# 1948 Massachusetts elections

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vte :
The 1948 Massachusetts general election was held on November 2, 1948, throughout Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on September 14.
Despite some Republican success at the federal level, the 1948 election was an historic victory for the Massachusetts Democratic Party. In the race for Governor, Republican incumbent Robert F. Bradford lost re-election to former attorney general Paul Dever. Democrats swept the six statewide offices, defeating incumbents in five races, and took control of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the first time since the American Civil War.
At the federal level, Harry Truman carried the state over Thomas Dewey in the presidential election, but Republican Leverett Saltonstall was re-elected to the United States Senate, and Republicans won eight of fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives.

## Governor

Republican governor Robert F. Bradford was defeated by Democratic former attorney general Paul Dever in a landslide.

## Lieutenant governor

In the race for lieutenant governor, Democratic mayor of Worcester defeated incumbent Republican Arthur W. Coolidge.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Declared

* Charles F. "Jeff" Sullivan, Mayor of Worcester
* Benedict FitzGerald, attorney
* Edward P. Barry

#### Results

1948 Democratic Lt. gubernatorial primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles F. Sullivan | 127,948 | 48.05% |
| | Democratic | Benedict FitzGerald | 99,712 | 37.44% |
| | Democratic | Edward P. Barry | 38,637 | 14.51% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 266,297 | 100.00% |

### General election

Massachusetts Lt. gubernatorial election, 1948 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Charles F. Sullivan | 1,163,041 | 56.69% | 7.38 |
| | Republican | Arthur W. Coolidge (incumbent) | 870,864 | 42.45% | 6.86 |
| | Socialist Labor | Lawrence Gilfedder | 12,127 | 0.59% | 0.05 |
| | Prohibition | Guy S. Williams | 5,457 | 0.27% | 0.07 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,051,489 | 100.00% | |

## Secretary of the Commonwealth

Incumbent Republican Secretary of the Commonwealth Frederic W. Cook ran for re-election to a record fifteenth two-year term in office, but was narrowly defeated by Democrat Edward J. Cronin.
The Socialist Labor Party nominated Gote E. Palmquist.

### Democratic primary

1948 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Democratic Primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Edward J. Cronin | 148,545 | 61.82% |
| | Democratic | Jerome P. Troy | 93,362 | 35.94% |
| | Write-in | All others | 2 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 241,909 | 100.00% |

### General election

1948 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Edward J. Cronin | 1,011,397 | 49.98% | 9.62 |
| | Republican | Frederic W. Cook (incumbent) | 997,764 | 49.30% | 10.01 |
| | Socialist Labor | Gote E. Palmquist | 14,416 | 0.71% | 0.23 |
| | Write-in | All others | 1 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,023,578 | 100.00% | |

## Attorney general

Incumbent Republican attorney general Clarence A. Barnes ran for re-election to a third consecutive term. He was defeated Democratic former lieutenant governor Francis E. Kelly in the general election. This was a re-match of the 1946 election.

### Democratic primary

1948 Massachusetts Attorney General Democratic Primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Francis E. Kelly | 98,370 | 35.94% |
| | Democratic | Patrick Gilbert Sullivan | 66,395 | 24.26% |
| | Democratic | John F. Kelley | 63,678 | 23.27% |
| | Democratic | Enrico Cappucci | 45,227 | 16.53% |
| | Write-in | All others | 5 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 273,675 | 100.00% |

### General election

1948 Massachusetts Attorney General Election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Francis E. Kelly | 1,077,504 | 53.26% | 8.50 |
| | Republican | Clarence A. Barnes (incumbent) | 927,779 | 45.86% | 8.23 |
| | Socialist Labor | Anthony Martin | 17,649 | 0.87% | 0.08 |
| | Write-in | All others | 10 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,022,942 | 100.00% | |

## Treasurer and Receiver-General

Incumbent Republican Treasurer and Receiver-General Laurence Curtis ran for re-election to a second term but was defeated by Democratic former Treasurer Francis E. Kelly. This was a re-match of the 1946 election.
The Prohibition Party nominated Harold J. Ireland, and the Socialist Labor party nominated Malcolm T. Rowe.
1948 Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | John E. Hurley | 1,120,989 | 55.21% | 9.32 |
| | Republican | Laurence Curtis (incumbent) | 888,767 | 43.78% | 9.16 |
| | Socialist Labor | Malcolm T. Rowe | 13,087 | 0.64% | 0.14 |
| | Prohibition | Harold J. Ireland | 7,279 | 0.36% | 0.06 |
| | Write-in | All others | 4 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,030,126 | 100.00% | |

## Auditor

Incumbent Democratic Auditor Thomas J. Buckley ran for re-election to a fifth term in office. He was re-elected in a landslide over Republican Russell A. Wood, who he had defeated in 1940, 1942, and 1946.
The Prohibition Party nominated Robert A. Simmons, and the Socialist Labor Party nominated Francis A. Votano.

### Republican primary

1948 Massachusetts State Auditor Republican Primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Russell A. Wood | 91,768 | 40.18% |
| | Republican | Edwin L. Olander | 81,109 | 35.51% |
| | Republican | Douglas Lawson | 41,497 | 18.17% |
| | Republican | Wallace E. Stearns | 14,025 | 6.14% |
| | Write-in | All others | 0 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 228,399 | 100.00% |

### General election

1948 Massachusetts Auditor General Election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Thomas J. Buckley (incumbent) | 1,241,653 | 61.58% | 11.82 |
| | Republican | Russell A. Wood | 752,430 | 37.32% | 11.72 |
| | Socialist Labor | Francis A. Votano | 12,510 | 0.62% | 0.27 |
| | Prohibition | Robert A. Simmons | 6,916 | 0.34% | 0.03 |
| | Write-in | All others | 5 | 0.00% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,016,214 | 100.00% | |

## United States Senate

Incumbent Republican Senator Leverett Saltonstall ran for re-election to a full term in office. Saltonstall won the seat in the 1944 special election created by Henry Cabot Lodge Jr's resignation.
General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Leverett Saltonstall (incumbent) | 1,088,475 | 52.95% | 11.34 |
| | Democratic | John I. Fitzgerald | 954,398 | 46.43% | 11.53 |
| | Socialist Labor | Henning A. Blomen | 9,266 | 0.44% | 0.20 |
| | Prohibition | E. Tallmadge Root | 3,652 | 0.18% | 0.01 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,055,791 | 100.00% | |

## United States House of Representatives

All of Massachusetts' fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1946.
Eight seats were won by Republican Party incumbents, and six were won by Democratic candidates.
Thirteen seats were won by candidates seeking re-election. The 2nd District seat (based in Springfield) was won by Democrat Foster Furcolo over incumbent Republican Charles R. Clason.