1938 Arizona gubernatorial election

The 1938 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1938. Incumbent Governor Rawghlie Clement Stanford declined to run for reelection, with pharmacy and cattle ranch owner Robert Taylor Jones winning the Democratic nomination to succeed Stanford.

1938 Arizona gubernatorial election

← 1936 November 8, 1938 1940 →
 
Nominee Robert Taylor Jones Jerrie W. Lee
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 80,350 32,022
Percentage 68.57% 27.33%

County results
Jones:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election

Rawghlie Clement Stanford
Democratic

Elected Governor

Robert Taylor Jones
Democratic

Robert Taylor Jones defeated Jerrie W. Lee in the general election, and was sworn into his first and only term as Governor on January 2, 1939, becoming Arizona's sixth Governor.

Democratic primary

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The Democratic primary took place on September 13, 1938. Incumbent Governor Rawghlie Clement Stanford, who had served only one term, declined to run for reelection amidst the Great Depression. Pharmacy and cattle ranch owner Robert Taylor Jones, Secretary of State James H. Kerby, former Secretary of State Sidney P. Osborn, Mayor Andrew Jackson Bettwy, and C. M. Zander ran to replace Stanford.[1]

After losing the Democratic primary, James Kerby ran as an Independent Democrat in the general election, but received only token support, in the single digits.

Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Taylor Jones 38,543 34.20%
Democratic James H. Kerby 35,867 31.83%
Democratic Sidney P. Osborn 34,307 30.44%
Democratic Andrew Jackson Bettwy 3,584 3.18%
Democratic C. M. Zander 389 0.35%
Total votes 112,690 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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  • Jerrie W. Lee, secretary of the Arizona Wool Growers Association

General election

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Arizona gubernatorial election, 1938[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Robert Taylor Jones 80,350 68.57% −2.11%
Republican Jerrie W. Lee 32,022 27.33% −1.79%
Independent Democrat James H. Kerby 4,814 4.11% +4.11%
Majority 48,328 41.24%
Total votes 117,184 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing -0.33%

Results by county

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County Robert Taylor Jones
Democratic
Jerrie W. Lee
Republican
James H. Kerby
Independent Democratic
Margin Total votes cast[3]
# % # % # % # %
Apache 2,144 81.96% 405 15.48% 67 2.56% 1,739 66.48% 2,616
Cochise 7,457 75.23% 1,954 19.71% 501 5.05% 5,503 55.52% 9,912
Coconino 2,851 72.97% 952 24.37% 104 2.66% 1,899 48.61% 3,907
Gila 4,912 70.41% 1,722 24.68% 342 4.90% 3,190 45.73% 6,976
Graham 3,212 76.39% 827 19.67% 166 3.95% 2,385 56.72% 4,205
Greenlee 1,743 84.37% 176 8.52% 147 7.12% 1,567 75.85% 2,066
Maricopa 27,007 60.76% 15,296 34.41% 2,144 4.82% 11,711 26.35% 44,447
Mohave 1,776 78.13% 389 17.11% 108 4.75% 1,387 61.02% 2,273
Navajo 2,986 73.82% 932 23.04% 127 3.14% 2,054 50.78% 4,045
Pima 11,557 71.03% 4,354 26.76% 360 2.21% 7,203 44.27% 16,271
Pinal 3,549 71.60% 1,272 25.66% 136 2.74% 2,277 45.94% 4,957
Santa Cruz 1,687 73.99% 555 24.34% 38 1.67% 1,132 49.65% 2,280
Yavapai 5,845 66.77% 2,563 29.28% 346 3.95% 3,282 37.49% 8,754
Yuma 3,624 80.95% 625 13.96% 228 5.09% 2,999 66.99% 4,477
Totals 80,350 68.57% 32,022 27.33% 4,814 4.11% 48,328 41.24% 117,186

References

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  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - AZ Governor - D Primary Race - Sep 13, 1938".
  2. ^ "Official Canvass Primary Election Returns, State of Arizona, September 13, 1938". Arizona Secretary of State. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Official Canvass General Election Returns of November 8, 1938". Arizona Secretary of State. Retrieved July 12, 2024.