1946 New York gubernatorial election


The 1946 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1946, to elect the Governor of New York. Incumbent Republican governor Thomas E. Dewey was re-elected to a second term in office, defeating U.S. Senator James M. Mead.

Republican nomination

Candidates

Results

Dewey was nominated for re-election to a second term at the state convention met on September 4 at Saratoga Springs.

American Labor nomination

Candidates

Results

At the American Labor state convention, held at the Hotel New Yorker on September 3, the party cross-endorsed Mead and a slate of candidates whom they intended to replace with the Democratic ticket once named. Although the party union nearly broke down when it was learned that the Democrats intended to endorse a Liberal Party candidate for judge in Brooklyn, the strife did not implicate Mead, who was nominated outright.

Democratic nomination

Candidates

Campaign

U.S. Senator James M. Mead, who had contested the nomination in 1942 but lost to John J. Bennett Jr. at the state convention, was an early candidate for the nomination. By December 1945, he had secured the support of most upstate county chairs, who had supported Bennett in 1942. Nevertheless, James A. Farley, who had led the opposition to Mead's nomination in 1942, and state chairman Paul E. Fitzgerald remained opposed. Farley reiterated his opposition in April, harshly criticizing Mead as guilty of "plain, unadulterated deceit" and lacking "the stability and forthrightness to be Governor". He declared Mead was "afraid of the job and his fear was warranted" and would be a "terrible Governor" and easily defeated by Dewey.

Results

At the Democratic state convention on September 4 in Albany, the party nominated U.S. Senator James M. Mead for governor. Mead was put into nomination by Robert F. Wagner Jr., who read a speech from his father, Mead's Senate colleague Robert F. Wagner. Mead accepted the unanimous nomination in a speech pledging a return to the policies of Al Smith, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Herbert H. Lehman. Mead also pledged to reject support from "any fascist, any communist and any member or friend of the Ku Klux Klan".

Liberal nomination

Candidates

Results

The Liberal Party filed a ticket of candidates by petition in September 2. Mead, as the anticipated Democratic nominee, was nominated.

General election

Candidates

The Industrial Government, Socialist and Socialist Workers tickets were not allowed on the ballot because of "defective nominating petitions." The Court of Appeals upheld the decisions of the lower courts.