1952 Maine gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1952 Maine gubernatorial election Maine presidential no 1950 Maine gubernatorial election 1950 1954 Maine gubernatorial election 1954 September 8, 1952 File:BurtonMCross.jpg 150x150px Burton M. Cross Republican Party (United States) 128,532 52.08% File:James C. Oliver (Maine Congressman).jpg James C. Oliver Democratic Party (United States) 82,538 33.44% File:Neil Bishop.jpg Neil S. Bishop Independent Republican (United States) 35,732 14.48% 1952 Maine gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 280px County results Cross: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% Oliver: #a5b0ff 40–50% Governor Nathaniel Haskell Republican Party (United States) Burton M. Cross Republican Party (United States) The 1952 Maine gubernatorial election took place on September 8, 1952. Republican incumbent Frederick G. Payne was term limited and constitutionally prohibited from seeking a third consecutive term in office; he ran for United States Senate. Maine Senate president Burton M. Cross defeated former Republican U.S. representative James C. Oliver and independent Neil S. Bishop, whom Cross had already defeated in the Republican primary. Cross' election was the ninth consecutive victory for the Republicans in Maine gubernatorial races. As of 2026, this is the last time that a Maine governor was succeeded by a member of their own party. Republican primary Candidates Neil S. Bishop, former state senator from Augusta Burton M. Cross, president of the Maine Senate since 1948 Leroy F. Hussey, chairman of the Executive Council of Maine Results Republican primary resultshttps://lldc.mainelegislature.org/Open/Elections/Returns/1952/19520616/elec_19520616b.pdf Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, Elections Division 2025-08-22 Burton M. Cross Republican Party (United States) 54,865 40.38 Leroy F. Hussey Republican Party (United States) 44,087 32.44 Neil S. Bishop Republican Party (United States) 36,931 27.18 135,883 100.00 Democratic primary Oliver was unopposed in the Democratic primary. General election Candidates Neil S. Bishop, former state senator from Augusta (Independent) Burton M. Cross, president of the Maine Senate since 1948 (Republican) James C. Oliver, former U.S. representative from South Portland (Democratic) Results 1952 Gubernatorial Election, Maine Guide to US Elections, Fifth Edition, Volume II CQ Press 2005 1497–1499 https://archive.org/details/guidetouselectio00cqpr/page/1497 978-1-56802-981-8 2009-05-12 registration Republican Party (United States) Burton M. Cross 128,532 52.08% - Democratic Party (United States) James C. Oliver 82,538 33.44% - Independent politician Neil S. Bishop 35,732 14.48% - 45,994 18.64% Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Androscoggin (largest city: Lewiston) Aftermath The period after the election itself was rather unusual. Cross actually became Governor about two weeks prior to the start of his elected term of office — the outgoing Governor, Frederick G. Payne, had resigned on December 25, 1952, to prepare for his term in the United States Senate. Cross, as President of the Senate became Governor through constitutional succession. Cross himself resigned as Senate President (and Governor) at 10:00 am January 6, 1953 and was replaced for the next 25 hours by Nathaniel Haskell. At 11:00 am on January 7, 1953, Cross' official elected term of office began. Oliver would remain active in Maine Democratic politics after his defeat, becoming the Democratic nominee for Maine's 1st congressional district in 1954 and 1956, which would see him narrowly defeated both times by incumbent Republican Robert Hale. Oliver would best Hale in 1958 and return to Congress, but would be defeated for re-election in 1960 by Republican Peter A. Garland. Bishop would remain in the Republican Party, but would cross party lines to back Democratic gubernatorial candidate Edmund Muskie in 1954.March 2, 1989 Neil Bishop Dead at 86 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1899&dat=19890301&id=6L0gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tGkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3815,182477&hl=en 22 January 2016 The Lewiston Journal 4A After Muskie became a Senator, Bishop would be nominated by the Maine GOP to run against him in the 1970 election — Muskie would defeat Bishop in a landslide. Cross would be defeated for re-election by Muskie in 1954, becoming the first Republican nominee to lose a Maine gubernatorial election in 20 years. Muskie's victory precipitated the rise of the Maine Democratic Party in what had traditionally been a rock-ribbed Republican state. Notes and references expanded 1952 Maine Gubernatorial Category:September 1952 in the United States