The 1938 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938. In a rematch of the previous election, Republican nominee Frank Fitzgerald this time defeated incumbent Democratic Frank Murphy with 52.78% of the vote. This was the fourth of six consecutive gubernatorial elections in Michigan in which the incumbent party was defeated.

Primary election Michigan held primary elections on September 13, 1938.

Democratic party Incumbent governor Frank Murphy was renominated without opposition.

Candidates Frank Murphy, incumbent governor

Results

Republican party Former governor Frank Fitzgerald was renominated despite having lost the previous election.

Candidates Roscoe Conkling Fitch, publisher from Detroit and candidate for Republican nomination in 1936 Frank Fitzgerald, former governor Harry S. Toy, former Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court

Results

General election

Candidates Major party candidates Frank Fitzgerald, Republican Frank Murphy, Democratic Other candidates Nahum Burnett, Socialist Clayton O'Donohue, Socialist Labor Juliet K. Hammond, American Vahan K. Beshgetoor, Commonwealth Howard L. Holmes, Square Deal Bowen R. Gover, Protestants United

Results

Results by county Keweenaw County voted Democratic for the first time since 1870. Additionally, Fitzgerald was the first Republican to be elected governor without carrying Houghton County and Marquette County since John J. Bagley in 1874. County Frank FitzgeraldRepublican Frank MurphyDemocratic Nahum BurnettSocialist All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Alcona1,39666.32%70233.35%60.29%10.05%69432.97%2,105Alger1,47735.87%2,63263.91%70.17%20.05%-1,155-28.05%4,118Allegan8,92871.58%3,48827.96%520.42%50.04%5,44043.61%12,473Alpena3,60963.08%2,10336.76%70.12%20.03%1,50626.32%5,721Antrim2,41167.80%1,13231.83%80.22%50.14%1,27935.97%3,556Arenac1,99258.03%1,43241.71%60.17%30.09%56016.31%3,433Baraga1,98946.77%2,26253.19%20.05%00.00%-273-6.42%4,253Barry5,37270.55%2,22929.28%70.09%60.08%3,14341.28%7,614Bay11,46649.50%11,65750.33%310.13%80.03%-191-0.82%23,162Benzie1,97862.61%1,17237.10%80.25%10.03%80625.51%3,159Berrien18,00359.21%12,36040.65%290.10%150.05%5,64318.56%30,407Branch6,57068.45%3,00231.28%180.19%80.08%3,56837.17%9,598Calhoun16,64057.27%12,30542.35%750.26%370.13%4,33514.92%29,057Cass5,81762.50%3,47537.34%50.05%100.11%2,34225.16%9,307Charlevoix2,95763.82%1,66635.96%60.13%40.09%1,29127.87%4,633Cheboygan3,22157.67%2,35942.24%30.05%20.04%86215.43%5,585Chippewa5,39553.67%4,63846.14%80.08%110.11%7577.53%10,052Clare2,55071.55%1,00528.20%40.11%50.14%1,54543.35%3,564Clinton6,17571.49%2,45228.39%80.09%30.03%3,72343.10%8,638Crawford81957.64%60142.29%10.07%00.00%21815.34%1,421Delta5,48342.01%7,54857.83%160.12%60.05%-2,065-15.82%13,053Dickinson5,66646.88%6,38852.85%160.13%170.14%-722-5.97%12,087Eaton8,60766.71%4,24232.88%420.33%120.09%4,36533.83%12,903Emmet3,49563.35%2,00736.38%90.16%60.11%1,48826.97%5,517Genesee36,11550.47%35,30149.34%1130.16%220.03%8141.14%71,551Gladwin2,15968.69%98331.28%10.03%00.00%1,17637.42%3,143Gogebic6,23944.15%7,85355.58%250.18%130.09%-1,614-11.42%14,130Grand Traverse4,49064.01%2,51535.86%80.11%10.01%1,97528.16%7,014Gratiot6,43470.00%27,1529.54%60.07%360.39%3,71940.46%9,191Hillsdale7,48373.80%2,62325.87%240.24%90.09%4,86047.93%10,139Houghton8,92746.24%10,36353.68%90.05%60.03%-1,436-7.44%19,305Huron7,67668.01%3,56931.62%220.19%200.18%4,10736.39%11,287Ingham24,33255.93%18,98643.64%1480.34%390.09%5,34612.29%43,505Ionia7,91162.62%4,70437.24%90.07%90.07%3,20725.39%12,633Iosco2,11963.92%1,18935.87%40.12%30.09%93028.05%3,315Iron4,52950.42%4,44049.43%90.10%40.04%890.99%8,982Isabella4,80868.95%2,14130.70%120.17%120.17%2,66738.25%6,973Jackson19,00560.05%12,54739.64%660.21%330.10%6,45820.40%31,651Kalamazoo18,81665.13%10,00934.65%210.07%440.15%8,80730.48%28,890Kalkaska92158.25%65141.18%70.44%20.13%27017.08%1,581Kent36,43052.25%32,96447.28%2250.32%1080.15%3,4664.97%69,727Keweenaw92745.85%1,09354.06%10.05%10.05%-166-8.21%2,022Lake1,26657.49%92942.19%60.27%10.05%33715.30%2,202Lapeer7,05176.58%2,14023.24%100.11%60.07%4,91153.34%9,207Leelanau2,05567.84%96831.96%30.10%30.10%1,08735.89%3,029Lenawee13,61174.81%4,54124.96%280.15%150.08%9,07049.85%18,195Livingston6,79171.95%2,61427.70%280.30%50.05%4,17744.26%9,438Luce1,41660.28%93139.63%00.00%20.09%48520.65%2,349Mackinac2,15351.63%2,00948.18%20.05%60.14%1443.45%4,170Macomb15,66951.73%14,55448.05%460.15%230.08%1,1153.68%30,292Manistee4,08255.23%3,29144.53%140.19%40.05%79110.70%7,391Marquette8,44444.21%10,62655.63%230.12%70.04%-2,182-11.42%19,100Mason3,75154.44%3,11645.22%150.22%80.12%6359.22%6,890Mecosta3,35864.88%1,80634.89%40.08%80.15%1,55229.98%5,176Menominee4,49249.15%4,63250.68%100.11%60.07%-140-1.53%9,140Midland5,00467.00%2,44132.68%180.24%60.08%2,56334.32%7,469Missaukee2,01366.74%99833.09%40.13%10.03%1,01533.65%3,016Monroe12,08861.69%7,47538.15%130.07%200.10%4,61323.54%19,596Montcalm5,73066.86%2,80232.70%310.36%70.08%2,92834.17%8,570Montmorency1,18761.47%73037.80%80.41%60.31%45723.67%1,931Muskegon10,63446.01%12,39253.62%560.24%300.13%-1,758-7.61%23,112Newaygo4,00267.04%1,95132.68%130.22%40.07%2,05134.36%5,970Oakland37,97556.89%28,57842.81%1560.23%460.07%9,39714.08%66,755Oceana2,95563.74%1,66435.89%110.24%60.13%1,29127.85%4,636Ogemaw2,16263.76%1,22336.07%20.06%40.12%93927.69%3,391Ontonagon2,72347.52%2,99952.34%80.14%00.00%-276-4.82%5,730Osceola3,21372.59%1,20027.11%60.14%70.16%2,01345.48%4,426Oscoda60764.78%32935.11%10.11%00.00%27829.67%937Otsego1,34058.49%94341.16%50.22%30.13%39717.33%2,291Ottawa10,84962.00%6,60837.76%350.20%60.03%4,24124.24%17,498Presque Isle2,20847.88%2,39751.97%40.09%30.07%-189-4.10%4,612Roscommon1,32872.73%49427.05%40.22%00.00%83445.67%1,826Saginaw21,66254.76%17,76944.92%890.23%350.09%3,8939.84%39,555Sanilac8,45481.45%1,90918.39%130.13%40.04%6,54563.05%10,380Schoolcraft1,92350.58%1,87249.24%50.13%20.05%511.34%3,802Shiawassee8,78267.81%4,11031.74%450.35%140.11%4,67236.07%12,951St. Clair15,37165.89%7,92133.95%240.10%120.05%7,45031.94%23,328St. Joseph7,88371.01%3,18728.71%250.23%70.06%4,69642.30%11,102Tuscola8,42278.78%2,25021.05%120.11%60.06%6,17257.74%10,690Van Buren9,31867.67%4,41732.08%300.22%50.04%4,90135.59%13,770Washtenaw16,66069.40%7,29630.39%370.15%130.05%9,36439.01%24,006Wayne233,88541.67%325,98258.08%9540.17%4700.08%-92,097-16.41%561,291Wexford3,39160.92%2,15538.72%140.25%60.11%1,23622.21%5,566Total847,24552.78%753,75246.96%2,8960.18%1,3480.08%93,4935.82%1,605,241

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Calhoun Genesee Ingham Iron Kent Macomb Manistee Mason Saginaw Schoolcraft

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Baraga Keweenaw

References