1955 Mississippi gubernatorial election

Last updated

1955 Mississippi Democratic gubernatorial primary runoff
Flag of Mississippi (1894-1996).svg
  1951 November 8, 1955 1959  
  J. P. Coleman, Mississippi Attorney General.jpg Inauguration, Johnson, 1964 (12209883836) (cropped).jpg
Nominee James P. Coleman Paul B. Johnson Jr.
Party Democratic Democratic
Popular vote233,237185,924
Percentage55.64%44.36%

1955 Mississippi gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Coleman:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%

Johnson:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

Governor before election

Hugh L. White
Democratic

Elected Governor

James P. Coleman
Democratic

The 1955 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1955, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Hugh L. White was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election, so therefore the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election. This election was the first Mississippi gubernatorial election since 1931 that the winner of the gubernatorial election was of a different party than the incumbent president.

Contents

Democratic primary

No candidate received a majority in the Democratic primary, which featured five contenders, so a runoff was held between the top two candidates. The runoff election was won by Attorney General James P. Coleman, who defeated lawyer Paul B. Johnson Jr., son of former Governor Paul B. Johnson Sr.

Results

Mississippi Democratic gubernatorial primary, 1955 [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Paul B. Johnson Jr. 122,423 28.06
Democratic James P. Coleman 104,140 23.87
Democratic Fielding L. Wright 94,41021.64
Democratic Ross Barnett 92,78521.27
Democratic Mary D. Cain 22,4695.15
Total votes436,227 100.00

Runoff

Mississippi Democratic gubernatorial primary runoff, 1955 [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic James P. Coleman 233,237 55.64
Democratic Paul B. Johnson Jr. 185,92444.36
Total votes419,161 100.00

General election

In the general election, Coleman ran unopposed.

Results

Mississippi gubernatorial election, 1955 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic James P. Coleman 40,707 100.00
Total votes40,707 100.00
Democratic hold

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1978 United States Senate elections were held on November 7, in the middle of Democratic President Jimmy Carter's term. The 33 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Mississippi elections</span>

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Mississippi on November 3, 2015. All of Mississippi's executive officers were up for election. Primary elections were held on August 4, 2015, with primary runoffs to be held on August 25, 2015 if no candidate received a majority in the primary. The filing deadline for primary ballot access was February 27.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1991 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1991 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1991 to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Ray Mabus unsuccessfully ran for reelection to a second term. This election marked the first time a Republican was elected Governor of Mississippi since Reconstruction, when Adelbert Ames won the office in 1873.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1987 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1987 to elect the governor of Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1983 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1983, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat William Winter was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As of 2023, this is the last time that Hinds County has voted for the Republican candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1979 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1979 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1979, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Cliff Finch was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As of 2020, this was the most recent election in which a Democrat won over 60 percent of the statewide vote in a gubernatorial election in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1967 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1967 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1967, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Paul B. Johnson Jr. was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1963 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1963 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1963, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Ross Barnett was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1959 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1959 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1959, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat James P. Coleman was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election; therefore, the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1951 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1951 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1951, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Fielding L. Wright was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second full term. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election; therefore the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1947 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1947 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1947, to elect the governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Fielding L. Wright, who had succeeded to the governorship a year prior following the death of Thomas L. Bailey, ran for election to a first full term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1943 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1943 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1943 to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Paul B. Johnson Sr. was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election so therefore the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1939 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1939 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1939, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Hugh L. White was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election so therefore the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1935 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1935 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1935, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Martin S. Conner was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election; therefore, the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1931 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1931 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1931, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Theodore G. Bilbo was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election, so therefore the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1927 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1927 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1927, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Dennis Murphree, as he had not served a full term, was eligible for and ran for election. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election; therefore the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1923 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1923 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1923, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Lee M. Russell was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term. As was common at the time, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed in the general election so therefore the Democratic primary was the real contest, and winning the primary was considered tantamount to election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1907 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1907 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1907, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat James K. Vardaman was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1903 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 1903 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1903, in order to elect the Governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Democrat Andrew H. Longino was term-limited, and could not run for reelection to a second term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1930 Georgia gubernatorial election</span>

The 1930 Georgia gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1930, in order to elect the governor of Georgia.

References

  1. "MS Governor D Primary 1955". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  2. "MS Governor D Primary Runoff 1955". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  3. "MS Governor 1955". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 7, 2016.