1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

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1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
Flag of Massachusetts (1908-1971).svg
←  1962 November 3, 1964 1966  →
  John Volpe (1970).jpg Francis X. Bellotti 1960s (cropped).jpg
Nominee John Volpe Francis Bellotti
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote1,176,4621,153,416
Percentage50.27%49.29%
1964 Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election by County.svg
1964 Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election by Town.svg
Volpe:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Bellotti:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Governor before election

Endicott Peabody
Democratic

Elected Governor

John Volpe
Republican

The 1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent Governor Endicott Peabody ran for re-election, but was defeated by then-Lieutenant Governor Francis X. Bellotti in the Democratic Party primary. Bellotti went on to lose the general election to former Governor John Volpe. [1]

Contents

The race between Volpe and Bellotti was the first time in Massachusetts history that the two major parties backed sons of Italian immigrants for governor. [2]

This was the final election held before the governor's term of office was extended from two to four years.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declined

Results

1964 Democratic gubernatorial primary [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Francis X. Bellotti 363,675 49.61%
Democratic Endicott Peabody (incumbent)336,78045.94%
Democratic John J. Droney 27,3573.73%
Democratic Pasquale Caggiano 5,2500.72%
Total votes733,062 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Defeated at convention

  • Philip A. Graham, State Senator from Hamilton and Senate Minority Leader [4]
  • Francis W. Perry, State Representative from Duxbury and nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1962 [4]

Withdrew

  • Edward Brooke, Attorney General of Massachusetts (withdrew ahead of convention, ran for re-election) [4]

Results

Volpe ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

General election

Results

Volpe defeated Bellotti by less than 25,000 votes. Volpe's victory came in a year in which Democrats gained seats in the United States House of Representatives and Senate and Lyndon Johnson won the presidential election in a landslide. [5]

1964 Massachusetts gubernatorial election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John A. Volpe 1,176,462 50.27%
Democratic Francis X. Bellotti 1,153,41649.29%
Socialist Labor Francis A. Votano6,2730.27%
Prohibition Guy S. Williams3,7130.16%
Write-inAll others2660.01%

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Massachusetts Election Statistics 1964. p. 438.
  2. ↑ "Democrats Close Ranks Behind Lt. Gov. Bellotti". Hartford Courant. September 12, 1964.
  3. ↑ "Our Campaigns - MA Governor - D Primary Race - Sep 15, 1964". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "Nominations Due in Massachusetts; Little Excitement Expected at Party Conventions". The New York Times . June 14, 1964. p. 56.
  5. ↑ "Republicans Gain One Governor's Mansion". Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1964.
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