The 1950 Elections in Wyoming
| Published date | 01 March 1951 |
| DOI | 10.1177/106591295100400114 |
| Author | Ralph M. Wade |
| Date | 01 March 1951 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
95
THE
1950
ELECTIONS
IN
WYOMING
RALPH
M.
WADE
University
of
Wyoming
Wyoming’s
pre-election
political
activity
started
early
in
1950.
Frank
Barrett,
Republican,
and
the
state’s
lone
representative
in
Congress
an-
nounced
in
January
that
he
would
be
a
candidate
for
governor.
He
defeated
three
other
aspirants
in
the
August
primary,
receiving
25,581
votes
to
their
combined
vote
of
12,160.
John
J.
McIntyre,
former
one-term
Democratic
congressman,
whom
Barrett
had
defeated
in
1942
and
again
in
1946,
won
the
Democratic
nomination
for
governor.
He
defeated
two
opposing
candidates
by
a
vote
of
14,478
to
their
combined
vote
of
13,590.
By
virtue
of
Frank
Barrett’s
candidacy
for
governor,
the
race
for
congressman
was
wide
open
from
the
first.
Three
Republican
candidates
vied
for
their
party’s
nomination.
William
Henry
Harrison,
descendant
of
two
former
United
States
Presidents,
received
14,859
votes
to
the
com-
bined
opposition
vote
of
19,700.
In
the
Democratic
primaries
John
B.
Clark
won
over
his
two
opponents
by
a
vote
of
18,198
to
8,096.
The
primary
vote
established
a
record.
The
Republicans
cast
37,770
votes
and
the
Democrats
28,170.
The
voting
followed
a
normal
pattern
with
more
Republican
than
Democratic
votes
being
cast.
However,
the
margin
of
the
Republican
votes
was
greater
than
usual.
Only
once
since
1932
have
the
Democrats
been
the
major
party
in
the
primaries.
The
campaign
preceding
the
general
election
was
highlighted
by
the
gubernatorial
race.
Since
both
candidates
had
served
in
Congress,
their
records
in
that
body
were
subjected
to
criticism.
Furthermore,
since
they
had
twice
previously
opposed
each
other,
the
campaign
exhibited
features
of
a
personal
feud.
The
principal
state
issue
in
the
race
was
injected
by
McIntyre,
who
advocated
a
severance
tax
on
oil.
Barrett,
after
con,
siderable
delay
and
apparent
reluctance,
voiced
his
opposition.
Mclntyre’s
plan
for
such
a
tax
was
unconstitutional,
he
said,
because
it
would
be
a
restraint
on
interstate
commerce.
Management
of
the
Fish
and
Game
Commission
and
pressure
politics
by
out-of-state
oil
corporations
were
also
debated.
On
the
need
for
a
juvenile
court
and
for
higher
old
age
pensions
both
candidates
agreed.
The
congressional
race
was
fought
largely
on
national
issues.
Harrison
stressed
the
Korean
conflict,
extravagance
and
waste
in
government,
and
communist
infiltration
into
government
positions;
and
deplored
increased
curbs
and
controls
on
the
individual.
Clark
blamed
the
Republican
party
for
obstruction,
and
said
the
real
issue
was
whether
the
people
wanted
a
progressive
or
a
reactionary
administration.
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