The1958 Maine gubernatorial election took place on September 8, 1958. IncumbentDemocraticGovernorEdmund Muskie was term limited and seeking election to theUnited States Senate, and thus did not run.DemocratClinton Clauson, then mayor ofWaterville, unexpectedly defeated Muskie's chosen Democratic candidate in the primary, Maynard Dolloff, and faced off against the popular previous two termRepublican governor,Horace Hildreth, in the general election. Though Hildreth was the heavy favorite to win, Clauson was able to narrowly defeat him, retaining theBlaine House for the Democrats.
The election was also the last time that Maine would hold its election in September. Traditionally, Maine had held its elections two months before the rest of the nation, which had help give birth to the phrase "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" and its status as abellwether state. However, following a 1957 referendum, thestate constitution was amended to hold all elections after 1958 in November and shift from two-year to four-year terms. Thus, Clauson became the first Governor elected to a four-year term, with the next election being scheduled forNovember 1962. However, Clauson died in December of 1959, forcing aspecial election to be held in 1960 to elect a governor to serve the balance of Clauson's term.
