1952 Louisiana gubernatorial election

The 1952 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held in two rounds on January 15 and February 19, 1952. Like most Southern states between the Reconstruction Era and the Civil Rights Movement, Louisiana's Republican Party was virtually nonexistent in terms of electoral support.

1952 Louisiana Democratic gubernatorial primary

February 19, 1952
 
Candidate Robert F. Kennon Carlos Spaht
Party Democratic Democratic
Alliance Independent Longite
Popular vote 482,302 302,743
Percentage 61.44% 38.56%

Parish results
Kennon:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      >90%
Spaht:      50-60%      60-70%

Governor before election

Earl K. Long
Democratic

Elected Governor

Robert F. Kennon
Democratic

This meant that the two Democratic Party primary elections held on these dates were the real contest over who would be governor of Louisiana. The 1952 election saw the defeat of Long candidate Carlos Spaht, and the election of Robert F. Kennon as governor.

In the low-turnout general election held on April 22, 1952, Kennon defeated Harrison Bagwell, a Baton Rouge lawyer and only the second Louisiana Republican gubernatorial nominee since Reconstruction. Kennon received 118,723 votes (96 percent) to Bagwell's 4,958 votes (4 percent).[1]

Results

First Democratic Party Primary, January 15

Candidate Votes received Percent
Carlos Spaht 173,987 22.84%
Robert F. Kennon 163,434 21.46%
Hale Boggs 142,542 18.71%
James M. McLemore 116,405 15.28%
William J. "Bill" Dodd 90,925 11.94%
Dudley J. LeBlanc 62,906 8.26%
Kermit Parker 5,470 0.72%
Lucille May Grace 4,832 0.63%
Cliff Liles 1,233 0.16%
Total 761,734

Second Democratic Party Primary, February 19

Candidate Votes received Percent
Robert F. Kennon 482,302 61.44%
Carlos Spaht 302,743 38.56%
Total 785,045
Preceded by
1948 gubernatorial election
Louisiana gubernatorial elections Succeeded by
1956 gubernatorial election

References

  1. Michael J. Dubin (March 17, 2014). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1932-1952: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company. pp. 103–104. ISBN 978-0-7864-7034-1. Retrieved January 6, 2015.

Sources

Louisiana Secretary of State. Democratic Primary Election Returns, 1952.


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