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Auberon Waugh

1952 Maine gubernatorial election

← 1950 September 8, 1952 1954 →
 
Nominee Burton M. Cross James C. Oliver Neil S. Bishop
Party Republican Democratic Independent Republican
Popular vote 128,532 82,538 35,732
Percentage 52.08% 33.44% 14.48%

County results
Cross:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Oliver:      40-50%

Governor before election

Nathaniel Haskell
Republican

Elected Governor

Burton M. Cross
Republican

The 1952 Maine gubernatorial election took place on September 8, 1952. Incumbent Republican Governor Frederick G. Payne was term limited and seeking election to the United States Senate. Maine Senate President Burton M. Cross faced off against Democratic challenger, former Congressman James C. Oliver (who served in Congress from 1937 to 1941 as a Republican) and Independent Republican Neil S. Bishop (whom Cross had defeated in the Republican primary) in the general election, easily defeating both men. Burton's election was the ninth consecutive victory for the Republicans in Maine gubernatorial races.

The period after the election itself was rather unusual. Cross actually became Governor about two weeks prior to the start of his elected term of office — the outgoing Governor, Frederick G. Payne had resigned on December 25, 1952, to prepare for his term in the United States Senate. Cross, as President of the Senate became Governor through constitutional succession. Cross himself resigned as Senate President (and Governor) at 10:00am January 6, 1953 and was replaced for the next 25 hours by Nathaniel Haskell. At 11:00am on January 7, 1953, Cross' official elected term of office began.

Oliver would remain active in Maine Democratic politics after his defeat, becoming the Democratic nominee for Maine's 1st congressional district in 1954 and 1956, which would see him narrowly defeated both times by incumbent Robert Hale. He would best Hale in 1958 and return to Congress, but would be defeated for re-election in 1960.

Results

1952 Gubernatorial Election, Maine[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Burton M. Cross 128,532 52.08%
Democratic James C. Oliver 82,538 33.44%
Independent Neil S. Bishop 35,732 14.48%
Majority 45,994 18.64%

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes

  1. ^ Guide to US Elections, Fifth Edition, Volume II. CQ Press. 2005. pp. 1497–1499. ISBN 978-1-56802-981-8. Retrieved May 12, 2009.