The 1952 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1952. Republican Christian Herter defeated Democratic incumbent Paul A. Dever, Socialist Labor candidate Lawrence Gilfedder, Peace Progressive candidate Florence H. Luscomb, and Prohibition candidate Guy S. Williams.
Background
The traditional formal pre-primary convention had been abolished, and Governor Dever vetoed an attempt to reinstate it; nevertheless, Republicans announced their intent to hold an unofficial grassroots convention in Worcester on June 28.[1][2]
The Republican primary was largely over before it began; the establishment cleared the field in favor of U.S. Representative Christian Herter.
In February, Laurence Curtis announced his candidacy, calling for a "wholesale cleanup of conditions at the State House that have destroyed the hope of a square deal for Massachusetts citizens." He had been the leading Republican vote-getter in 1950.[6]
At the same time, U.S. Representative Christian Herter, vacationing in South Carolina, let it be known that he was willing to accept a draft for Governor.[6][7] It was apparent that Herter, who supported Dwight D. Eisenhower for President, would have the support of the liberal Republican establishment, including Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., Leverett Saltonstall, Joseph W. Martin, and Sinclair Weeks.[6] He announced his own candidacy two days after Curtis. Curtis pledged to remain in the race through the convention until the primary.[1] However, he soon withdrew and endorsed Herter; Curtis was later elected to succeed Herter in Congress. Another potential candidate, Sumner Whittier, also immediately endorsed Herter and announced his campaign for Lieutenant Governor instead. Charles Gibbons initially said would enter the race against Herter but deferred until after the presidential primary, in which Herter was a candidate for delegate on the Eisenhower slate.[2][8]
Herter spent much of the pre-convention period stumping for Eisenhower rather than his own candidacy.[9] Even in appearances in the Commonwealth, he touted the presidential race to voters.[10]
In early March, Cambridge attorney Howe Coolidge Amee entered the race, stating that he would refuse to abide by the pre-primary convention and would enter the primary directly.[4] He framed his candidacy as merely a "protest against the scandalous and unconscionable measures employed by the hierarchy of my party in undertaking to foist upon us a candidate they must know cannot possibly be elected in November."[5]
^"Herter Will Speak in County April 4". The North Adams Transcript. March 5, 1952. p. 9. Retrieved August 20, 2022. Rep. Herter will not speak on behalf of his candidacy, but rather will aim his remarks at interesting independent voters to enroll in the Republican party for the coming presidential and state primaries.
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