The 1950 Massachusetts general election was held on November 7, 1950, throughout
.
Primary election
Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...
s 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
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
. Incumbents were re-elected in each House seat.
In the race for Governor, Democratic incumbent
Paul Dever
Paul Andrew Dever (January 15, 1903April 11, 1958) was an American Democratic politician from Boston, Massachusetts. He served as the 58th Governor of Massachusetts and was its youngest-ever Attorney General.
Among his notable accomplishments ...
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
Paul Andrew Dever (January 15, 1903April 11, 1958) was an American Democratic politician from Boston, Massachusetts. He served as the 58th Governor of Massachusetts and was its youngest-ever Attorney General.
Among his notable accomplishments ...
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
Laurence Curtis (September 3, 1893 – July 11, 1989) was an American attorney and Republican Party politician from Massachusetts.
Early life, military service, and education
Laurence Curtis was born in Boston, Massachusetts on September 3, 18 ...
and Socialist Labor candidate Lawrence Gilfedder.
Democratic primary
Candidates
*William N. Bergan,
Hull selectman
*
G. Edward Bradley, Mayor of
Somerville
Somerville may refer to:
*Somerville College, Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford
Places
*Somerville, Victoria, Australia
* Somerville, Western Australia, a suburb of Kalgoorlie, Australia
* Somerville, New Zealand, a subur ...
*John Francis Cahill, former Democratic State Committee Chair
*J. Frank Murphy
*
Charles F. Sullivan, incumbent Lieutenant Governor
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
*
Laurence Curtis
Laurence Curtis (September 3, 1893 – July 11, 1989) was an American attorney and Republican Party politician from Massachusetts.
Early life, military service, and education
Laurence Curtis was born in Boston, Massachusetts on September 3, 18 ...
, former
Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts
The Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts (commonly called the "treasurer") is an executive officer, elected statewide every four years.
The Treasurer oversees the Office of Abandoned Property, escheated accounts, the State Retirement ...
*
Warren G. Harris
Warren G. Harris (1913-1970) was an American politician and business executive who served as a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council from 1947 to 1949.
Early life
Harris was born on April 29, 1913, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was r ...
, 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
General election
Attorney General
Incumbent
Francis E. Kelly
Francis E. Kelly (March 26, 1903 – January 27, 1982) was an American politician who served as a member of the Boston City Council from 1930 to 1933, the 53rd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1937 to 1939 and Massachusetts Attorney G ...
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
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
Francis E. Kelly (March 26, 1903 – January 27, 1982) was an American politician who served as a member of the Boston City Council from 1930 to 1933, the 53rd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1937 to 1939 and Massachusetts Attorney G ...
, incumbent Attorney General
*Eli Y. Krovitsky
*
Isadore H. Y. Muchnick
Isadore Harry Yaver Muchnick (January 11, 1908 – September 15, 1963) was an American politician who served as a member of the Boston City Council from 1942 to 1947 and Boston School Committee from 1948 to 1953.
Early life
Muchnick was born on ...
, member of the
Boston School Committee
Boston Public Schools (BPS) is a school district serving the city of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest public school district in the state of Massachusetts.
Leadership
The district is led by a Superintendent, hired by the ...
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
*
Frederick Ayer Jr., Republican Party fundraiser and nephew of
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...
*
Edward Butterworth
Edward Robert Butterworth (August 14, 1908 – September 7, 1984) was an American lawyer and politician.
Early life
Butterworth was born on August 14, 1908, in Lynn, Massachusetts. He graduated from Lynn Classical High School in 1925, Dartmouth ...
, former State Representative
*
George Fingold
George Fingold (October 18, 1908 – August 31, 1958) was an American politician from Massachusetts who served as Attorney General of Massachusetts from 1953 to 1958.
Fingold's political career began at the age of 21 when he was elected to the ...
, member of the
Malden City Council
*
Edwin W. Hadley, professor at
Northeastern University School of Law
Northeastern University School of Law (NUSL) is the law school of Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded as an evening program to meet the needs of its local community, NUSL is nationally recognized for its cooperative legal ed ...
*Frank F. Walters
Results
General election
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
Republican primary
Candidates
*John Adams
*
William B. Bailey
William B. Bailey (December 11, 1892 – October 25, 1977) was an American politician who served as Registrar of Deeds for the Southern Middlesex District and was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Early life
Bailey was born ...
, former State Representative
*Henry Clay
*Douglas Lawson
*
Ranny Weeks
Randall Webster Weeks (February 25, 1907 – April 26, 1979) was an American bandleader, actor, naval commander, and university administrator.
Early life
Weeks was born in 1907 in Everett, Massachusetts. His father, William E. Weeks, was ...
, bandleader
*
Russell A. Wood, former Massachusetts Auditor and State Representative
*Ada F. York
Results
General election
Treasurer and Receiver-General
Republican primary
Candidates
*
Fred J. Burrell, former Treasurer and Receiver-General
*Roy C. Papalia,
Watertown Watertown may refer to:
Places in China
In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways.
Places in the United States
*Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town
**Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
selectman
Results
General election
Auditor
Republican primary
Candidates
*William G. Andrew
*Warren A. Rood
Results
General election
See also
*
157th Massachusetts General Court (1951–1952)
References
{{Massachusetts Elections