The Pittsburgh Press (May 20, 1944)
Governor Dewey leads in Oregon, 8–1
Senator Holman trails Wayne Morse
Portland, Oregon (UP) –
Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York took an overwhelming lead today over LtCdr. Harold E. Stassen and Governor John Bricker of Ohio in Republican presidential preference write-in votes cast in yesterday’s Oregon primary election.
Returns gave Mr. Dewey a lead of almost 8 to 1. The uninstructed 15-man Oregon delegation is not obligated to vote for the winner of the write-in campaign, but the results of the presidential preference balloting were expected to have a strong influence on the delegation at the Chicago convention.
Roosevelt unopposed
President Roosevelt was unopposed in the Democratic preference primary.
Local interest centered on two close contests for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, where outlying results may decide the issues. Senator Guy Cordon, interim appointee replacing the late Senator Charles L. McNary, stayed slightly ahead of ex-Governor Charles A. Sprague for the Republican nomination.
Wayne Morse, former law school dean who resigned from the National War Labor Board to oppose Senator Rufus Holman (wealthy Republican manufacturer), held a narrow lead throughout the night’s tabulating. It was Mr. Morse’s first political race, while Mr. Holman is a veteran campaigner.
Edgar Smith, member of the State Board of Education, easily won the Democratic nomination for the Democratic nomination for the long-term Senate seat from Walter W. Whitbeck, while Willis Mahoney was unopposed for the Democratic nomination for the short term.
Returns from 829 out of 1,828 precincts gave for the GOP presidential write-in race:
| Dewey | 14,032 |
| Stassen | 1,867 |
| Bricker | 979 |
Returns from 1,029 precincts gave for Senator:
| Short term | |
|---|---|
| Henry Black (R) | 3,270 |
| Cordon (R) | 33,883 |
| John McBride (R) | 2,152 |
| Sprague (R) | 29,166 |
| Mahoney (D) | 9,031 |
| Long term | |
|---|---|
| Earl Fisher (R) | 4,456 |
| Holman (R) | 29,733 |
| Morse (R) | 33,048 |
| Smith (D) | 19,523 |
| Whitbeck (D) | 7,384 |
Congressmen renominated
Republican voters renominated all four o the state’s GOP Congressmen with James Mott of Salem the only one with a contest. He led Dan Harmon of Newberg, 2 to 1. The only Democratic Congressional contest found Lester Sheely of Portland holding a slight lead over L. N. Granoff.
The withdrawal of Wendell Willkie from the presidential race did not deter National Republican Committeeman Ralph Cake from being reelected. His opponent, Charles Paine of Eugene, based his campaign on Mr. Cake’s managing of the Willkie campaign.
Alabama group to back Dewey
Birmingham, Alabama (UP) –
Seven delegates instructed to support Thomas E. Dewey and seven others uninstructed but reported to favor the New York Governor were selected yesterday at the state Republican convention to cast Alabama’s 14 votes at the national convention in Chicago.