1930 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

none March 2026 September 2023 1930 United States Senate election in Massachusetts Massachusetts 1908 presidential no 1924 United States Senate election in Massachusetts 1924 1936 United States Senate election in Massachusetts 1936 November 4, 1930 File:MarcusACoolidge.jpg 150x150px Marcus A. Coolidge Democratic Party (United States) 651,939 54.01% File:W.M. Butler LCCN2014716609.jpg William M. Butler Republican Party (United States) 539,226 44.67% 300px County results 300px| Municipality results 1 250px Coolidge: #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584CDE 70–80%Butler: #FFB2B2 40–50% #E27F7F 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #D72F30 70–80% #C21B18 80–90% #A80000 >90% Senator Frederick H. Gillett Republican Party (United States) Marcus A. Coolidge Democratic Party (United States) The United States Senate election of 1930 in Massachusetts was held on November 4, 1930. Republican incumbent Frederick H. Gillett did not run for re-election. In the open race to succeed him, Fitchburg mayor Marcus A. Coolidge defeated former senator William M. Butler. Background Prior to 1928, Massachusetts was viewed as a conservative, solidly Republican state. However, the Democratic Party nominated New York governor Al Smith, a Roman Catholic and outspoken opponent of the prohibition of alcohol, for president in 1928. Smith's campaign drew many of the state's growing urban, immigrant, working class, and Catholic populations to the polls, and although he lost a national landslide to Herbert Hoover, Smith won Massachusetts in a highly competitive race. The 1928 election permanently altered the demographics of the Massachusetts electorate, and the state was highly competitive into the 1940s. Republican primary Candidates William M. Butler, former interim U.S. senator (1924–26) Eben Draper Jr., former state senator from Hopedale, son of governor Eben Draper, and candidate for Senate in 1928 Andrew J. Gillis, mayor of Newburyport Withdrew Alvan T. Fuller, former governor of Massachusetts (1925–29) Declined Calvin Coolidge, former president of the United States (1923–29) Frederick Gillett, incumbent U.S. senator since 1925 In 1929, growing opposition formed against renominating Frederick Gillett for a second term. Former governor Alvan Fuller publicly announced that he would oppose Gillett's nomination and insisted that other Republican candidates would also enter the primary. August 27, 1929 SHARP CONTESTS DUE IN 1930 ELECTIONS https://www.nytimes.com/1929/08/27/archives/sharp-contests-due-in-1930-elections-capital-sees-signs-of-upsets.html 2026-09-20 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331FULLER "EXPECTS" TO RUN FOR SENATE; Ex-Governor of Massachusetts Thanks Man Who Wants to Be on His 'Band Wagon.' https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/02/19/96053547.html?pageNumber=18 9 Jun 2022 18 The New York Times 19 Feb 1930FULLER DENOUNCES STATE PARTY CHIEFS https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/02/16/96049427.html?pageNumber=16 9 Jun 2022 18 The New York Times 16 Feb 1930 Party insiders sought to avoid a contentious primary, fearing that it would increase the chances of a loss to the Democratic Party. In December 1929, Gillett announced his retirement, citing old age. Calvin Coolidge was speculated as a potential candidate, and Eben Draper Jr. announced plans to run.SENATOR GILLETT SAYS HE WILL RETIRE IN 1931 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/12/03/96014510.html?pageNumber=2 2 3 Dec 1929 The New York Times 9 Jun 2022 On February 18, Fuller announced his intention to personally run for the seat. Fuller publicly opposed any pre-primary convention, accusing the Republican Party state committee of being a "corrupt outfit." He also declared his opposition to Republican senators William Scott Vare and Hiram Bingham III, who had both been censured by the Senate. On March 13, former senator William Butler formally announced a campaign, running as an unreserved, "bone-dry" supporter of prohibition.BUTLER AS BONE DRY SEEKS SENATE SEAT https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/03/14/96070691.html?pageNumber=3 3 14 Mar 1930 The New York Times 9 Jun 2022 Campaign By March 1930, the campaign had shaped around a divide between Butler and Draper over prohibition. Draper announced his unequivocal opposition to prohibition, including the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, on March 26.DRAPER, IN BAY STATE, WILL RUN AS A WET; Republican Senatorial Candidate Advocates Repeal--Sawyer, Democrat, Also Is Wet. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/03/27/96080486.html?pageNumber=18 27 Mar 1930 18 Butler soon criticized Draper for changing his position and failing to uphold the Constitution.CHANGING ONE'S MIND https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/03/31/96082389.html?pageNumber=16 16 31 Mar 1930 The New York Times 9 Jun 2022 As the campaign went on, Butler de-emphasized his position on prohibition, instead focusing on his support for business in the wake of the 1929 stock market crash. In the campaign's final week, Constance Williams, the daughter of the late Senator Henry 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, in the 1893 Senate election.LODGE'S DAUGHTER ASSAILS CANDIDATE https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/09/11/118382563.html?pageNumber=29 29 11 Sep 1930 The New York Times 9 Jun 2022 Results Republican primary http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=619473 Our Campaigns - MA US Senate - R Primary Race - Sep 16, 1930 Republican Party (US) William M. Butler 163,336 47.61% Republican Party (US) Eben S. Draper Jr. 156,745 45.69% Republican Party (US) Andrew J. Gillis 22,996 6.70% 343,077 100.00% Despite the late attack against him and the general sentiment for prohibition repeal in the state,THE BAY STATE PRIMARY https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/09/18/102162403.html?pageNumber=26 26 18 Sep 1930 The New York Times 9 Jun 2022 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. Draper's loss was also attributed to the spoiler effect, with Newburyport mayor Andrew Gillis pulling 20,000 wet votes away. Democratic primary Candidates Marcus A. Coolidge, former mayor of Fitchburg Eugene Foss, former governor of Massachusetts and U.S. representative Peter J. Joyce, manufacturer Thomas C. O'Brien, former Suffolk County district attorney Joseph F. O'Connell, former U.S. representative from Boston Withdrew Roland D. Sawyer, state representative from Ware and Congregationalist minister Campaign Roland D. Sawyer entered the race as a wet candidate on March 25.Minister, Wet and a Democrat, Seeks Bay State Senate Seat https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/03/26/113332158.html?pageNumber=1 1 26 Mar 1930 The New York Times 9 Jun 2022 The next two candidates to formally announce, Marcus A. Coolidge and Joseph F. O'Connell, joined the campaign on May 11. Coolidge also 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.MORE DEMOCRATS IN BAY STATE RACE; Marcus A. Coolidge and Former Representative O'Connell Enter Lists for Senate. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/05/12/102133754.html?pageNumber=7 7 12 May 1930 The New York Times 9 Jun 2022 Coolidge faced some difficulty winning over the party's Catholic base; he was a Protestant who had supported William Gibbs McAdoo over Al Smith for president in 1924, though he had actively campaigned for Smith in 1928. Coolidge overcame this deficiency by tying his campaign to that of the aging Irish Catholic icon John F. Fitzgerald for Governor, but he suffered a major setback when Fitzgerald withdrew due to illness. The paper Coolidge-Fitzgerald ticket was buoyed when Boston mayor James Michael Curley declared that Fitzgerald's Protestant opponent was anti-Irish. Results Democratic primary http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=619534 Our Campaigns - MA US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 16, 1930 Democratic Party (US) Marcus A. Coolidge 81,451 40.71% Democratic Party (US) Joseph F. O'Connell 54,829 27.41% Democratic Party (US) Thomas C. O'Brien 45,272 22.63% Democratic Party (US) Eugene Foss 12,824 6.41% Democratic Party (US) Peter J. Joyce 5,680 2.84% 200,056 100.00% General election Candidates William M. Butler, former interim U.S. senator (Republican) Marcus A. Coolidge, former mayor of Fitchburg (Democratic) Oscar Kinsalas, candidate for secretary of the commonwealth in 1928 (Socialist Workers) Max Lerner, candidate for Massachusetts attorney general in 1928 (Communist) Sylvester J. McBride, perennial candidate (Socialist) Results General election http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=230423 Our Campaigns - MA US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1930 Democratic Party (US) Marcus A. Coolidge 651,939 54.01% 5.40 Republican Party (US) William M. Butler 539,226 44.67% 5.59 Socialist Party of America Sylvester J. McBride 7,244 0.60% N/A Socialist Labor Party of America Oscar Kinsalas 4,640 0.38% N/A Communist Party USA Max Lerner 3,962 0.34% 0.80 1,207,011 100.00% See also 1930 United States Senate elections References Massachusetts 1930 Category:1930 Massachusetts elections