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The 1938 Arizona gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1938. Incumbent Governor Rawghlie Clement Stanford declined to run for reelection, with pharmacy and cattle ranch owner Robert Taylor Jones winning the Democratic nomination to succeed Stanford.

Robert Taylor Jones defeated Jerrie W. Lee in the general election, and was sworn into his first and only term as Governor on January 2, 1939, becoming Arizona's sixth Governor.

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary took place on September 13, 1938. Incumbent Governor Rawghlie Clement Stanford, who had served only one term, declined to run for reelection amidst the Great Depression. Pharmacy and cattle ranch owner Robert Taylor Jones, Secretary of State James H. Kerby, former Secretary of State Sidney P. Osborn, Mayor Andrew Jackson Bettwy, and C. M. Zander ran to replace Stanford.[1]

After losing the Democratic primary, James Kerby ran as an Independent Democrat in the general election, but received only token support, in the single digits.

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Taylor Jones 38,543 34.20%
Democratic James H. Kerby 35,867 31.83%
Democratic Sidney P. Osborn 34,307 30.44%
Democratic Andrew Jackson Bettwy 3,584 3.18%
Democratic C. M. Zander 389 0.35%
Total votes 112,690 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Jerrie W. Lee, secretary of the Arizona Wool Growers Association

General election

Arizona gubernatorial election, 1938[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Robert Taylor Jones 80,350 68.57% −2.11%
Republican Jerrie W. Lee 32,022 27.33% −1.79%
Independent Democrat James H. Kerby 4,814 4.11% +4.11%
Majority 48,328 41.24%
Total votes 117,184 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing -0.33%

Results by county

County Robert Taylor Jones
Democratic
Jerrie W. Lee
Republican
James H. Kerby
Independent Democratic
Margin Total votes cast[3]
# % # % # % # %
Apache 2,144 81.96% 405 15.48% 67 2.56% 1,739 66.48% 2,616
Cochise 7,457 75.23% 1,954 19.71% 501 5.05% 5,503 55.52% 9,912
Coconino 2,851 72.97% 952 24.37% 104 2.66% 1,899 48.61% 3,907
Gila 4,912 70.41% 1,722 24.68% 342 4.90% 3,190 45.73% 6,976
Graham 3,212 76.39% 827 19.67% 166 3.95% 2,385 56.72% 4,205
Greenlee 1,743 84.37% 176 8.52% 147 7.12% 1,567 75.85% 2,066
Maricopa 27,007 60.76% 15,296 34.41% 2,144 4.82% 11,711 26.35% 44,447
Mohave 1,776 78.13% 389 17.11% 108 4.75% 1,387 61.02% 2,273
Navajo 2,986 73.82% 932 23.04% 127 3.14% 2,054 50.78% 4,045
Pima 11,557 71.03% 4,354 26.76% 360 2.21% 7,203 44.27% 16,271
Pinal 3,549 71.60% 1,272 25.66% 136 2.74% 2,277 45.94% 4,957
Santa Cruz 1,687 73.99% 555 24.34% 38 1.67% 1,132 49.65% 2,280
Yavapai 5,845 66.77% 2,563 29.28% 346 3.95% 3,282 37.49% 8,754
Yuma 3,624 80.95% 625 13.96% 228 5.09% 2,999 66.99% 4,477
Totals 80,350 68.57% 32,022 27.33% 4,814 4.11% 48,328 41.24% 117,186

References

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