Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1978
Encyclopedia
The 1978 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Massachusetts Port Authority
executive director Edward J. King
was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 1979 until January 6, 1983. King won the Democratic nomination by defeating incumbent Governor of Massachusetts
Michael Dukakis
in the Democratic primary.
, an All-American football player at Boston College
and the former executive director of the Massachusetts Port Authority
defeated incumbent Governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis
and former Mayor of Cambridge Barbara Ackermann in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
minority leader Francis W. Hatch, Jr.
defeated West Roxbury businessman Edward F. King in the Republican primary for Governor.
Former Secretary of Administration and Finance William I. Cowin
defeated State Representative Peter McDowell for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor
was elected Lt. Governor of Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport, is a port district in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It operates seaports and airports in eastern and central Massachusetts, mainly the Port of Boston. Its headquarters is located in the Logan Office Center, adjacent to Logan Airport in East Boston,...
executive director Edward J. King
Edward J. King
Edward Joseph "Ed" King was the 66th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1979 to 1983.Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Boston College and Bentley College, King played professional football as a guard with the All-America Football Conference Buffalo Bisons from 1948 to...
was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 1979 until January 6, 1983. King won the Democratic nomination by defeating 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:...
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...
in the Democratic primary.
Primaries
The Democratic and Republican primaries for Governor of Massachusetts were held on September 19, 1978. Edward J. King won the Democratic nomination and Francis W. Hatch won the nomination for the Republicans.Democratic Primaries
Edward J. KingEdward J. King
Edward Joseph "Ed" King was the 66th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1979 to 1983.Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Boston College and Bentley College, King played professional football as a guard with the All-America Football Conference Buffalo Bisons from 1948 to...
, an All-American football player at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
and the former executive director of the Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport, is a port district in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It operates seaports and airports in eastern and central Massachusetts, mainly the Port of Boston. Its headquarters is located in the Logan Office Center, adjacent to Logan Airport in East Boston,...
defeated incumbent Governor of Massachusetts 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...
and former Mayor of Cambridge Barbara Ackermann in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Republican Primaries
Massachusetts HouseMassachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
minority leader Francis W. Hatch, Jr.
Francis W. Hatch, Jr.
Francis W. Hatch, Jr. is a former Massachusetts politician who was a member of the Board of Alderman in Beverly, Massachusetts from 1957–1963 and as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1963–1979...
defeated West Roxbury businessman Edward F. King in the Republican primary for Governor.
Former Secretary of Administration and Finance William I. Cowin
William I. Cowin
William Irvin Cowin is an American jurist, politician, and state cabinet secretary who served as Massachusetts Secretary of Consumer Affairs from 1971 to 1972 and Massachusetts Secretary of Administration and Finance from 1972 to 1974...
defeated State Representative Peter McDowell for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor
General election
The general election for Governor of Massachusetts was held on November 7, 1978. Democratic candidate Edward King was elected governor and Thomas P. O'Neill IIIThomas 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...
was elected Lt. Governor of Massachusetts.