The 1974 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1974. Michael Dukakis

Michael Dukakis

Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...

 was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 1975 until January 4, 1979. He defeated incumbent Governor of Massachusetts

Governor of Massachusetts

The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...

 Francis W. Sargent

Francis W. Sargent

Francis William Sargent was the 64th Governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975. Born in 1915 in Hamilton, Massachusetts, he was known for his sharp wit and self-deprecating manner...

 in the general election.

Governor

Governor Sargent defeated former State Commerce Commissioner Carroll Sheehan in the Republican primary.
In the Democratic Primary, Michael Dukakis

Michael Dukakis

Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...

, a former State Representative and the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor in 1970

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1970

The 1970 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970. Acting Governor Francis W. Sargent was elected to a four-year term. He defeated incumbent Boston Mayor Kevin H. White in the general election.-Conventions and primaries:...

, defeated Attorney General Robert H. Quinn

Robert H. Quinn

Robert H. Quinn is a Massachusetts attorney and former politician.Quinn was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1957 to 1969 and the speaker of that body from 1967 to 1969...

.

Lieutenant Governor

Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Donald R. Dwight

Donald R. Dwight

Donald Rathburn Dwight was lieutenant governor of Massachusetts from 1971 to 1975. He served as a Republican alongside Governor Francis W. Sargent....

 was unopposed in the Republican Primary. Thomas P. O'Neill III

Thomas P. O'Neill III

Thomas Phillip O'Neill III leads a public relations and government affairs firm called O'Neill and Associates in Boston. He is the son of Tip O'Neill, who served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987.From 1975 to 1983, O'Neill served as lieutenant governor of...

, son of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...

 Tip O'Neill

Tip O'Neill

Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. was an American politician. O'Neill was an outspoken liberal Democrat and influential member of the U.S. Congress, serving in the House of Representatives for 34 years and representing two congressional districts in Massachusetts...

, defeated Christopher A. Iannella

Christopher A. Iannella

Christopher A. Iannella was a member of the Boston City Council in Boston, Massachusetts. He served eight terms as City Council president in 1962, 1980, 1982, and 1988-1992.-Further reading:...

, Eva Hester, John P. Lynch, and Thomas Martin Sullivan for the Democratic nomination.

General election

Dukakis defeated Sargent by 207,931 votes. It was the first gubernatorial victory for the Massachusetts Democratic Party since 1962.