The 1938 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938.
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 Governor Candidates 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 U.S. representative
Results
Lt. Governor Candidates James Henry Brennan, former state senator and member of the Executive Council 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
Republican primary Governor Candidates Frederick Butler, chairman of the Essex County Board of Commissioners and former state senator William 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
Results
Following his loss in the Republican primary, McMasters declared his campaign as an independent on the Townsend Recovery Act line.
Lt. governor Candidates 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 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
General election Candidates Henning A. Blomen, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Roland S. Bruneau, of Cambridge (independent) Jeffrey Campbell, Black Universalist Unitarian minister (Socialist) James Michael Curley, former governor, mayor of Boston, and U.S. representative (Democratic) William A. Davenport, former state representative (Independent Tax Reform) Otis Archer Hood, candidate for governor in 1936 (Communist) Charles L. Manser, of Boston (Sound, Sensible Government) William McMasters, publicity agent and whistleblower in the Charles Ponzi case (Townsend Recovery Act) Leverett Saltonstall, former speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and nominee for lt. governor in 1936 (Republican) George L. Thompson, former chairman of the New Hampshire Prohibition Party (Prohibition)
Results
See also 1937–1938 Massachusetts legislature
References
Bibliography