1942 New York gubernatorial election

1942 New York gubernatorial election

←  1938 November 3, 1942 1946  →

Nominee Thomas E. Dewey John J. Bennett Jr. Dean Alfange Party Republican Democratic American Labor Popular vote 2,148,546 1,501,039 403,626 Percentage 52.10% 36.40% 9.79%

County results Dewey:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% Bennett:     30-40%     40-50%     50-60%

Governor before election Herbert H. Lehman Democratic Elected Governor Thomas E. Dewey Republican

The 1942 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1942, to elect the Governor of New York. Incumbent Democratic governor Herbert H. Lehman was not a candidate for re-election. Republican Thomas E. Dewey defeated New York Attorney General and Dean Alfange in the general election.

Democratic nomination

Candidates

• John J. Bennett Jr., New York Attorney General since 1931
• James M. Mead, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1938

Results

The Democratic state convention met on August 20 at the Hotel St. George in Brooklyn. Influenced by James A. Farley, the convention nominated State Attorney General John J. Bennett Jr., for governor on the first ballot with 623 votes against 393 for U.S. Senator James M. Mead, the candidate favored by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. ^[1]

1942 Democratic state convention

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John J. Bennett Jr.	623	61.32%
	Democratic	James M. Mead	393	38.68%
Total votes			1,016	100.00%

American Labor nomination

Candidates

• Dean Alfange, chair of the American Labor Party and nominee for U.S. Representative in 1941

Results

At the American Labor state convention on August 22, the party declined to nominate Bennett or Mead, and instead nominated Dean Alfange. ^[2]

Republican nomination

Candidates

• Thomas E. Dewey, former District Attorney of New York County, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and nominee for governor in 1938

Results

At the Republican state convention in Saratoga Springs on August 24, Dewey was nominated unanimously. ^{[3] [4]}

General election

Candidates

• Israel Amter, perennial candidate (Communist) ^{[5] [6] [7]}
• John J. Bennett Jr., New York Attorney General since 1931 (Democratic)
• Coleman Cheney, Skidmore College professor of economics (Socialist) ^{[8] [9]}
• Thomas E. Dewey, former District Attorney of New York County, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and nominee for governor in 1938 (Republican)
• Aaron Orange, Bronx public school teacher and perennial candidate (Industrial Government) ^[10]

Results

1946 New York gubernatorial election ^{[11] [12]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Thomas E. Dewey	2,148,546	52.10%
	Democratic	John J. Bennett Jr.	1,501,039	36.40%
	American Labor	Dean Alfange	403,626	9.79%
	Communist	Israel Amter	45,220	1.10%
	Socialist	Coleman B. Cheney	21,911	0.53%
	Industrial Government	Aaron Orange	3,496	0.08%
Total votes			4,123,838	100.00%

See also

• 1942 New York state election
• New York gubernatorial elections

References

1. BENNETT WINS NOMINATION ON FIRST BALLOT, 623-393 in NYT on August 21, 1942 (subscription required)
2. ALFANGE IS NAMED BY A. L. P. TO RUN FOR GOVERNORSHIP in NYT on August 23, 1942 (subscription required)
3. REPUBLICANS NAME DEWEY UNANIMOUSLY FOR GOVERNOR in NYT on August 25, 1942 (subscription required)
4. TICKET IS SELECTED TO SUPPORT DEWEY in NYT on August 26, 1942 (subscription required)
5. COMMUNISTS FILE TICKET AT ALBANY in NYT on August 29, 1942 (subscription required)
6. AMTER TO REMAIN IN RACE IN STATE; To Continue Campaign Despite Withdrawal of Four Others From Communist Ticket in NYT on September 5, 1942 (subscription required)
7. COMMUNISTS LEAVE 3 GAPS ON TICKET in NYT on September 8, 1942 (subscription required)
8. SOCIALISTS NOMINATE CHENEY FOR GOVERNOR in NYT on June 22, 1942 (subscription required)
9. Socialist Ticket Filed in NYT on September 1, 1942 (subscription required)
10. STATE TICKET NOMINATED; Socialist Labor Party Names A.M. Orange for Governor in NYT on April 6, 1942 (subscription required)
11. New York Red Book 1947
12. RECORD FOR DEWEY IN OFFICIAL COUNT; His 687,151 Majority Topped Lehman's 627,388 in 1932; Won in 1942 by 173,254 in NYT on December 14, 1946 (subscription required)