1879 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

* * *

| <- 1878 | November 4, 1879 (1879-11-04) | 1880 ->

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Nominee  | John Davis Long | Benjamin Butler |
Party  | Republican | Democratic
Popular vote  | 122,751 | 109,149
Percentage  | 50.4% | 44.8%

* * *

County results
Long:  40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Butler:  50–60%

* * *

| Governor before election

Thomas Talbot
Republican

| Elected Governor

John Davis Long
Republican

|

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Ballot measures

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* 2002: English Language Education in Public Schools

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Massachusetts portal

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The 1879 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 4.

## Republican nomination

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

* John Davis Long, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
* Henry L. Pierce, former Mayor of Boston and U.S. Representative

#### Declined

[edit]

* Thomas Talbot, incumbent Governor

### Campaign

[edit]

On June 20, Governor Talbot announced that he wished to retire at the end of his term and would decline the Republican nomination if offered. He formally withdrew on August 20.[1][2]

Following Talbot's withdrawal, the field was divided between Lieutenant Governor John Davis Long and former Mayor of Boston Henry L. Pierce, with Pierce stronger in the cities.[2]

Long (or his supporters) felt he was guaranteed the nomination by agreement, having stepped aside for Talbot in 1878. However, this agreement quickly made way for the necessity of defeating Benjamin Butler, whom Republicans decried as a demagogue and communist. Supporters of Henry L. Pierce entered his name into consideration soon after Talbot's withdrawal in hopes that Long supporters would again concede to a stronger candidate, but they did not. Long and Pierce agreed on many issues, so the electability issue decided the campaign. Pierce's supporters argued that he would better appeal to liberals, independents, and Democrats, while Long had to rely on Stalwarts and prohibitionists. Though Long conceded to be as liberal as Pierce, Pierce supporters argued that his brief public record was insufficient to appeal to swing constituencies.[3]

### Convention

[edit]

1879 Massachusetts Republican Convention[4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

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| Republican | John Davis Long | 669  | 56.9%
| Republican | Henry L. Pierce | 505  | 43.0%
| Republican | Charles Devens | 1  | 0.1%
Total votes  | 1,175  | 100%

Long formally accepted the nomination at a ratification meeting on September 26. Pierce sent a letter endorsing Long.[5]

## General election

[edit]

### Results

[edit]

* John Quincy Adams II, former State Representative from Quincy and nominee for Governor (1867–71) (Democratic)
* Benjamin Butler, former U.S. Representative from Lowell (Greenback and Democratic)
* D.C. Eddy (Prohibition)
* John Davis Long, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts (Republican)

1879 Massachusetts gubernatorial election[6][7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
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| Republican | John Davis Long | 122,751  | 50.4%  |
| Democratic | Benjamin Butler | 109,149  | 44.8%  |
| Independent Democrat | John Quincy Adams II | 9,989  | 4.1%  |
| Prohibition | D.C. Eddy  | 1,645  | 0.7%  |
| Others  | Others  | 108  | nil  |
| Republican hold | Swing |  |

## See also

[edit]

* 1879 Massachusetts legislature

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Massachusetts Governorship". The New York Times. June 20, 1879. p. 1. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
2. ^ a b "The Massachusetts Canvass". The New York Times. August 20, 1879. p. 1. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
3. ^ "The Republicans in Massachusetts". The New York Times. September 16, 1879. p. 4. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
4. ^ "Stalwart Republicanism: The Nominations". The New York Times. September 17, 1879. p. 2. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
5. ^ "Massachusetts Republicans". September 27, 1879. p. 5.
6. ^ "1879 Massachusetts governor results".
7. ^ Manual for the Use of the General Court, 1880. Boston, MA: Rand, Avery, & Co., Printers to the Commonwealth. 1880.

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State elections in Massachusetts

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