1938 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

The 1938 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election occurred on November 8, 1938. Incumbent Democratic governor George Howard Earle III was not a candidate for re-election. Republican candidate Arthur James defeated Democratic candidate Charles Alvin Jones to become Governor of Pennsylvania. Gifford Pinchot unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination, while Thomas Kennedy unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination.

1938 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

November 8, 1938 (1938-11-08)

Nominee Arthur James Charles Alvin Jones Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,035,340 1,756,192 Percentage 53.39% 46.07%

County results James:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Jones:      50–60%

Governor before election George Earle Democratic Elected Governor Arthur James Republican

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Charles Alvin Jones, lawyer from Perry County
• Thomas Kennedy, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
• Charles J. Margiotti, incumbent Attorney General of Pennsylvania

Results

Democratic primary results

  Jones

•   40%-50%
•   50%-60%
•   60%-70%
•   70%-80%
•   80%-90%
•   90%-100%

  Kennedy

•   40%-50%
•   50%-60%
•   60%-70%

  Margiotti

•   40%-50%

Pennsylvania gubernatorial Democratic primary election, 1938

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Charles Alvin Jones	591,546	46.15
	Democratic	Thomas Kennedy	517,101	40.35
	Democratic	Charles J. Margiotti	173,047	13.50
Total votes			1,281,694	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Arthur James, former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania (1927–1931)
• James M. Jones
• Gifford Pinchot, former head of the United States Forest Service and Governor of Pennsylvania (1923–1927, 1931–1935)
• Frank F. B. Thompson

Results

Republican primary results

  James

•   50%-60%
•   60%-70%
•   70%-80%
•   80%-90%

  Pinchot

•   40%-50%
•   50%-60%
•   60%-70%
•   70%-80%
•   80%-90%

Pennsylvania gubernatorial Republican primary election, 1938

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Arthur James	937,592	65.61
	Republican	Gifford Pinchot	450,595	31.53
	Republican	James M. Jones	29,269	2.05
	Republican	Frank F. B. Thompson	11,591	0.81
Total votes			1,429,047	100.00

Results

Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1938

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Arthur James	2,035,340	53.39
	Democratic	Charles Alvin Jones	1,756,192	46.07
	Socialist	Jesse H. Holmes	12,635	0.33
	Prohibition	Robert G. Burnham	6,438	0.17
	Communist	Ella Reeve Bloor Omholt	1,273	0.03
	N/A	Others	89	0.00
Totals			3,811,967	100.00%