1944 Louisiana gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 September 2013 1944 Louisiana Democratic gubernatorial primary Louisiana presidential No 1940 Louisiana gubernatorial election 1940 1948 Louisiana gubernatorial election 1948 February 29, 1944 1912 Image: Jimmie Davis 1962.jpg 150x150px Jimmie Davis Democratic Party (United States) Anti-Long 251,228 53.55% Image:LewisLMorgan (cropped).jpg Lewis L. Morgan Longite Democratic Party (United States) 217,915 46.45% 1944 Louisiana gubernatorial election results map by parish.svg 280px Parish resultsDavis: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%Morgan: #d3bc5f 50–60% #c8ab37 60–70% #a0892c 70–80% Governor Sam H. Jones Democratic Party (United States) Jimmie Davis Democratic Party (United States) The 1944 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held in two rounds on January 18 and February 29, 1944. 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. This meant that the two Democratic Party primaries held on these dates were the real contest over who would be governor. The 1944 election saw the reformer ‘anti-Long’ faction retain power for another four years under Jimmie Davis. Louisiana's constitution did not allow incumbent governor Sam Jones to succeed himself in a consecutive term. Instead, the reformer forces endorsed Jimmie Davis, a country singer from Shreveport who was then serving as Public Service Commissioner. Davis campaigned on a theme of "Peace and Harmony", and punctuated his campaign stops with performances of "You Are My Sunshine." Louisiana's Longite faction desired a return to power after being defeated in 1940. Huey Long's brother Earl had ambitions to return as governor, and began to prepare for a campaign. But Long failed to gain the support of New Orleans mayor Robert Maestri, whose Old Regular machine was seen as an essential component of any victorious Longite candidate. Instead, Maestri threw his support behind Lewis L. Morgan, an elderly politician from Covington whose unexciting campaign found little resonance with voters. Long had to satisfy himself with running for Lieutenant Governor on Morgan's ticket. Other candidates included Jimmy Morrison, Dudley J. LeBlanc, and Sam Caldwell. Coming amid the grim mood of wartime, the 1944 campaign was widely seen as one of the quietest in years. Democratic primary Candidates Sam Caldwell, mayor of Shreveport Ernest S. Clements, State Senator from Oberlin Jimmie Davis, Louisiana Public Service Commission and country music singer Lee Lanier Dudley J. LeBlanc, State Senator from Acadia Parish Lewis L. Morgan, former U.S. Representative from Covington James H. Morrison, U.S. Representative from Hammond and candidate for governor in 1940 Vincent Moseley Results 1944 Democratic gubernatorial primary Jimmie Davis Democratic Party (US) 167,434 34.93% Lewis L. Morgan Democratic Party (US) 131,682 27.47% James H. Morrison Democratic Party (US) 76,081 15.87% Dudley J. LeBlanc Democratic Party (US) 40,392 8.43% Sam Caldwell Democratic Party (US) 34,335 7.16% Ernest Clements Democratic Party (US) 20,404 4.26% Vincent Moseley Democratic Party (US) 7,385 1.54% Lee Lanier Democratic Party (US) 1,641 0.34% 479,354 100.00% LeBlanc and Morrison each won a handful of parishes in their respective bases in south Louisiana. Morgan did poorly in much of the state aside from the Long stronghold of Winn Parish and the surrounding area, but the number of votes turned out for him by the Old Regulars in New Orleans propelled him into the runoff. But Davis's popularity in north Louisiana and throughout the state's rural parishes gave him a strong lead. Runoff 1944 Democratic gubernatorial runoff Jimmie H. Davis Democratic Party (US) 251,228 53.55% 18.62 Lewis L. Morgan Democratic Party (US) 217,915 46.45% 18.98 469,243 100.00% In the runoff, Morgan maintained much of his support, but the candidates split the vote of candidates defeated in the first primary. Davis therefore maintained his margin from the primary, winning with a comfortable majority. Further reading Michael L. Kurtz and Morgan D. Peoples. Earl K. Long: The Saga of Uncle Earl and Louisiana Politics, 1990. Louisiana Secretary of State. Compilation of Primary Election Results of the Democratic Party of the State of Louisiana, 1944. Gubernatorial 1944 Louisiana Category:January 1944 in the United States Category:February 1944 in the United States