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 County results Muskie: 50–60% 60–70% Cross: 50-60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1954 Maine gubernatorial election took place on September 13, 1954. IncumbentRepublicanGovernorBurton M. Cross was seeking a second term which would have made him the fifth consecutive Governor (all Republicans) to be elected twice.Democraticstate representativeEdmund Muskie was widely viewed as the underdog due to Maine's solidly Republican history — Muskie acknowledged this himself by saying, "[this is] more as a duty than an opportunity because there was no chance of a Democrat winning."[1] However, Muskie was able to pull an upset victory and become the first Democrat to be elected to theBlaine House sinceLouis J. Brann in1934, and only the fourth Democrat in the 20th century. He also became Maine's firstRoman Catholic governor.[2] Both Cross and Muskie were unopposed in their respective primaries.
Muskie ran on aparty platform of environmentalism and public investment. His environmental platform argued for the establishment of the Maine Department of Conservation to "have jurisdiction of forestry, inland fish and game, sea and shorefisheries, mineral, water, and othernatural resources" and the creation ofanti-pollution legislation.[3] He stressed the need for "a two-party" approach to Maine politics with resonated with both Democratic and Republican voters wishing to see change. Muskie's centralcampaign slogan was "Maine Needs A Change" referencing the multi-year Republican dominance of state politics.[4] He criticized the Republican Party for neglecting the environment, failing to restart the economy, underutilizing skilled labor forces, and ignoring public investment.[5]
Muskie's surprise win has been viewed as a causal link to the end of Republican political dominance in Maine and the rise of theMaine Democratic Party.[6][7][8] After his win, he was asked by other Democrats running in elections outside of Maine to make a series of campaign stops.[9]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Edmund Muskie | 135,673 | 54.49% | − | |
| Republican | Burton M. Cross (Incumbent) | 113,298 | 45.51% | − | |
| Majority | 22,375 | 8.99% | |||
... a man many deemed to be the single-most influential figure in Maine
... a man many deemed to be the single-most influential figure in Maine
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