1924 United States Senate election in Massachusetts explained

Election Name:1924 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
Country:Massachusetts
Flag Year:1908
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1918 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
Previous Year:1918
Next Election:1930 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
Next Year:1930
Election Date:November 4, 1924
Image1:File:Frederick H. Gillett circa 1920 (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Frederick H. Gillett
Party1:Republican Party (US)
Popular Vote1:566,188
Percentage1:50.26%
Nominee2:David I. Walsh
Party2:Democratic Party (US)
Popular Vote2:547,600
Percentage2:48.61%
Map Size:250px
Senator
Before Election:David I. Walsh
Before Party:Democratic Party (US)
After Election:Frederick H. Gillett
After Party:Republican Party (US)

The United States Senate election of 1924 in Massachusetts was held on November 4, 1924. Incumbent Democratic Senator David I. Walsh, first elected in 1918, ran for a second term in office but was defeated by the Republican nominee incumbent Speaker of the U.S. House Frederick H. Gillett. Despite winning 13 out of 14 counties in the state, Gillett was only able to win a narrow margin of 1.7%, which was largely due to Walsh's strong performance in Suffolk County, home to the state capitol of Boston, likely being carried over by fellow Republican Calvin Coolidge's strong performance in the 1924 United States presidential election.

Walsh would later go on to win a special Senate election in 1926 to the Class I seat, and served until his final defeat in 1946.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Senator Walsh was unopposed for renomination.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declined

Campaign

The early campaign was dominated by President Calvin Coolidge's efforts to recruit a candidate aligned with his own re-election campaign. Louis A. Coolidge (no relation) was the first candidate to formally announce his campaign. He spent much of the early campaign criticizing the President and other national Republicans' efforts to "interfere" in the race.[1] President Coolidge's primary recruit was Governor Channing Cox, who had served as lieutenant governor when President Coolidge was Governor of Massachusetts.[1]

Governor Cox announced he was not a candidate in early May, and Speaker of the House Frederick H. Gillett immediately announced his campaign after consulting with President Coolidge's advisor Frank Stearns.[2] At the same time, U.S. Representative Frederick W. Dallinger made his informal campaign formal.[2]

One of the dividing issues in the campaign was Prohibition. Louis Coolidge announced his outright opposition to the Eighteenth Amendment. Dallinger explicitly supported Prohibition. Gillett, who had voted against the Amendment but in favor of the Volstead Act to enforce its provisions, was considered a moderate.[2]

Results

General election

Candidates

Results

Notes and References

  1. News: COX STANDS FIRM, BUT BUTLER IS HOPEFUL. 7 May 1924. 1. Merrill. John D.. Boston Daily Globe.
  2. News: Gov. Cox' Refusal Puts Mr. Gillett Into Senate Race. 9 May 1924. The Christian Science Monitor. 1.