1936 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

1936 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
	Lodge: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%; Curley: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
U.S. senator before election; Marcus A. Coolidge; Democratic	Elected U.S. Senator ; Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.; Republican

The 1936 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on November 3. Incumbent Democratic Senator Marcus A. Coolidge declined to stand for re-election. Republican Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. won the race to succeed him over Democratic Boston mayor James Michael Curley and former Suffolk County prosecutor Thomas C. O'Brien.

The election was notable because although Democrats expanded their overall Senate majority to 74 seats, Massachusetts was the only seat gained by Republicans. Curley's campaign may have been damaged by President Roosevelt's decision to remain aloof and the candidacy of O'Brien, who siphoned many usually Democratic Irish-American votes in Boston.

Republican primary

Candidates

Alonzo B. Cook, former Massachusetts Auditor
Guy M. Gray, State Representative
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., State Representative and grandson of former Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
Thomas C. O'Brien, former Suffolk County District Attorney (also running as Democrat)

Withdrew

James T. Cavanaugh, former State Senator from Boston (after loss at convention)^[1]
Sinclair Weeks, former Mayor of Newton and son of former Senator John W. Weeks (after loss at convention)^[2]

Convention

At the Springfield convention, held June 18–21, the fight between Lodge and Weeks came to a head. Observers considered the race the closest of any in the state and both candidates claimed a substantial lead in delegates.^[1] James Cavanaugh, by then a decided third, declared that he would not throw his delegates to Weeks in the event of a second ballot, but did not say he would throw them to Lodge.^[1]

Weeks received a major boost on the third day, when his candidacy was backed by Joseph W. Martin and John W. Haigis, the candidate for Governor.^[3]

The voting itself was not decided until the final state senate district, the Worcester and Hampden district, declared its vote. Although it was a Weeks district, Lodge needed only six of its votes, which he secured about halfway through the roll call.^[4]

1936 Republican convention^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.	336	52.42%
	Republican	Sinclair Weeks	299	46.65%
	Republican	J. T. Cavanaugh	6	0.94%
Total votes			641	100.00

After the voting concluded, Weeks took the podium to make the endorsement unanimous and give his personal support to Lodge.^[4]

Primary results

1936 Republican U.S. Senate primary^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.	356,756	83.99%
	Republican	Alonzo B. Cook	42,261	9.95%
	Republican	Guy M. Gray	18,076	4.26%
	Republican	Thomas C. O'Brien	6,834	1.61%
	Write-in		821	0.19%
Total votes			424,748	100.00

All three losing candidates entered the general election as the nominees of third parties. Cook ran on an "Economy" ticket, Gray ran on the Social Justice ticket, and O'Brien ran on the national Union Party ticket.

Democratic primary

Candidates

James Michael Curley, Governor of Massachusetts and former Mayor of Boston and U.S. Representative
Robert E. Greenwood, Mayor of Fitchburg
Thomas C. O'Brien, former Suffolk County District Attorney (also running as Republican)

Declined

Marcus A. Coolidge, incumbent Senator

Results

The Democratic nominee was Governor and former (and future) Mayor of Boston James Michael Curley. President Franklin Roosevelt declined to endorse Curley, which may have affected the final results.

1936 Democratic U.S. Senate primary^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Michael Curley	245,606	62.97%
	Democratic	Robert E. Greenwood	104,615	26.81%
	Democratic	Thomas C. O'Brien	39,035	10.01%
	Write-in		806	0.21%
Total votes			390,062	100.00

General election

Candidates

Alonzo B. Cook, former Massachusetts Auditor (Economy)
Albert Sprague Coolidge (Socialist)
James Michael Curley, Governor of Massachusetts and former mayor of Boston and U.S. Representative (Democratic)
Ernest L. Dodge (Socialist Labor)
Charles Flaherty (Communist)
Guy M. Gray, State Representative (Social Justice)
Moses H. Gulesian (Townsend)
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., State Representative from Beverly, journalist, and grandson of former Senator Henry Cabot Lodge (Republican)
Wilbur D. Moon (Prohibition)
Thomas C. O'Brien, Suffolk County District Attorney (Union)

Campaign

Lodge was highly critical of Curley's tenure as Governor, but did not mention him by name. Curley resorted to personal attacks, referring to Lodge, who was only 34 years old, as "Little Boy Blue"^[7] and "a young man who parts both his hair and his name in the middle."^[8] He accused Lodge of being a reactionary in the supposed mold of his grandfather, Henry Cabot Lodge.^[8] Lodge criticized Curley for his failure to achieve federal funding for Massachusetts during the Great Depression, which may have been the result of Curley's personal feud with President Roosevelt.^[9] He defended his own record as supportive of labor and economic intervention and his grandfather's as protective of the laboring classes via restriction on immigration and opposition to international adventurism.^[10]

O'Brien, who ran at the urging of Charles Coughlin, campaigned for the urban Irish Catholic vote. His campaign was spurred by Curley's efforts to align with President Roosevelt, from whom Coughlin had broken earlier in his term.^[8]

Roosevelt made a personal swing through the state as part of his re-election campaign, but when Curley tried to get a photograph with Roosevelt, he made a point of turning away.^[8]

Later in the race,^[when?] Curley tried to have Lodge's name removed from the ballot by arguing, through his political ally and Lodge's primary opponent Alonzo B. Cook, that "Jr." was reserved for the son of a man with the same name, and Lodge was instead the grandson. This controversy was quashed when Lodge produced a birth certificate reading "Jr." In fact, Curley's own legal name did not include "Michael", but he was listed on the ballot as "James Michael Curley" nonetheless. The Lodge campaign did not challenge this discrepancy.^[11]

Results

General election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.	875,160	48.53%	3.86
	Democratic	James Michael Curley	739,751	41.02%	12.99
	Union	Thomas C. O'Brien	134,245	7.44%	N/A
	Economy	Alonzo B. Cook	11,519	0.64%	N/A
	Social Justice	Guy M. Gray	9,906	0.55%	N/A
	Socialist	Albert Sprague Coolidge	9,763	0.54%	0.06
	Townsend	Moses H. Gulesian	7,408	0.41%	N/A
	Socialist Labor	Ernest L. Dodge	7,091	0.39%	0.01
	Communist	Charles Flaherty	4,821	0.27%	0.06
	Prohibition	Wilbur D. Moon	3,677	0.20%	N/A
	Write-in		16	0.00%
Total votes			1,803,357	100.00%

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Weeks-Lodge Contest". The Boston Globe. June 18, 1936. p. 2. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
^ Whalen, Thomas J. (2000). Kennedy versus Lodge: The 1952 United States Senate Election in Massachusetts. Northeastern University Press. p. 40. ISBN 9781555534622.
^ "Weeks Candidacy Strongly Backed: Support of Martin and Haigis Gives Newton Man Edge Over Lodge". The Boston Globe. June 20, 1936. p. 2. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c "One Holyoke Vote Cast for Lodge in Senatorial Contest". Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. June 22, 1936. p. 12. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
^ "Our Campaigns - MA US Senate- R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1936".
^ "Our Campaigns - MA US Senate- D Primary Race - Sep 15, 1936".
^ Whalen 2000, p. 40.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Whalen 2000, p. 41.
^ Whalen 2000, pp. 40–41.
^ Whalen 2000, pp. 41–42.
^ Whalen 2000, p. 52.

[:0-1] "Weeks-Lodge Contest". The Boston Globe. June 18, 1936. p. 2. Retrieved May 13, 2023.

[2] Whalen, Thomas J. (2000). Kennedy versus Lodge: The 1952 United States Senate Election in Massachusetts. Northeastern University Press. p. 40. ISBN 9781555534622.

[3] "Weeks Candidacy Strongly Backed: Support of Martin and Haigis Gives Newton Man Edge Over Lodge". The Boston Globe. June 20, 1936. p. 2. Retrieved May 13, 2023.

[HTT-4] "One Holyoke Vote Cast for Lodge in Senatorial Contest". Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. June 22, 1936. p. 12. Retrieved May 13, 2023.

[5] "Our Campaigns - MA US Senate- R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1936".

[6] "Our Campaigns - MA US Senate- D Primary Race - Sep 15, 1936".

[FOOTNOTEWhalen200040-7] Whalen 2000, p. 40.

[FOOTNOTEWhalen200041-8] Whalen 2000, p. 41.

[FOOTNOTEWhalen200040–41-9] Whalen 2000, pp. 40–41.

[FOOTNOTEWhalen200041–42-10] Whalen 2000, pp. 41–42.

[FOOTNOTEWhalen200052-11] Whalen 2000, p. 52.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

v t e (1935←) 1936 United States elections (→1937)
President	1936 United States presidential election Democratic primaries Republican primaries Democratic convention Republican convention
U.S. Senate	Alabama Arkansas Colorado Delaware Florida (specials) Georgia Idaho Illinois Iowa Iowa (special) Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Louisiana (special) Maine Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Minnesota (special) Mississippi Montana Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New Mexico (special) North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Virginia West Virginia Wyoming
U.S. House	Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
State governors	Arizona Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Maine Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Lt. Gov Missouri Lt. Gov Montana Nebraska Lt. Gov New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina Lt. Gov North Dakota Ohio Rhode Island South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Washington West Virginia Wisconsin
State legislatures	Iowa Senate

v t e Federal elections in Massachusetts
U.S. President	1788 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
U.S. Senate Class 1	1803 1808 1839 1851 1857 1863 1869 1887 1893 1899 1905 1911 1916 1922 s/1926 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 s/1962 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 s/2010 2012 2018 2024
U.S. Senate Class 2	s/1855 1859 1865 1871 s/1873 1877 1883 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1942 s/1944 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 s/2013 2014 2020
U.S. House	1788–89 1790–92 1792-93 1794–95 1796–97 1798–99 1800–01 1802–03 1804 1806 1808 1810–11 1812–13 1814–15 1816–17 1818–19 1820–21 1822–23 1824–25 1826–27 1828 1830–1970 1972 1974–2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
U.S. House Special Elections	1796–1797 s/1st s/10th s/11th 1800–1801 s/3rd s/4th s/10th s/4th s/12th s/14th 1804 s/12th 1807 s/12th 1808 s/2nd 1810–1811 s/10th s/11th s/4th 1812 s/17th 1814–1815 s/4th s/12th s/3rd 1816–1817 s/11th s/1st 1818 s/20th 1820 s/1st s/8th s/13th 1823 s/10th 1824 s/10th 1827 s/1st 1834–1991 listed here 2001 s/9th 2007 s/5th 2013 s/5th
"s/" = Special election See also: Political party strength in Massachusetts For statewide elections, see Template:State elections in Massachusetts footer.

v t e Notable third-party performances in United States elections
* Third party is endorsed by a major party
Presidential	1788–89* 1792* 1832 1848 1856 1860 1872* 1892 1896* 1912 1924 1948 1960 1968 1980 1992 1996
Senatorial (since 1940)	California 1940 Minnesota 1940 North Dakota 1940 Wisconsin 1940 Minnesota 1942 Minnesota 1942 Nebraska 1942 Virginia 1942 North Dakota 1944 Wisconsin 1944 California 1946 (Republican write-in) North Dakota 1946 North Dakota 1946 Tennessee 1946 Arkansas 1948 Alabama 1950 New Hampshire 1950 California 1952 Maine 1952 New York 1952 North Dakota 1952 Virginia 1952 South Carolina 1954 (Democratic write-in) Virginia 1954 Utah 1958 Virginia 1958 Virginia 1960 Virginia 1964 Mississippi 1966 Virginia 1966 Virginia 1966 Alabama 1968 Alaska 1968 Maryland 1968 New York 1968 Connecticut 1970 Mississippi 1970 New York 1970 Virginia 1970 Louisiana 1972 Florida 1974 Hawaii 1974 Nevada 1974 New York 1974 Utah 1974 Minnesota 1976 Virginia 1976 Alabama 1978 Arkansas 1978 Maine 1978 Mississippi 1978 New York 1980 Washington 1982 Tennessee 1984 Virginia 1990 Alaska 1992 Arizona 1992 Hawaii 1992 Louisiana 1992 Ohio 1992 Arizona 1994 Minnesota 1994 Ohio 1994 Vermont 1994 Virginia 1994 Alaska 1996 Minnesota 1996 Arizona 2000 Massachusetts 2000 Minnesota 2000 Alaska 2002 Kansas 2002 Massachusetts 2002 Mississippi 2002 Oklahoma 2002 Virginia 2002 Oklahoma 2004 Connecticut 2006 Indiana 2006 Maine 2006 Vermont 2006* Arkansas 2008 Idaho 2008 Minnesota 2008 Oregon 2008 Alaska 2010 (Republican write-in) Florida 2010 Indiana 2010 South Carolina 2010 Utah 2010 Indiana 2012 Maine 2012 Maryland 2012 Missouri 2012 Montana 2012 Vermont 2012* Kansas 2014 South Dakota 2014 Wyoming 2014 Alaska 2016 Arizona 2016 Idaho 2016 Indiana 2016 Kansas 2016 Maine 2018 New Mexico 2018 Vermont 2018* Alaska 2020* Arkansas 2020 Minnesota 2020 Nebraska 2020 Idaho 2022 North Dakota 2022 Utah 2022* Maine 2024 Nebraska 2024 Utah 2024 Vermont 2024*
Gubernatorial (since 1940)	Minnesota 1940 Wisconsin 1940 Connecticut 1942 Minnesota 1942 New York 1942 Wisconsin 1942 North Dakota 1944 Wisconsin 1944 California 1946 Tennessee 1950 Maine 1952 Vermont 1952 Tennessee 1954 Nebraska 1956 Texas 1956 Utah 1956 Oklahoma 1958 Tennessee 1958 North Dakota 1960 Tennessee 1962 Virginia 1965 Alabama 1966 Georgia 1966 Idaho 1966 Maryland 1966 New York 1966 Tennessee 1966 Alabama 1970 Arkansas 1970 New Hampshire 1970 New York 1970 Mississippi 1971 New Hampshire 1972 Texas 1972 Washington 1972 Virginia 1973 Maine 1974 Nebraska 1974 Nevada 1974 Texas 1974 Vermont 1974 Vermont 1976 Alaska 1978 California 1978 Maine 1978 Rhode Island 1978 Alaska 1982 Arizona 1982 Hawaii 1982 Alaska 1986 Arizona 1986 Illinois 1986 Maine 1986 Oklahoma 1986 Vermont 1986 Utah 1988 Alaska 1990 Connecticut 1990 Kansas 1990 Maine 1990 New York 1990 Oklahoma 1990 Oregon 1990 Utah 1992 West Virginia 1992 Alaska 1994 Connecticut 1994 Hawaii 1994 Maine 1994 New Mexico 1994 Oklahoma 1994 Pennsylvania 1994 Rhode Island 1994 Vermont 1994 Alaska 1998 Maine 1998 Minnesota 1998 New York 1998 Pennsylvania 1998 Rhode Island 1998 Kentucky 1999 New Hampshire 2000 Vermont 2000 Arizona 2002 California 2002 Maine 2002 Minnesota 2002 New Mexico 2002 New York 2002 Oklahoma 2002 Vermont 2002 Wisconsin 2002 Alaska 2006 Illinois 2006 Maine 2006 Massachusetts 2006 Minnesota 2006 Texas 2006 Louisiana 2007 Vermont 2008 New Jersey 2009 Colorado 2010 Idaho 2010 Maine 2010 Massachusetts 2010 Minnesota 2010 Rhode Island 2010 Wyoming 2010 Kentucky 2011 Virginia 2013 Alaska 2014* Hawaii 2014 Maine 2014 Rhode Island 2014 Wyoming 2014 Maine 2018 Kansas 2018 Indiana 2020 Vermont 2020* Alaska 2022 Idaho 2022 Oregon 2022 North Dakota 2024 Utah 2024 (Republican write-in)
Territorial Governors (since 1970)	U.S. Virgin Islands 1970 Puerto Rico 1972 District of Columbia 1974 U.S. Virgin Islands 1974 U.S. Virgin Islands 1978 Puerto Rico 1980 U.S. Virgin Islands 1986 Puerto Rico 1988 U.S. Virgin Islands 1990 U.S. Virgin Islands 1994 U.S. Virgin Islands 1998 Puerto Rico 2000 Northern Mariana Islands 2001 U.S. Virgin Islands 2002 Northern Mariana Islands 2005 U.S. Virgin Islands 2006 Northern Mariana Islands 2009 District of Columbia 2010 U.S. Virgin Islands 2010 District of Columbia 2014 Northern Mariana Islands 2014 U.S. Virgin Islands 2014 Puerto Rico 2016 District of Columbia 2018 Guam 2018 Northern Mariana Islands 2018 U.S. Virgin Islands 2018 Puerto Rico 2020 District of Columbia 2022 Northern Mariana Islands 2022 U.S. Virgin Islands 2022 Puerto Rico 2024
State legislative	Alaska Hawaii Louisiana Montana West Virginia Wyoming
Portal:Politics Third party (U.S. politics) List of third-party and independent performances in United States elections Third-party and independent members of the United States Congress

Republican primary

Candidates

Withdrew

Convention

Primary results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declined

Results

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Results

See also

References