United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 1936
Encyclopedia
The Massachusetts United States Senate election of 1936 conincided with the landslide
re-election of Democratic incumbent
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
over Republican
candidate Alf Landon
(who won just two states against Roosevelt's 46).
The same year Democrats won six United States Senate
seats from the Republicans, which gave them one of the largest Senate majorities ever. The Republicans retained just 16 seats.
The Massachusetts
election was notable because this was the only state in which Republicans won a seat from Democrats in this election.
Democratic one-term incumbent Marcus A. Coolidge
decided not to seek re-election, which left the contest open.
, grandson of Henry Cabot Lodge
, a former Massachusetts Senator and the first Senate Majority Leader. He had never held office before.
Despite his lack of experience Lodge, a moderate-to-liberal Republican, was viewed as a better choice to defeat a Democrat than a more conservative candidate.
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.
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
re-election of Democratic incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
over 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...
candidate Alf Landon
Alf Landon
Alfred Mossman "Alf" Landon was an American Republican politician, who served as the 26th Governor of Kansas from 1933–1937. He was best known for being the Republican Party's nominee for President of the United States, defeated in a landslide by Franklin D...
(who won just two states against Roosevelt's 46).
The same year Democrats won six United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seats from the Republicans, which gave them one of the largest Senate majorities ever. The Republicans retained just 16 seats.
The Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
election was notable because this was the only state in which Republicans won a seat from Democrats in this election.
Democratic one-term incumbent Marcus A. Coolidge
Marcus A. Coolidge
Marcus Allen Coolidge was a Democratic United States Senator representing Massachusetts from March 4, 1931 to January 3, 1937.Coolidge was born in Westminster, Massachusetts, son of Frederick Spaulding Coolidge...
decided not to seek re-election, which left the contest open.
Republican
- Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. was a Republican United States Senator from Massachusetts and a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, South Vietnam, West Germany, and the Holy See . He was the Republican nominee for Vice President in the 1960 Presidential election.-Early life:Lodge was born in Nahant,...
, Member of the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of RepresentativesThe 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...
. Grandson of former Senator Henry Cabot LodgeHenry Cabot LodgeHenry Cabot "Slim" Lodge was an American Republican Senator and historian from Massachusetts. He had the role of Senate Majority leader. He is best known for his positions on Meek policy, especially his battle with President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 over the Treaty of Versailles...
. - Alonzo B. CookAlonzo B. CookAlonzo B. Cook was an American politician who served as Massachusetts Auditor from 1915–1931 and was a candidate for Mayor of Boston in 1925 and in 1937; and United States Senator in 1936.-Biography:...
, Massachusetts AuditorMassachusetts AuditorThe Massachusetts State Auditor is a statewide elected office in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The current auditor is Suzanne Bump.-List of state auditors of Massachusetts:-External links:*...
from 1915-1931. Ran in the general election as an Economy candidate. - Guy M. Gray, Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Ran in the general election as a Social Justice candidate.
- Thomas C. O'Brien, Former District Attorney of Suffolk CountySuffolk County, MassachusettsSuffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...
. Also ran in the Democratic party. Ran in the general election as a member of the Union PartyUnion Party (United States)The Union Party was a short-lived political party in the United States, formed in 1936 by a coalition of radio priest Father Charles Coughlin, old-age pension advocate Francis Townsend, and Gerald L. K. Smith, who had taken control of Huey Long's Share Our Wealth movement after Long's assassination...
. Was also the Union Party's candidate for Vice President.
Democratic
- James Michael CurleyJames Michael CurleyJames Michael Curley was an American politician famous for his four terms as mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He also served twice in the United States House of Representatives and one term as 53rd Governor of Massachusetts.-Early life:Curley's father, Michael Curley, left Oughterard, County...
, Governor of Massachusetts since 1935. Former Mayor of Boston (1914–1918, 1922–1926, 1930–1934) and member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
(1911-1914). - Robert E. Greenwood, Mayor of Fitchburg, MassachusettsFitchburg, MassachusettsFitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
. - Thomas C. O'Brien, Former District Attorney of Suffolk CountySuffolk County, MassachusettsSuffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...
. Also ran in the Republican party. Ran in the general election as a member of the Union Party. Was also the Union Party's candidate for Vice President.
Primaries
The Republican nominee was Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. was a Republican United States Senator from Massachusetts and a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, South Vietnam, West Germany, and the Holy See . He was the Republican nominee for Vice President in the 1960 Presidential election.-Early life:Lodge was born in Nahant,...
, grandson of Henry Cabot Lodge
Henry Cabot Lodge
Henry Cabot "Slim" Lodge was an American Republican Senator and historian from Massachusetts. He had the role of Senate Majority leader. He is best known for his positions on Meek policy, especially his battle with President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 over the Treaty of Versailles...
, a former Massachusetts Senator and the first Senate Majority Leader. He had never held office before.
Despite his lack of experience Lodge, a moderate-to-liberal Republican, was viewed as a better choice to defeat a Democrat than a more conservative candidate.
The Democratic nominee was Governor
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:...
and former (and future) Mayor of Boston James Michael Curley
James Michael Curley
James Michael Curley was an American politician famous for his four terms as mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He also served twice in the United States House of Representatives and one term as 53rd Governor of Massachusetts.-Early life:Curley's father, Michael Curley, left Oughterard, County...
. President Franklin Roosevelt declined to endorse Curley, which may have affected the final results.