# 1938 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in Oklahoma :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Senate elections
1907
1909
1913
1914
1918
1920
1924
1926
1930
1932
1936
1938
1942
1944
1948
1950
1954
1956
1960
1962
1964 sp
1966
1968
1972
1974
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1994 sp
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
2014 sp
2016
2020
2022
2022 sp
2026
2028
House of Representatives elections
1907
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1919
5th sp
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1937
5th sp
1938
1940
1941
7th sp
1942
1944
2nd sp
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1st sp
6th sp
1996
1998
2000
2002
1st sp
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
State elections
1907
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
Gubernatorial elections
1907
1910
1914
1918
1922
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Attorney General elections
2022
Treasurer elections
2022
Senate elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
House of Representatives elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026 :
Ballot measures
2004Question 711
2016Question 777
2018Question 788
2020Question 802
2023Question 820 :
Norman
Mayoral elections
2022 :
Oklahoma City
Mayoral elections
1911
2014
2018
2022 :
Tulsa
Municipal elections
2022
2024
Mayoral elections
2002
2006
2009
2013
2016
2020
2024 :
Government :
vte :
The 1938 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938, and was a race for Governor of Oklahoma. Democrat Leon 'Red' Phillips defeated Republican former State Senator Ross Rizley. Also on the ballot were John Wesley Lanham of the Prohibition Party and Independent John Franing. This election is the last time an alternative party has had a primary for governor in Oklahoma, as the Prohibitionists chose Francis Simpson over Ralph Butterfield, but Simpson then withdrew and the party placed Lanham on the ballot as a replacement.

## Democratic primary

Nine candidates vied for the Democratic nomination, including former governors Alfalfa Bill Murray and Jack C. Walton. With the elimination of the runoff primary, Oklahoma House of Representatives Speaker Red Phillips eked out a narrow win over W. S. Key.

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Leon C. Phillips | 179,139 | 30.1 |
| | Democratic | William S. Key | 176,034 | 29.6 |
| | Democratic | William H. Murray | 148,395 | 24.9 |
| | Democratic | Jack C. Walton | 45,760 | 7.7 |
| | Democratic | Ira M. Finley | 37,107 | 6.2 |
| | Democratic | William M. Edwards | 2,557 | 0.4 |
| | Democratic | John W. Davis | 2,205 | 0.3 |
| | Democratic | J. M. Cole | 1,410 | 0.2 |
| | Democratic | T. W. Bickel | 1,088 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 593,695 | 100.00 |

## Republican primary

Future Congressman Ross Rizley defeated two challengers by a wide margin to claim the GOP nomination.

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ross Rizley | 24,198 | 46.0 |
| | Republican | Harry E. Ingram | 15,460 | 29.4 |
| | Republican | Joseph Dickerson | 12,890 | 24.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 52,548 | 100.00 |

## Prohibition primary

Francis Simpson defeated Ralph Butterfield in the primary but then withdrew. John Wesley Lanham of Bethany was named as a replacement candidate. This was the only alternative party gubernatorial primary in Oklahoma until 2018.

### Results

Prohibition primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Prohibition | Francis M. Simpson | 98 | 57.6 |
| | Prohibition | Ralph M. Butterfield | 72 | 42.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 170 | 100.00 |

## Results

1938 Oklahoma gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Leon C. Phillips | 355,740 | 70.0% | +11.8% |
| | Republican | Ross Rizley | 148,861 | 29.3% | −9.5% |
| | Prohibition | John Wesley Lanham | 2,579 | 0.5% | New |
| | Independent | John Franing | 776 | 0.1% | +0.1% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +11.8% | |