A Massachusetts general election was held on November 2, 1954, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The election included: statewide elections for United States Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer, and Auditor; district elections for U.S. Representatives, State Representatives, State Senators, and Governor's Councillors; and ballot questions at the state and local levels.
Democratic and Republican candidates were selected in party primaries held on September 14, 1954.
Governor
Republican incumbent Christian Herter was re-elected over Robert F. Murphy.
Lieutenant governor
Republican Sumner Whittier was re-elected lieutenant governor over Democrat James A. Burke, Socialist Labor candidate Francis A. Votano, and Prohibition candidate Donald E. Babcock.
General election Candidates Donald E. Babcock (Prohibition) James A. Burke, state representative from Hyde Park (Democratic) Sumner G. Whittier, incumbent lieutenant governor since 1953 (Republican) Francis A. Votano (Socialist Labor)
Results
Attorney general
Republican attorney general George Fingold was re-elected over Democratic State Senator John F. Collins, Socialist Workers candidate Malcolm T. Rowe, and Prohibition candidate Howard B. Rand in the general election.
General election Candidates John F. Collins, state senator from Jamaica Plain (Democratic) George Fingold, incumbent attorney general since 1953 (Republican) Howard B. Rand (Prohibition) Malcolm T. Rowe (Socialist Workers)
Results
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Incumbent Secretary of the Commonwealth Edward J. Cronin defeated Republican state representative Michael J. McCarthy, Socialist Labor candidate Fred M. Ingersoll, and Prohibition candidate William D. Ross in the general election.
General election Candidates Edward J. Cronin, incumbent secretary since 1949 (Democratic) Fred M. Ingersoll (Socialist Workers) Michael J. McCarthy, state representative from East Bridgewater (Republican) William D. Ross (Prohibition)
Results
Treasurer and Receiver-General
Incumbent Treasurer and Receiver-General Foster Furcolo ran for a U.S. Senate seat instead of seeking re-election. John Francis Kennedy defeated Norwood Selectman Clement A. Riley and State Representative and Boston School Committee Chair William F. Carr in the Democratic primary and Republican Augustus Gardner Means, Socialist Labor candidate Henning A. Blomen, and Prohibition candidate Isaac Goddard in the general election.
Democratic primary Candidates William F. Carr, Boston School Committee chair and former State Representative from South Boston John Francis Kennedy, Gillette stockroom supervisor Clement A. Riley, Norwood selectman
General election Candidates Henning A. Blomen, perennial candidate (Socialist Workers) Issac Goddard (Prohibition) John Francis Kennedy, Gillette stockroom supervisor (Democratic) Augustus Gardner Means, state representative from Beverly (Republican)
Results
Auditor
Incumbent Auditor Thomas J. Buckley defeated Republican state representative William P. Constantino, Socialist Labor candidate Anthony Martin, and Prohibition candidate John B. Lauder in the general election.
General election Candidates Thomas J. Buckley, incumbent auditor since 1941 (Democratic) William P. Constantino, state representative from Clinton (Republican) John B. Lauder (Prohibition) Anthony Martin (Socialist Workers)
Results
U.S. Senator
Republican Leverett Saltonstall was re-elected over Democrat Foster Furcolo, Socialist Labor candidate Thelma Ingersoll, and Prohibition candidate Harold J. Ireland.
References