The Pittsburgh Press (August 4, 1944)
New Dealers win in Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee (UP) –
The administration’s handpicked candidates for Tennessee’s top political job were returned to office by apathetic voters in Thursday’s dual primary election, latest returns from the predominantly Democratic state showed today.
The balloting was the lightest in more than a decade.
Jim Nance McCord, Democratic candidate for governor, led the parade with more than 50,000 votes over the combined totals of two rivals, while, in the highlight race of the ticket, Rep. Albert Gore of Carthage easily won the Democratic nomination for 4th district representative in Congress.
Reports from 1,308 of the state’s 2,000 precincts gave Mr. McCord, a former Lewisburg publisher, a 68,757-vote count, compared to 4,398 for Dr. John R. Neal of Knoxville and 3,150 for W. Rex Manning of Nashville.
John W. Kilgo of Greenville, seeking the Republican nomination for governor, led his party with 10,107 votes, followed by W. O. Lowe of Knoxville, with 3,501, and H. C. Lowry of Knoxville, 1,010.
John Hammer of McMinnville was unopposed in the race for Tennessee Railroad and Public Utilities Commissioner following the withdrawal of Nashville attorney Bradley Walker and E. W. Cazmack of Murfreesboro.
County Judge Harold H. Earthman polled 9,923 votes in the 5th Congressional Democratic contest, to lead Dr. T. R. Ray of Shelbyville, who received 6,004.