Oregon gubernatorial election, 1930
Encyclopedia
The 1930 Oregon gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1930 to elect the governor
of the U.S. state of Oregon
. The Oregon Republican Party
, at the time dominant in Oregon politics, initially nominated George W. Joseph
, but the nominee died prior to the general election. Joseph's law partner Julius Meier
entered the race as an independent
, and defeated replacement Republican nominee Phil Metschan, Jr., Democrat
Ed F. Murphy, and Socialist Albert Scheiff to become the first and only independent politician to be elected Governor of Oregon
.
won the Republican
nomination, but died shortly after. The Republican Party
selected Phil Metschan, Jr., son of former Oregon State Treasurer
Phil Metschan, as a replacement nominee. Unlike Joseph, Metschan opposed public development of hydroelectric power
along the Columbia River
.
With a key platform of Joseph's campaign now directly opposed by the replacement nominee, Julius Meier
, Joseph's former law partner, friend, and founder of the Meier and Frank department store, agreed to enter the race as an independent candidate with Joseph's platform. Although opposed by the state's largest newspaper, The Oregonian
, Meier won a resounding victory over Metschan and the Democratic candidate, Ed F. Murphy. Meier's victory was viewed as indicating strong public support for public hydropower development.
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the U.S. state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The Oregon Republican Party
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
, at the time dominant in Oregon politics, initially nominated George W. Joseph
George W. Joseph
George W. P. Joseph was an attorney and Republican politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of California, his family relocated to Oregon when he was young. There he would practice law and serve in the Oregon State Senate....
, but the nominee died prior to the general election. Joseph's law partner Julius Meier
Julius Meier
Julius L. Meier was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon. The son of the Meier & Frank department store founder, he would become a lawyer before entering the family business in Portland...
entered the race as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
, and defeated replacement Republican nominee Phil Metschan, Jr., Democrat
Democratic Party of Oregon
The Democratic Party of Oregon, based in Portland, is the official Oregon affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. It is recognized by the state of Oregon as a major political party, along with the Oregon Republican Party...
Ed F. Murphy, and Socialist Albert Scheiff to become the first and only independent politician to be elected Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
.
Background and campaign
George W. JosephGeorge W. Joseph
George W. P. Joseph was an attorney and Republican politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of California, his family relocated to Oregon when he was young. There he would practice law and serve in the Oregon State Senate....
won the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination, but died shortly after. The Republican Party
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
selected Phil Metschan, Jr., son of former Oregon State Treasurer
Oregon State Treasurer
The Oregon State Treasurer is a constitutional officer within the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon, elected by statewide vote to serve a four year term. As chief financial officer for the state, the office holder heads the Oregon State Treasury, and with the Governor...
Phil Metschan, as a replacement nominee. Unlike Joseph, Metschan opposed public development of hydroelectric power
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
along the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
.
With a key platform of Joseph's campaign now directly opposed by the replacement nominee, Julius Meier
Julius Meier
Julius L. Meier was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon. The son of the Meier & Frank department store founder, he would become a lawyer before entering the family business in Portland...
, Joseph's former law partner, friend, and founder of the Meier and Frank department store, agreed to enter the race as an independent candidate with Joseph's platform. Although opposed by the state's largest newspaper, The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
, Meier won a resounding victory over Metschan and the Democratic candidate, Ed F. Murphy. Meier's victory was viewed as indicating strong public support for public hydropower development.