1949 New Jersey gubernatorial election
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 County results Driscoll: 50-60% 60–70% Wene: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in New Jersey |
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 State government |
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The 1949 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1949. Incumbent Republican Alfred E. Driscoll defeated Democratic former U.S. Representative Elmer H. Wene with 51.54% of the vote.
Under the 1947 New Jersey Constitution, Driscoll was the first Governor eligible to succeed himself in a second consecutive term. For the first time, the governor was elected to a four-year term, as opposed to three years.
Primary elections were held on April 19, 1949.[1]
Republican primary[]
Candidates[]
Campaign[]
Neither candidate led an aggressive campaign for the nomination. Driscoll reported no expenditures but accepted a few speaking engagements at key county party organization meetings in Monmouth, Essex, Union, and his native Camden County. Driscoll campaigned largely on his administration's liberal record and his support for universal health insurance, public housing, and civil rights.[2]
Adams largely failed to raise his profile outside of Somerset and relied primarily on opposition to Driscoll within the party, as well as farmers disaffected by the Governor's suspension of retail milk price controls in January 1942. He accused Governor Driscoll of attempting to "out-deal the New Deal." His campaign spent $1,433 and his personal appearances were confined to rural north-central parts of the state.[2]
Results[]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Alfred E. Driscoll (incumbent) | 207,144 | 69.51 | |
| Republican | Robert L. Adams | 90,885 | 30.50 | |
| Total votes | 298,029 | 100.00 | ||
Adams's strength was primarily in rural areas, with an unexpectedly strong showing in Union County.[2]
Democratic primary[]
Candidates[]
- Elmer H. Wene, former U.S. Representative from Cumberland County
Results[]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Elmer H. Wene | 152,054 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 152,054 | 100.00 | ||
General election[]
Candidates[]
- John C. Butterworth (Socialist Labor)
- Alfred E. Driscoll (Republican)
- James Imbrie (Progressive)
- Edson R. Leach (Prohibition)
- Elmer H. Wene (Democratic)
Results[]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Alfred E. Driscoll (incumbent) | 885,882 | 51.54% |  5.54
| |
| Democratic | Elmer H. Wene | 810,022 | 47.13% |  5.71
| |
| Progressive | James Imbrie | 10,840 | 0.63% | N/A | |
| Socialist Labor | John C. Butterworth | 6,515 | 0.38% | 0.28
| |
| Prohibition | Edson R. Leach | 5,529 | 0.32% | 0.22
| |
| Majority | |||||
| Turnout | |||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
References[]
- ^ a b c "Candidates for the Office of Governor - State of New Jersey" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1949. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "DRISCOLL IS VICTOR IN JERSEY PRIMARY". The New York Times. 20 Apr 1949. p. 16. Retrieved 3 Dec 2021.
- ^ "Votes Cast for the Office of Governor of the State of New Jersey" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1949. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
- New Jersey gubernatorial elections
- 1949 United States gubernatorial elections
- 1949 New Jersey elections
- November 1949 events