1952 Massachusetts elections

A Massachusetts general election was held on November 4, 1952 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on September 16.

1952 Massachusetts general election

← 1950 November 4, 1952 1954 →
Part of the 1952 United States elections

At the federal level, Representative John F. Kennedy defeated incumbent Senator Henry Cabot Lodge in a close election.

In the race for Governor, Republican Christian Herter defeated incumbent Democrat Paul Dever. Republicans also defeated incumbent Democrats in the races for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.

Governor

Further information: 1952 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

Republican Christian Herter was elected over Democratic incumbent Paul A. Dever, Peace Progressive candidate Florence H. Luscomb, Socialist Labor candidate Lawrence Gilfedder, and Prohibition candidate Guy S. Williams.

Lieutenant governor

Republican Sumner G. Whittier was elected lieutenant governor over Democratic incumbent Charles F. Sullivan, Socialist Labor candidate Francis A. Votano, and Prohibition candidate William R. Ferry.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Thomas B. Brennan, Middlesex County Commissioner
• Edward C. Carroll, former State Senator
• Thomas J. Kurey, businessman
• C. Gerald Lucey, mayor of Brockton
• Joseph L. Murphy, former State Senator
• Charles F. Sullivan, incumbent Lieutenant Governor

Results

1952 Democratic Lt. gubernatorial primary^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Charles F. Sullivan (incumbent)	192,945	45.70%
	Democratic	C. Gerald Lucey	68,914	16.32%
	Democratic	Joseph L. Murphy	55,546	13.16%
	Democratic	Thomas B. Brennan	44,239	10.48%
	Democratic	Edward C. Carroll	42,361	10.03%
	Democratic	Thomas J. Kurey	18,166	4.30%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Sumner Whittier, State Senator

Results

Sumner Whittier ran unopposed for the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor.

Independents and third parties

Prohibition

• William R. Ferry

Socialist Labor

• Francis A. Votano

General election

1952 Massachusetts Lt. gubernatorial election ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Sumner G. Whittier	1,194,966	51.88%
	Democratic	Charles F. Sullivan (incumbent)	1,087,865	47.23%
	Socialist Labor	Francis A. Votano	13,602	0.59%
	Prohibition	William R. Ferry	7,013	0.30%

Attorney General

Republican George Fingold was elected Attorney General over Democratic incumbent Francis E. Kelly, Socialist Workers candidate Arthur W. Blomen, and Prohibition candidate Howard B. Rand in the general election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Robert T. Capeless
• Francis E. Kelly, incumbent Attorney General
• George Leary
• John V. Moran

Results

1952 Attorney General Democratic primary^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Francis E. Kelly (incumbent)	204,155	46.35%
	Democratic	Robert T. Capeless	87,968	19.97%
	Democratic	John V. Moran	75,252	17.09%
	Democratic	George Leary	73,082	16.59%
	Write-in	All others	4	0.00%

General election

1952 Massachusetts Attorney General election^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	George Fingold	1,305,185	57.40%
	Democratic	Francis E. Kelly (incumbent)	950,351	41.80%
	Socialist Workers	Arthur W. Blomen	9,501	0.42%
	Prohibition	Howard B. Rand	8,795	0.39%
	Write-in		11	0.00%

Secretary of the Commonwealth

Incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth Edward J. Cronin defeated Republican Beatrice Hancock Mullaney, Socialist Labor candidate Fred M. Ingersoll, and Prohibition candidate Alice M. Ferry in the general election.

General election

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth election, 1952^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Edward J. Cronin (incumbent)	1,147,881	50.75%
	Republican	Beatrice Hancock Mullaney	1,088,629	48.13%
	Socialist Workers	Fred M. Ingersoll	13,499	0.60%
	Prohibition	Alice M. Ferry	11,926	0.53%
	Write-in	All others	2	0.00%

Treasurer and Receiver-General

Incumbent Treasurer and Receiver-General Foster Furcolo defeated Republican Roy C. Papalia, Socialist Labor candidate Henning A. Blomen, and Prohibition candidate Harold J. Ireland in the general election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• William R. Conley, former State Senator
• Cornelius P. Cronin, former Chair of the Boston Housing Authority
• James E.V. Donelan, state public works employee
• Foster Furcolo, incumbent Treasurer and Receiver-General
• John Francis Kennedy, Gillette stockroom supervisor
• Jeremiah F. Murphy Jr.
• Alexander F. Sullivan, former State Representative

Results

Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General Democratic primary, 1952^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Foster Furcolo (incumbent)	169,156	39.30%
	Democratic	John Francis Kennedy	86,536	20.11%
	Democratic	Cornelius P. Cronin	66,337	15.41%
	Democratic	William R. Conley	34,205	7.95%
	Democratic	Alexander F. Sullivan	30,708	7.14%
	Democratic	James E. V. Donelan	26,389	6.13%
	Democratic	Jeremiah F. Murphy Jr.	18,077	3.97%
	Write-in	All others	3	0.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Fred J. Burrell, former Treasurer and Receiver-General
• Roy C. Papalia, Watertown selectman

Results

1952 Massachusetts Treasurer Republican primary^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Roy C. Papalia	234,841	58.79%	17.8
	Republican	Fred J. Burrell	164,582	41.20%	17.8
	Write-in	All others	5	0.00%

General election

1952 Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver-General election^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Foster Furcolo (incumbent)	1,154,057	51.03%	9.24
	Republican	Roy C. Papalia	1,083,530	47.91%	9.46
	Prohibition	Harold J. Ireland	13,037	0.58%	0.03
	Socialist Workers	Henning A. Blomen	10,824	0.48%	0.13
	Write-in	All others	4	0.00%

Auditor

Incumbent Auditor Thomas J. Buckley defeated Republican David J. Mintz, Socialist Labor candidate Anthony Martin, and Prohibition candidate Robert A. Simmons in the general election.

General election

Massachusetts Auditor election, 1952^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Thomas J. Buckley (incumbent)	1,206,665	53.32%
	Republican	David J. Mintz	1,037,597	45.85%
	Socialist Workers	Anthony Martin	11,735	0.52%
	Prohibition	Robert A. Simmons	7,086	0.31%
	Write-in	All others	2	0.00%

United States Senate

Further information: 1952 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

Democrat John F. Kennedy was elected over Republican incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., Socialist Labor candidate Thelma Ingersoll, and Prohibition candidate Mark R. Shaw.

See also

• 158th Massachusetts General Court (1953–1954)

References

1. election Statistics; The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1952.
2. election Statistics; The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1952.
3. Massachusetts election Statistics 1952. p. 163.
4. Massachusetts election Statistics 1952. p. 5.
5. Massachusetts election Statistics 1952. p. 155.
6. Massachusetts election Statistics 1952. p. 242.