspaper editor George J. Knapp, who had previously run for Congress as a Republican in 1936, gathered enough signatures to challenge Ammons for renomination. Despite being entirely unknown,{{cite news|date=September 15, 1938|title=Primary Election Creates Little Interest Throughout State|work=Oak Creek Times|location=Oak Creek, Colorado|page=1|url=https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=OCT19380915.2.1&srpos=17&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------|access-date=July 4, 2022}} Knapp held Ammons to just 62% of the vote, winning several counties through the state and triggering speculation as to the nature of Ammons's weak performance.{{cite news|date=September 22, 1938|title=Capitol Comment|last=Kimball|first=Neil West|work=Colorado Transcript|location=Golden, Colorado|page=2|url=https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=CTR19380922-01.2.23&srpos=27&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------|access-date=July 4, 2022}}

=Results=

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Democratic primary results{{cite book|last=Saunders|first=George E.|title=State of Colorado Abstract of Votes Cast at the Primary Election Held on the Thirteenth Day of September, A. D. 1938 and at the General Election Held on the Eighth Day of November, A. D. 1938|url=https://spl.cde.state.co.us/artemis/sserials/s111internet/s1111938internet.pdf|date=1938|location=Denver, Colorado|publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Teller Ammons (inc.)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 67,992

| percentage = 62.41

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = George J. Knapp

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 40,948

| percentage = 37.59

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 108,940

| percentage = 100.00

}}

Republican primary

=Candidates=

Ralph Lawrence Carr, former United States Attorney for the District of Colorado

==Dropped out==

Charles M. Armstrong, former Colorado State Treasurer, 1936 Republican nominee for Governor
Benjamin Snodgrass, Denver coal operator

=Campaign=

In the leadup to the state Republican convention, the two frontrunners for the nomination for Governor appeared to be former State Treasurer Charles M. Armstrong, who had run unsuccessfully as the party's nominee in 1936, and coal operator Benjamin Snodgrass, who was supported by former Senator Lawrence C. Phipps and his allies. However, party leaders were angling for a third candidate and considered former State Senator Nate C. Warren, Colorado Springs Mayor George Birdsall, and former U.S. Attorney Ralph Carr. All alternative candidacies were declined or scuttled, but Carr ultimately changed his mind and sought the nomination. In the face of the unified front in favor of Carr, Armstrong withdrew at the convention.{{cite news|date=August 11, 1938|title=Capitol Comment|last=Kimball|first=Neil West|work=Steamboat Pilot|location=Steamboat Springs, Colorado|page=2|url=https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=STP19380811.2.39&srpos=3&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------|access-date=July 4, 2022}} And though Snodgrass won enough votes to secure a place on the primary election ballot, he ultimately withdrew from the race as well, allowing Carr to be nominated unopposed.{{cite news|date=August 18, 1938|title=Under the Capitol Dome|last=Swain|first=Alva A.|work=Steamboat Pilot|location=Steamboat Springs, Colorado|page=2|url=https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=STP19380818.2.40&srpos=13&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------|access-date=July 4, 2022}}

=Results=

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican primary results

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ralph L. Carr

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 61,724

| percentage = 100.00

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 61,724

| percentage = 100.00

}}

General election

=Results=

{{Election box begin | title=1938 United States Senate election in Colorado

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Ralph L. Carr

|votes = 255,159

|percentage = 55.82%

|change = +12.17%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Teller Ammons (inc.)

|votes = 199,562

|percentage = 43.66%

|change = -10.91%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Union Party (United States)

|candidate = Jack R. White

|votes = 1,262

|percentage = 0.28%

|change = +0.11%

}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = Royal Way

|candidate = Harvey L. Mayfield

|votes = 1,140

|percentage = 0.25%

|change = +0.21%

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 55,597

|percentage = 12.16%

|change = +1.24%

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 457,123

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no swing|

|winner = Republican Party (United States)

|loser = Democratic Party (United States)

|swing =

}}

References

1938

Colorado

Gubernatorial