1948 Maine gubernatorial election

1948 Maine gubernatorial election

←  1946 September 13, 1948 1950  →

Nominee Frederick G. Payne Louis B. Lausier Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 145,956 76,544 Percentage 65.60% 34.40%

County results Payne:     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Lausier:     50–60%

Governor before election Horace A. Hildreth Republican Elected Governor Frederick G. Payne Republican

The 1948 Maine gubernatorial election took place on September 13, 1948. Incumbent Republican Governor Horace A. Hildreth, was term limited and seeking election to the United States Senate (eventually losing the Republican primary to Margaret Chase Smith), thus did not run. Republican Frederick G. Payne, the former mayor of Augusta, faced off against Democratic challenger Louis B. Lausier, the mayor of Biddeford. Payne defeated Lausier in a landslide. Neil S. Bishop unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination

Payne dispatched four other Republicans in the GOP primary, including Bishop; his closest opponent was Maine Senate President George D. Varney. Lausier defeated former state senator Leland Currier in the Democratic primary.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Neil S. Bishop, of Bowdoinham, state senator
• Roy L. Fernald, of Winterport, former state senator
• Frederick G. Payne, of Waldoboro, businessman and former mayor of Augusta
• George D. Varney, of Kittery, President of the Maine Senate, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives
• Robinson Verrill, of Portland, attorney

Results

Republican primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frederick G. Payne	43,554	36.11
	Republican	George D. Varney	35,882	29.75
	Republican	Robinson Verrill	14,466	11.98
	Republican	Roy L. Fernald	14,073	11.67
	Republican	Neil S. Bishop	12,648	10.49
Total votes			120,623	100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Leland Currier, of Lewiston, former state senator
• Louis B. Lausier, of Biddeford, mayor of Biddeford

Results

Democratic primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Louis B. Lausier	11,711	57.57
	Democratic	Leland Currier	8,630	42.43
Total votes			20,341	100.00

Results

1948 Gubernatorial Election, Maine ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Frederick G. Payne	145,956	65.60%	−
	Democratic	Louis B. Lausier	76,544	34.40%	−
Majority			69,412	31.20%

Notes

1. "Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, Elections Division" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
2. "Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, Elections Division" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
3. Guide to US Elections, Fifth Edition, Volume II . CQ Press. 2005. pp.  1497–1499. ISBN   978-1-56802-981-8 . Retrieved May 12, 2009.^{[ dead link ]}