1950 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

The 1950 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1950. Democratic incumbent Paul A. Dever defeated Republican Arthur W. Coolidge, Socialist Labor candidate Horace Hillis, and Prohibition candidate Mark R. Shaw.

1950 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

November 7, 1950

Nominee Paul A. Dever Arthur W. Coolidge Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,074,570 824,069 Percentage 56.26% 43.14%

Dever:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Coolidge:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election Paul A. Dever Democratic Elected Governor Paul A. Dever Democratic

Democratic primary

Paul Dever ran unopposed for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Clarence A. Barnes, former Massachusetts Attorney General
• Arthur W. Coolidge, former Lieutenant Governor
• Louis E. Denfeld, U.S. Navy Admiral
• Frankland W. L. Miles, Justice of the Roxbury District Court
• Daniel Needham, former Commander of the Massachusetts National Guard and Public Safety Commissioner
• Edward Rowe, former State Senator from Cambridge

Results

1950 Republican gubernatorial primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Arthur W. Coolidge	130,061	35.79%
	Republican	Louis E. Denfeld	68,560	18.87%
	Republican	Clarence A. Barnes	60,927	16.77%
	Republican	Daniel Needham	57,773	15.90%
	Republican	Frankland W. L. Miles	37,452	10.31%
	Republican	Edward Rowe	8,609	2.37%
Total votes			363,382	100.00%

General election

Results

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1950

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Paul A. Dever (incumbent)	1,074,570	56.26%
	Republican	Arthur W. Coolidge	824,069	43.14%
	Socialist Labor	Horace Hillis	7,806	0.41%
	Prohibition	Mark R. Shaw	3,716	0.20%
Total votes			1,910,161	100.00%

See also

• 1949–1950 Massachusetts legislature