1956 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
The 1956 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1956. Democrat Foster Furcolo was elected Governor of Massachusetts to replace incumbent Christian Herter, who did not run for re-election. Furcolo defeated Republican Sumner G. Whittier, Socialist Labor candidate Henning A. Blomen, and Prohibition candidate Mark R. Shaw.
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 County results Furcolo: 50–60% 60–70% Whittier: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
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In the race for Lieutenant Governor, Democrat Robert F. Murphy defeated Republican Charles Gibbons, Prohibition candidate Harold E. Bassett, and Socialist Labor candidate Francis A. Votano.
Republican primary
Governor
Candidates
Declared
- Sumner Whittier, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
Results
Lt. Governor Whittier was unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Lt. Governor
Candidates
Declared
- Charles Gibbons, former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Results
Gibbons was unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Democratic primary
Governor
Candidates
Declared
- Thomas H. Buckley, former Massachusetts Auditor
- Foster Furcolo, former Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Foster Furcolo | 358,051 | 78.65% | |
| Democratic | Thomas Henry Buckley | 131,496 | 21.35% | |
Lt. Governor
Candidates
Declared
- James A. Burke, former State Representative
- Robert F. Murphy, former House Minority Leader and nominee for Governor in 1954
- George A. Wells, Executive Councilor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert F. Murphy | 280,781 | 62.06% | |
| Democratic | James A. Burke | 95,111 | 21.02% | |
| Democratic | George A. Wells | 76,514 | 16.92% | |
General election
Governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Foster Furcolo | 1,234,618 | 52.76% |  | |
| Republican | Sumner G. Whittier | 1,096,759 | 46.87% |  | |
| Socialist Labor | Henning A. Blomen | 5,799 | 0.25% | | |
| Prohibition | Mark R. Shaw | 2,692 | 0.12% | | |
Lieutenant Governor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert F. Murphy | 1,158,704 | 51.23% | | |
| Republican | Charles Gibbons | 1,082,113 | 47.84% | | |
| Socialist Labor | Francis A. Votano | 13,286 | 0.59% | | |
| Prohibition | Harold E. Bassett | 7,894 | 0.39% | | |
References
Hayden, Irving N.; Grove, Lawrence R. (1957). A Manual for the Use of the General Court for 1957–1958. Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Company. pp. 298–99. Retrieved September 23, 2010.