1950 Massachusetts elections

1950 Massachusetts general election

← 1948 November 7, 1950 1952 →
Part of the 1950 United States elections

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v t e

The 1950 Massachusetts general election was held on November 7, 1950, throughout Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on September 19.

At the federal level, Republicans maintained their majority in the state by holding eight of fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives. Incumbents were re-elected in each House seat.

In the race for Governor, Democratic incumbent Paul Dever was re-elected over former Lieutenant Governor Arthur W. Coolidge.

Democratic incumbents swept the six elections for statewide offices.

Governor

Democratic incumbent Paul A. Dever was reelected over Republican Arthur W. Coolidge, Socialist Labor candidate Horace Hillis, and Prohibition candidate Mark R. Shaw.

Lieutenant governor

Democratic incumbent Charles F. Sullivan was reelected over Republican Laurence Curtis and Socialist Labor candidate Lawrence Gilfedder.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• William N. Bergan, Hull selectman
• G. Edward Bradley, Mayor of Somerville
• John Francis Cahill, former Democratic State Committee Chair
• J. Frank Murphy
• Charles F. Sullivan, incumbent Lieutenant Governor

Results

1950 Democratic Lt. gubernatorial primary^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Charles F. Sullivan (incumbent)	196,638	52.68%
	Democratic	G. Edward Bradley	55,176	14.78%
	Democratic	J. Frank Murphy	49,095	13.15%
	Democratic	John Francis Cahill	47,635	12.76%
	Democratic	William N. Bergan	24,718	6.62%
Total votes			373,262	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Laurence Curtis, former Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts
• Warren G. Harris, former Governor's Councilor
• Daniel E. McLean, former Mayor of Beverly
• Harris S. Richardson, State Senator
• Robert W. Welch, Jr., businessman and anti-communist activist

Results

1950 Republican Lt. gubernatorial primary^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Laurence Curtis	162,506	46.73%
	Republican	Robert W. Welch, Jr.	59,073	16.99%
	Republican	Harris S. Richardson	52,994	15.24%
	Republican	Daniel E. McLean	40,492	11.64%
	Republican	Warren G. Harris	32,677	9.40%
Total votes			347,742	100.00%

General election

Massachusetts Lt. gubernatorial election, 1950 ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Charles F. Sullivan (incumbent)	982,014	52.64%
	Republican	Laurence Curtis	870,542	46.66%
	Socialist Labor	Lawrence Gilfedder	13,009	0.70%
Total votes			1,865,565	100.00%

Attorney general

Incumbent Francis E. Kelly attorney general defeated Benjamin F. Chesky, Eli Y. Krovitsky, Isadore H. Y. Muchnick in the Democratic primary and Republican Frederick Ayer Jr., Socialist Workers candidate Anthony Martin, and Prohibition candidate Howard B. Rand in the general election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Benjamin F. Chesky
• Francis E. Kelly, incumbent Attorney General
• Eli Y. Krovitsky
• Isadore H. Y. Muchnick, member of the Boston School Committee

Results

1950 Massachusetts Attorney General Democratic Primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Francis E. Kelly (incumbent)	292,450	76.74%
	Democratic	Isadore H. Y. Muchnick	60,708	15.94%
	Democratic	Benjamin F. Chesky	15,416	4.04%
	Democratic	Eli Y. Krovitsky	12,471	3.27%
Total votes			381,045	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Frederick Ayer Jr., Republican Party fundraiser and nephew of George S. Patton
• Edward Butterworth, former State Representative
• George Fingold, member of the Malden City Council
• Edwin W. Hadley, professor at Northeastern University School of Law
• Frank F. Walters

Results

1950 Massachusetts Attorney General Republican Primary^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frederick Ayer Jr.	117,256	34.94%
	Republican	George Fingold	101,037	30.11%
	Republican	Edward Butterworth	60,738	18.10%
	Republican	Edwin W. Hadley	36,534	10.88%
	Republican	Frank F. Walters	19,971	5.95%
	Write-in	All others	2	0.00%
Total votes			335,538	100.00%

General election

1950 Massachusetts Attorney General Election^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Francis E. Kelly (incumbent)	957,262	51.87%
	Republican	Frederick Ayer Jr.	868,871	47.08%
	Socialist Labor	Anthony Martin	13,237	0.71%
	Prohibition	Howard B. Rand	5,888	0.31%
	Write-in	All others	8	0.00%
Total votes			1,845,266	100.00%

Secretary of the Commonwealth

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Anthony L. Bruno
• Stephen J. Carr
• Edward J. Cronin, incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth
• Martin Graham
• Paul V. Shaughnessy, member of the Waltham School Committee
• Alfred L. Smith
• Alfred R. Vitale
• John F. Welch

Results

1950 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Democratic Primary^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Edward J. Cronin (incumbent)	190,380	52.97%
	Democratic	Stephen J. Carr	38,418	10.69%
	Democratic	Paul V. Shaughnessy	36,085	10.04%
	Democratic	Anthony L. Bruno	31,277	8.70%
	Democratic	John F. Welch	22,063	6.13%
	Democratic	Alfred R. Vitale	18,796	5.23%
	Democratic	Alfred L. Smith	12,369	3.43%
	Democratic	Martin Graham	10,053	2.79%
	Write-in	All others	1	0.00%
Total votes			359,442	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• John Adams
• William B. Bailey, former State Representative
• Henry Clay
• Douglas Lawson
• Ranny Weeks, bandleader
• Russell A. Wood, former Massachusetts Auditor and State Representative
• Ada F. York

Results

1950 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Republican Primary^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Russell A. Wood	84,052	25.77%
	Republican	Randall W. "Ranny" Weeks	61,931	18.99%
	Republican	John Adams	55,637	17.06%
	Republican	William B. Bailey	49,589	15.20%
	Republican	Douglas Lawson	35,696	10.94%
	Republican	Henry Clay	23,931	7.33%
	Republican	Ada F. York	15,238	4.67%
Total votes			326,074	100.00%

General election

1950 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Election^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Edward J. Cronin (incumbent)	1,004,632	54.89%
	Republican	Russell A. Wood	801,162	43.78%
	Socialist Labor	Fred M. Ingersoll	13,398	0.73%
	Prohibition	Ellsworth J. M. Dickson	10,743	0.58%
	Write-in	All others	2	0.00%
Total votes			1,829,937	100.00%

Treasurer and Receiver-General

Republican primary

Candidates

• Fred J. Burrell, former Treasurer and Receiver-General
• Roy C. Papalia, Watertown selectman

Results

1950 Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Republican Primary^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Fred J. Burrell	194,784	59.00%
	Republican	Roy C. Papalia	135,321	40.99%
	Write-in	All others	1	0.00%
Total votes			330,106	100.00%

General election

1950 Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Election^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John E. Hurley (incumbent)	1,101,367	60.27%
	Republican	Fred J. Burrell	702,604	38.45%
	Socialist Labor	Henning A. Blomen	11,968	0.65%
	Prohibition	Harold J. Ireland	11,289	0.61%
	Write-in	All others	17	0.00%

Auditor

Republican primary

Candidates

• William G. Andrew, former interim district attorney of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
• Warren A. Rood

Results

1950 Massachusetts State Auditor Republican Primary^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	William G. Andrew	238,762	86.02%
	Republican	Warren A. Rood	38,797	13.97%
	Write-in	All others	1	0.00%
Total votes			277,560	100.00%

General election

1950 Massachusetts Auditor General Election^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Thomas J. Buckley (incumbent)	1,082,350	59.21%
	Republican	William G. Andrew	724,058	39.61%
	Socialist Labor	Francis A. Votano	13,498	0.73%
	Prohibition	Robert A. Simmons	7,844	0.42%
	Write-in		2	0.00%
Total votes			1,827,752	100.00%

See also

• 157th Massachusetts General Court (1951–1952)

References