1944 Massachusetts elections
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
|election_name = 1944 Massachusetts general election
|type = parliamentary
|country = Massachusetts
|previous_election = 1942 Massachusetts general election
|previous_year = 1942
|next_election = 1946 Massachusetts general election
|next_year = 1946
|election_date = November 7, 1944
|seats_for_election = Part of the
1944 United States elections
}}
{{ElectionsMA}}
The 1944 Massachusetts general election was held on November 7, 1944, throughout Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on July 11.
At the federal level, Republican Governor Leverett Saltonstall was elected to the United States Senate over Cambridge mayor John H. Corcoran in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.'s resignation and Republicans won ten of fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives.
In the race for Governor, Republican Lt. Governor Robert F. Bradford defeated incumbent Democrat Maurice Tobin. Overall, Republicans and Democrats evenly split the state-wide offices, with each party won three of the six elected offices. Republicans won both houses of the Massachusetts General Court
Governor
{{Main|1944 Massachusetts gubernatorial election}}
Republican Incumbent Leverett Saltonstall ran for a seat in the United States Senate rather than seeking reelection. Democratic Mayor of Boston Maurice J. Tobin defeated Republican Lieutenant Governor Horace T. Cahill.
Lieutenant governor
In the race for lieutenant governor, Middlesex County District Attorney Robert F. Bradford (R) defeated Democratic former attorney general Paul A. Dever.
=Republican primary=
Middlesex County District Attorney Robert F. Bradford defeated Senate President Jarvis Hunt, Speaker of the House Rudolph King, Beverly mayor Daniel E. McLean, and perennial candidate William McMasters for the Republican nomination.
{{Election box begin
| title=Republican Lt. gubernatorial primary, 1944{{cite book |title=Election Statistics; The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1944 |date=1943–1945|page=[https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/116 116] | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass }}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Robert F. Bradford
|votes = 106,684
|percentage = 54.06%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Jarvis Hunt
|votes = 37,866
|percentage = 19.19%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Rudolph King
|votes = 33,860
|percentage = 17.16%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Daniel E. McLean
|votes = 12,780
|percentage = 6.47%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = William McMasters
|votes = 6,142
|percentage = 3.11%
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Democratic primary=
Somerville assessor John B. Carr defeated former Worcester mayor John S. Sullivan, former state representative Alexander F. Sullivan, and Everett city councilor Alfred P. Farese for the Democratic nomination. Although he was a relative unknown in statewide politics, Carr did have a similar name to his party's 1942 lieutenant gubernatorial nominee, John C. Carr.{{cite news|author=Ainley, Leslie G.|title=Proposed Bill for June State Primary Promises Short, Merry Campaign|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77568829/|access-date=2021-05-12|work=The Boston Daily Globe|date=November 25, 1945}}
{{Election box begin
| title=Democratic Lt. gubernatorial primary, 1944{{cite book |title=Election Statistics; The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1944 |date=1943–1945|page=[https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/185 185] | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass }}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = John B. Carr
|votes = 61,222
|percentage = 33.38%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = John S. Sullivan
|votes = 55,140
|percentage = 30.07%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Alexander F. Sullivan
|votes = 53,267
|percentage = 29.04%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Alfred P. Farese
|votes = 13,754
|percentage = 7.50%
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
=General election=
{{Election box begin
| title=Massachusetts Lt. gubernatorial election, 1944{{cite book |title=Election Statistics; The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1944 |date=1943–1945|page=[https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/3 3] | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass }}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Robert F. Bradford
|votes = 975,537
|percentage = 51.65%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = John B. Carr
|votes = 893,487
|percentage = 47.30%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Socialist Labor Party of America
|candidate = George Leo McGlynn
|votes = 11,159
|percentage = 0.59%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Prohibition Party
|candidate = Alfred Erickson
|votes = 8,662
|percentage = 0.46%
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Twelve-term Republican Incumbent Frederic W. Cook ran unopposed in the primary and defeated Democrat Margaret O'Riordan in the general election for Secretary of the Commonwealth. John M. Bresnahan had defeated Margaret O'Riordan in the Democratic primary, but gave up the nomination to instead run for the United States House of Representatives seat in Massachusetts's 6th congressional district.{{cite news |title=Mrs. O'Riordan Choice of Democrats for Secretary of State |work=Boston Daily Globe |date=July 15, 1944}}
=Democratic primary=
Lynn school committee member John M. Bresnahan defeated Democratic National Committeewoman Margaret O'Riordan in the Democratic primary. Bresnahan also won the Democratic primary for the United States House of Representatives seat in Massachusetts's 6th congressional district. As he could not be the nominee in both races, Bresnahan relinquished his nomination for Secretary of the Commonwealth.{{cite news |author=Ainley, Leslie G. |title=Politics and Politicians: First Legislative Lame Duck Session in State's History Looms |work=Boston Daily Globe |date=March 31, 1946}} O'Riordan was chosen by acclamation by the State Democratic Committee to replace Bresnahan on the ballot.
{{Election box begin no change
| title=1944 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Democratic Primary{{cite book |title=Massachusetts Election Statistics 1944 |pages=188 | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/188/mode/2up }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = John M. Bresnahan
|votes = 99,373
|percentage = 56.67%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Margaret O'Riordan
|votes = 75,973
|percentage = 43.32%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 2
|percentage = 0.00%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 175,346
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
=General election=
{{Election box begin
| title=1944 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Election{{cite book |title=Election Statistics; The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1944 |date=1943–1945|page=3 | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/n55/mode/2up? }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Frederic W. Cook (incumbent)
|votes = 1,072,267
|percentage = 59.31%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Margaret O'Riordan
|votes = 782,664
|percentage = 40.36%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Socialist Labor Party of America
|candidate = Horace I. Hillis
|votes = 13,764
|percentage = 0.94%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 4
|percentage = 0.00%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 1,646,792
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
Treasurer and Receiver-General
Incumbent Democratic Treasurer and Receiver-General Francis X. Hurley ran for Governor rather than seeking reelection. Democrat John E. Hurley defeated Republican Fred J. Burrell to succeed Hurley.
=Republican primary=
Former state treasurer Fred J. Burrell defeated former state senator Laurence Curtis for the Republican nomination.
{{Election box begin no change
| title=1944 Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Republican Primary{{cite book |title=Massachusetts Election Statistics 1944 |pages=122 | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/122/mode/2up }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Fred J. Burrell
|votes = 92,236
|percentage = 50.17%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Laurence Curtis
|votes = 91,578
|percentage = 49.82%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 3
|percentage = 0.00%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 183,814
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Democratic primary=
John E. Hurley, a former State Representative and secretary to Attorney General Paul A. Dever defeated attorney and Medfield assessor Francis C. McKenna, Democratic state committeeman Michael A. O'Leary, and state Auditor Thomas J. Buckley’s former confidential secretary John F. Welch to win the Democratic primary. Hurley was the fourth consecutive person in the past 14 years named Hurley to win the Democratic nomination for state treasurer, following Charles F. Hurley, William E. Hurley, and Francis X. Hurley.{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=John J. |title=Politics and Politicians: Senatorial Race Holds Spotlight in Massachusetts |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=August 2, 1942}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title=1944 Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Democratic Primary{{cite book |title=Massachusetts Election Statistics 1944 |pages=194 | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/194/mode/2up }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = John E. Hurley
|votes = 118,955
|percentage = 66.30%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Michael A. O’Leary
|votes = 24,525
|percentage = 13.67%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = John F. Welch
|votes = 20,040
|percentage = 11.17%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Francis C. McKenna
|votes = 15,886
|percentage = 8.85%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 1
|percentage = 0.00%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 179,404
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
=General election=
{{Election box begin
| title=1944 Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = John E. Hurley
|votes = 1,035,093
|percentage = 56.24%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Fred J. Burrell
|votes = 782,664
|percentage = 42.52%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Socialist Labor Party of America
|candidate = Herbert Crabtree
|votes = 14,170
|percentage = 0.76%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Prohibition Party
|candidate = Earle L. Smith
|votes = 8,310
|percentage = 0.45%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 35
|percentage = 0.00%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 1,840,272
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
Auditor
Incumbent Democratic Auditor Thomas J. Buckley ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Frank A. Goodwin in the general election.
=Republican primary=
Registrar of Motor Vehicles Frank A. Goodwin defeated former Auditor Russell A. Wood and Young Republican Wallace E. Stearns in the Republican primary.
{{Election box begin no change
| title=1944 Massachusetts Auditor Republican Primary{{cite book |title=Massachusetts Election Statistics 1944 |pages=125 | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/124/mode/2up}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Frank A. Goodwin
|votes = 108,036
|percentage = 56.82%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Russell A. Wood
|votes = 65,028
|percentage = 34.20%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Wallace E. Stearns
|votes = 17,049
|percentage = 8.96%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 3
|percentage = 0.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
=General election=
{{Election box begin
| title=1944 Massachusetts Auditor Election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Thomas J. Buckley
|votes = 972,910
|percentage = 52.17%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Frank A. Goodwin
|votes = 875,930
|percentage = 46.97%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Socialist Labor Party of America
|candidate = Gote Elvel Palmquist
|votes = 10,368
|percentage = 0.55%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Prohibition Party
|candidate = Charles E. Vaughn
|votes = 5,550
|percentage = 0.29%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 6
|percentage = 0.00%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 1,864,764
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
Attorney general
Incumbent Republican attorney general Robert T. Bushnell did not run for reelection and was not a candidate for any other office. Republican Clarence A. Barnes defeated Democratic former Lt. Governor Francis E. Kelly to succeed Bushnell.
=Republican primary=
Massachusetts Governor’s Councilor Clarence A. Barnes defeated attorneys Charles Fairhurst and James E. Farley in the Republican primary.
{{Election box begin no change
| title=1944 Massachusetts Attorney General Republican Primary{{cite book |title=Massachusetts Election Statistics 1944 |pages=128 | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/128/mode/2up}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Clarence A. Barnes
|votes = 110,723
|percentage = 58.79%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = James E. Farley
|votes = 53,071
|percentage = 28.18%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Charles Fairhurst
|votes = 24,502
|percentage = 13.01%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 15
|percentage = 0.00%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 188,311
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Democratic primary=
Former Lieutenant Governor Francis E. Kelly defeated former director of the state department of public works’ securities division John H. Backus, attorney Francis D. Harrigan, and World War II veteran Joseph M. McDonough in the Democratic primary.
{{Election box begin no change
| title=1944 Massachusetts Attorney General Democratic Primary{{cite book |title=Massachusetts Election Statistics 1944 |pages=203 | url=https://archive.org/details/electionstatisti19431945mass/page/202/mode/2up}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Francis E. Kelly
|votes = 83,248
|percentage = 43.35%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Joseph M. McDonough
|votes = 53,392
|percentage = 27.80%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Francis D. Harrigan
|votes = 32,883
|percentage = 17.12%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = John H. Backus
|votes = 22,454
|percentage = 11.69%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 20
|percentage = 0.01%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 191,997
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
=General election=
{{Election box begin
| title=1944 Massachusetts Attorney General Election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Clarence A. Barnes
|votes = 929,320
|percentage = 49.86%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Francis E. Kelly
|votes = 918,559
|percentage = 49.28%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Socialist Labor Party of America
|candidate = Fred E. Oelcher
|votes = 10,439
|percentage = 0.56%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Prohibition Party
|candidate = Howard Rand
|votes = 5,444
|percentage = 0.29%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate
|party = Write-in
|candidate = All others
|votes = 15
|percentage = 0.00%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 1,863,777
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
United States Senate
{{main|1944 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts}}
Governor Leverett Saltonstall (R) defeated Cambridge mayor John H. Corcoran (D) in a special election for the United States Senate seat previously held by Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., who had resigned from Massachusetts's other Senate seat in order to serve in World War II.
{{Election box begin
| title=General election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Leverett Saltonstall
|votes = 1,228,754
|percentage = 64.29%
|change = {{increase}}11.85
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = John H. Corcoran
|votes = 667,086
|percentage = 34.90%
|change = {{decrease}}11.71
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Socialist Labor Party of America
|candidate = Bernard G. Kelly
|votes = 12,296
|percentage = 0.64%
|change = {{increase}}0.29
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Prohibition Party
|candidate = E. Tallmadge Root
|votes = 3,269
|percentage = 0.17%
|change = {{decrease}}0.09
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 1,911,405
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
United States House of Representatives
{{Main|1944 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts}}
All of Massachusetts' fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1944.
Ten seats were won by Republican Party candidates.
Eleven seats were won by candidates seeking re-election. The 1st District seat (based in Western Massachusetts) was won by Republican John W. Heselton. Heselton defeated Democrat James P. McAndrews in a close race to succeed the retired Allen T. Treadway
See also
References
{{Reflist | 30em}}