1930 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

1930 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
	County results; Coolidge:40–50%50–60%70–80%; Butler:50–60%60–70%
Senator before election; Frederick H. Gillett; Republican	Elected Senator; Marcus A. Coolidge; Democratic

TheUnited States Senate election of 1930 in Massachusettswas held on November 4, 1930. IncumbentRepublicanSenatorFrederick H. Gillettdid not run for re-election. In the open race to succeed him,DemocraticMayor of FitchburgMarcus A. Coolidgedefeated former U.S. SenatorWilliam M. Butler.

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

William M. Butler,former interim United States Senator (1924–1926)
Eben S. Draper Jr.,former State Senator fromHopedale,son of GovernorEben Draper,and candidate for Senatein 1928
Andrew J. Gillis, Mayor ofNewburyport^[1]

Withdrew[edit]

Alvan T. Fuller,former Governor of Massachusetts (1925–1929)

Declined[edit]

Calvin Coolidge,former President of the United States (1923–1929) and Governor of Massachusetts (1919–1921)
Frederick Gillett,incumbent Senator since 1925

Campaign[edit]

Citing old age, SenatorFrederick Gillettannounced his retirement in December 1929. Alvan Fuller and Calvin Coolidge were speculated as potential candidates, andEben S. Draper Jr.announced his plans to run for the open seat.^[2]

Alvan Fuller announced his intention to run on February 18, in response to a call by Joseph Simon, chairman of the Salem Republican Committee.^[3]Fuller entered on the heels of his opposition to any pre-primary convention, accusing the Republican State Committee of being a "corrupt outfit" which was headed for defeat in November. He also declared his opposition to RepublicansWilliam Scott VareandHiram Bingham III,who had both been censured by the Senate.^[4]

Former SenatorWilliam Morgan Butlerwas made his campaign formal on March 13, running as an unreserved "bone-dry" supporter of prohibition.^[5]

In March, the divide between Butler and Draper over the prohibition of alcohol took shape. Draper announced his unequivocal opposition to prohibition, including the repeal of theEighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,on March 26.^[6]Butler soon criticized Draper for changing his position and failing to uphold the Constitution.^[7]As the campaign went on, Butler de-emphasized his position on prohibition, instead focusing on his support for business in the wake of the1929 stock market crash.^[1]

In the campaign's final week, Constance Williams, the daughter of the late SenatorHenry Cabot Lodge,accused Butler of politically abusing her late father in his final years. After Butler publicly claimed to have been friendly with Senator Lodge and declared himself Lodge's ideal successor, Williams publicly denounced Butler's candidacy and claimed Butler held a long grudge against her father stemming from his defeat of Butler's preferred candidate,William W. Crapo,inthe 1893 Senate election.^[8]

Results[edit]

Republican primary^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	William M. Butler	163,336	47.61%
	Republican	Eben S. Draper Jr.	156,745	45.69%
	Republican	Andrew J. Gillis	22,996	6.70%
Total votes			343,077	100.00%

Despite the late attack against him and the general sentiment for prohibition repeal in the state,^[1]Butler narrowly defeated Draper by just under 6,600 votes.

Draper got a much smaller than expected margin in the cities, winning Boston by only 200 votes.^[1]Draper's loss was also attributed to the spoiler effect, with Newburyport mayor Andrew Gillis pulling 20,000 wet votes away.^[1]

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Marcus A. Coolidge,former Mayor ofFitchburg
Eugene Foss,formerGovernor of MassachusettsandU.S. Representative
Peter J. Joyce, manufacturer
Thomas C. O'Brien,formerSuffolk CountyDistrict Attorney
Joseph F. O'Connell,formerU.S. RepresentativefromBoston

Withdrew[edit]

Roland D. Sawyer,State Representative fromWareand Congregationalist minister

Campaign[edit]

Roland D. Sawyerentered the race as a wet candidate on March 25.^[6]^[10]The next two candidates to formally announce,Marcus A. CoolidgeandJoseph F. O'Connell,joined the campaign on May 11. Coolidge ran as a wet, while O'Connell said he would announce his platform at a later date, expressing confidence that Democrats would carry the state in November.^[11]

Coolidge faced some difficulty winning over the party's Catholic base; he was a Protestant who had supportedWilliam Gibbs McAdoooverAl Smithfor President in 1924, though he had actively campaigned for Smith in 1928.^[11]Coolidge overcame this deficiency by tying his campaign to that of the aging Irish Catholic iconJohn F. Fitzgeraldfor Governor, but he suffered a major setback when Fitzgerald withdrew due to illness. The paper Coolidge-Fitzgerald ticket was buoyed when Boston mayorJames Michael Curleydeclared that Fitzgerald's Protestant opponent was anti-Irish.^[1]

Results[edit]

Democratic primary^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Marcus A. Coolidge	81,451	40.71%
	Democratic	Joseph F. O'Connell	54,829	27.41%
	Democratic	Thomas C. O'Brien	45,272	22.63%
	Democratic	Eugene Foss	12,824	6.41%
	Democratic	Peter J. Joyce	5,680	2.84%
Total votes			200,056	100.00%

General election[edit]

Candidates[edit]

William M. Butler,former United States Senator (Republican)
Marcus A. Coolidge,former Mayor ofFitchburg(Democratic)
Oscar Kinsalas, candidate for Secretary of the Commonwealth in 1928 (Socialist Workers)
Max Lerner,candidate forMassachusetts Attorney Generalin 1928 (Communist)
Sylvester J. McBride, perennial candidate (Socialist)

Results[edit]

General election^[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Marcus A. Coolidge	651,939	54.01%	5.40
	Republican	William M. Butler	539,226	44.67%	5.59
	Socialist	Sylvester J. McBride	7,244	0.60%	N/A
	Socialist Labor	Oscar Kinsalas	4,640	0.38%	N/A
	Communist	Max Lerner	3,962	0.34%	0.80
Total votes			1,207,011	100.00%

References[edit]

^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f"THE BAY STATE PRIMARY".The New York Times.September 18, 1930. p. 26.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^"SENATOR GILLETT SAYS HE WILL RETIRE IN 1931".The New York Times.December 3, 1929. p. 2.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^"FULLER" EXPECTS "TO RUN FOR SENATE; Ex-Governor of Massachusetts Thanks Man Who Wants to Be on His 'Band Wagon.'".The New York Times.February 19, 1930. p. 18.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^"FULLER DENOUNCES STATE PARTY CHIEFS".The New York Times.February 16, 1930. p. 18.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^"BUTLER AS BONE DRY SEEKS SENATE SEAT".The New York Times.March 14, 1930. p. 3.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^^a ^b"DRAPER, IN BAY STATE, WILL RUN AS A WET; Republican Senatorial Candidate Advocates Repeal--Sawyer, Democrat, Also Is Wet".March 27, 1930. p. 18.
^"CHANGING ONE'S MIND".The New York Times.March 31, 1930. p. 16.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^"LODGE'S DAUGHTER ASSAILS CANDIDATE".The New York Times.September 11, 1930. p. 29.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^"Our Campaigns - MA US Senate - R Primary Race - Sep 16, 1930".
^"Minister, Wet and a Democrat, Seeks Bay State Senate Seat".The New York Times.March 26, 1930. p. 1.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^^a ^b"MORE DEMOCRATS IN BAY STATE RACE; Marcus A. Coolidge and Former Representative O'Connell Enter Lists for Senate".The New York Times.May 12, 1930. p. 7.RetrievedJune 9,2022.
^"Our Campaigns - MA US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 16, 1930".
^"Our Campaigns - MA US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1930".

[nytprimary-1] "THE BAY STATE PRIMARY".The New York Times.September 18, 1930. p. 26.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[2] "SENATOR GILLETT SAYS HE WILL RETIRE IN 1931".The New York Times.December 3, 1929. p. 2.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[3] "FULLER" EXPECTS "TO RUN FOR SENATE; Ex-Governor of Massachusetts Thanks Man Who Wants to Be on His 'Band Wagon.'".The New York Times.February 19, 1930. p. 18.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[4] "FULLER DENOUNCES STATE PARTY CHIEFS".The New York Times.February 16, 1930. p. 18.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[5] "BUTLER AS BONE DRY SEEKS SENATE SEAT".The New York Times.March 14, 1930. p. 3.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[nyt3.27-6] "DRAPER, IN BAY STATE, WILL RUN AS A WET; Republican Senatorial Candidate Advocates Repeal--Sawyer, Democrat, Also Is Wet".March 27, 1930. p. 18.

[7] "CHANGING ONE'S MIND".The New York Times.March 31, 1930. p. 16.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[8] "LODGE'S DAUGHTER ASSAILS CANDIDATE".The New York Times.September 11, 1930. p. 29.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[9] "Our Campaigns - MA US Senate - R Primary Race - Sep 16, 1930".

[10] "Minister, Wet and a Democrat, Seeks Bay State Senate Seat".The New York Times.March 26, 1930. p. 1.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[nyt5.12-11] "MORE DEMOCRATS IN BAY STATE RACE; Marcus A. Coolidge and Former Representative O'Connell Enter Lists for Senate".The New York Times.May 12, 1930. p. 7.RetrievedJune 9,2022.

[12] "Our Campaigns - MA US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 16, 1930".

[13] "Our Campaigns - MA US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1930".

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Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Withdrew[edit]

Declined[edit]

Campaign[edit]

Results[edit]

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Withdrew[edit]

Campaign[edit]

Results[edit]

General election[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]