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1954 Arizona gubernatorial election

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1954 Arizona gubernatorial election

← 1952 November 2, 1954 1956 →
 
Nominee Ernest McFarland John Howard Pyle
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 128,104 115,866
Percentage 52.5% 47.5%

County results
McFarland:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Pyle:      50–60%

Governor before election

John Howard Pyle
Republican

Elected Governor

Ernest McFarland
Democratic

The 1954 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1954. Incumbent Governor John Howard Pyle, the first Republican elected to the office in two decades, ran for reelection for a third term.

Former U.S. Senator Ernest McFarland defeated Governor John Howard Pyle by a narrow margin. McFarland had lost his bid for reelection to the United States Senate to Barry Goldwater in 1952, with McFarland subsequently deciding to run for the office of governor.

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Howard Pyle (incumbent) 29,916 100.00%
Total votes 29,916 100.00%

Democratic primary

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The Democratic primary took place on September 7, 1954. Due to the Republican Party tidal wave led by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952, incumbent U.S. Senator Ernest McFarland lost his bid for reelection to the United States Senate to Barry Goldwater. He subsequently decided to run for the office of Governor of Arizona and challenge incumbent Republican Governor John Howard Pyle, the first Republican to hold the office for more than two decades. McFarland was challenged in the primary by State Senator William F. Kimball, but McFarland easily won.

Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ernest W. McFarland 89,190 74.24%
Democratic William F. Kimball 30,954 25.76%
Total votes 120,144 100.00%

General election

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Results

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Arizona gubernatorial election, 1954[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ernest W. McFarland 128,104 52.51% +12.67%
Republican John Howard Pyle (incumbent) 115,866 47.49% −12.67%
Majority 12,238 5.02%
Total votes 243,970 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing +25.34%

Results by county

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County Ernest W. McFarland
Democratic
John Howard Pyle
Republican
Margin Total votes
cast[2]
# % # % # %
Apache 1,457 57.98% 1,056 42.02% 401 15.96% 2,513
Cochise 6,331 58.53% 4,486 41.47% 1,845 17.06% 10,817
Coconino 2,631 50.71% 2,557 49.29% 74 1.43% 5,188
Gila 5,672 67.48% 2,734 32.52% 2,938 34.95% 8,406
Graham 2,321 58.26% 1,663 41.74% 658 16.52% 3,984
Greenlee 3,260 75.96% 1,032 24.04% 2,228 51.91% 4,292
Maricopa 60,728 49.83% 61,139 50.17% -411 -0.34% 121,867
Mohave 1,367 60.59% 889 39.41% 478 21.19% 2,256
Navajo 2,930 54.90% 2,407 45.10% 523 9.80% 5,337
Pima 23,881 49.57% 24,296 50.43% -415 -0.86% 48,177
Pinal 5,862 60.40% 3,843 39.60% 2,019 20.80% 9,705
Santa Cruz 1,507 51.17% 1,438 48.83% 69 2.34% 2,945
Yavapai 4,558 49.66% 4,621 50.34% -63 -0.69% 9,179
Yuma 5,599 60.18% 3,705 39.82% 1,894 20.36% 9,304
Totals 128,104 52.51% 115,866 47.49% 12,238 5.02% 243,970

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Official Canvass Primary Election - September 7, 1954". Arizona Secretary of State. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Official Canvass General Election - November 2, 1954". Arizona Secretary of State. Retrieved July 13, 2024.