1946 Tennessee gubernatorial election
November 5, 1946
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County results McCord: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Lowe: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Tennessee |
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| Government |
The 1946 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1946. Incumbent Democratic governor Jim Nance McCord defeated Republican nominee William O. Lowe with 65.4% of the vote.
In the primary campaign, McCord faced a primary challenge from former governor Gordon Browning (who was in Germany and did not actively campaign).[1] The 1946 primary was marred by an uprising known as the "Battle of Athens," which erupted when several hundred ex-World War II veterans launched an armed assault on the jail in Athens, Tennessee, where the sheriff and several Crump-linked figures had retreated with ballot boxes, presumably to fix local elections. McCord dispatched the state guard to restore order.[2]
McCord comfortably defeated Browning, winning the primary with 59.8% of the vote.
Primary elections
Primary elections were held on August 1, 1946.[3]
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Jim Nance McCord, incumbent governor
- Gordon Browning, former governor
- John Randolph Neal Jr., attorney
- Leah Richardson
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim Nance McCord (incumbent) | 187,119 | 59.82% | |
| Democratic | Gordon Browning | 120,535 | 38.53% | |
| Democratic | John Randolph Neal Jr. | 2,902 | 0.93% | |
| Democratic | Leah Richardson | 2,249 | 0.72% | |
| Total votes | 312,805 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- Jim Nance McCord, Democratic
- William O. Lowe, Republican[4]
Other candidates
- John Randolph Neal Jr., Independent
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim Nance McCord (incumbent) | 149,937 | 65.35% | ||
| Republican | William O. Lowe | 73,222 | 31.91% | ||
| Independent | John Randolph Neal Jr. | 6,296 | 2.74% | ||
| Majority | 76,715 | ||||
| Turnout | 229,456 | ||||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
References
- ^ Phillip Langsdon, Tennessee: A Political History (Franklin, Tenn.: Hillsboro Press, 2000), pp. 336-343.
- ^ Jennifer Brooks, "Battle of Athens," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2009. Retrieved: 17 December 2012.
- ^ a b Guide to U.S. elections - CQ Press, Congressional Quarterly, inc. CQ Press. 2005. ISBN 9781568029818. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "W. O. 'Chink' Lowe Dies Of Heart Seizure". The Knoxville Journal. Knoxville, Tennessee. March 13, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved May 11, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Cook, Rhodes (October 26, 2017). America Votes 32: 2015-2016, Election Returns by State - Rhodes Cook. ISBN 9781506368993. Retrieved April 13, 2020.