1950 Oregon gubernatorial election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1950 Oregon gubernatorial election
| country = Oregon
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1948 Oregon gubernatorial special election
| previous_year = 1948 (special)
| next_election = 1954 Oregon gubernatorial election
| next_year = 1954
| election_date = November 7, 1950
| image1 = File:Douglas McKay.png
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = Douglas McKay
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 334,160
| percentage1 = 66.1%
| image2 = File:Austin Flegel.jpg
| nominee2 = Austin F. Flegel
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 171,750
| percentage2 = 33.9%
| map_image = 1950 Oregon gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
| map_size = 250px
| map_caption = County results:
McKay: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70-80%}}
| title = Governor
| before_election = Douglas McKay
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Douglas McKay
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsOR}}
The 1950 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1950 to elect the governor of the U.S. state of Oregon. Incumbent Republican governor Douglas McKay defeated Democratic nominee Austin F. Flegel.
Background
McKay had been elected in a 1948 gubernatorial special election to replace interim governor John Hubert Hall. Hall, as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, had succeeded to the governorship following the death of governor Earl Snell, Oregon Secretary of State Robert S. Farrell, Jr., and State Senate President Marshall E. Cornett in a plane crash on October 30, 1947.
Campaign
In his reelection bid, McKay was unopposed in the Republican primary. In the Democratic primary, Portland attorney and state senator Austin F. Flegel defeated Oregon State Treasurer Walter J. Pearson and former state senator and 1942 and 1948 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Lew Wallace.{{cite news
|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EipQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uQsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3757,3674732
|title=Flegel enters governor's race
|newspaper=The Register-Guard
|date=March 1, 1950
|access-date=August 22, 2011
|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IFsxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wAsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5724,1079031
|title=Democratic choice for governorship still not clear
|newspaper=The Register-Guard
|date=May 21, 1950
|access-date=August 22, 2011
}} In the general election, McKay defeated Flegel by a nearly 2–1 margin.
McKay would step down less than two years into his term to become United States Secretary of the Interior under President Dwight Eisenhower.
==Election results==
{{Election box begin no change| title=Oregon gubernatorial election, 1950{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=41127|title=OR Governor Race - Nov 07, 1950|publisher=Our Campaigns|access-date=August 22, 2011}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Douglas McKay (incumbent)
|votes = 334,160
|percentage = 66.05
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Austin F. Flegel
|votes = 171,750
|percentage = 33.95
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 505,910 | percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing|
|winner = Republican Party (United States)
|loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Oregon elections}}
{{1950 United States elections}}