Joseph Lyter Donaldson (April 10, 1891 – March 27, 1960) was the Democratic nominee for

Governor of Kentucky The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; sinc ...

in 1943. Donaldson, of

Carrollton, Kentucky Carrollton is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city in—and the county seat of—Carroll County, Kentucky, Carroll County, Kentucky, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Kentucky River, Kentucky rivers. The po ...

served as state highway commissioner. In the 1943 Democratic primary for governor Donaldson defeated Rodes K. Myers, the incumbent

Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky The lieutenant governor of Kentucky was created under the state's second constitution, which was ratified in 1799. The inaugural officeholder was Alexander Scott Bullitt, who took office in 1800 following his election to serve under James Garra ...

, and Ben Kilgore. Donaldson, however, proved to be a lackluster candidate in the general election. Although no Republican had won that office since the height of national Republican strength in 1927, before the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, Donaldson lost the general election to Republican Simeon S. Willis, 279,144 to 270,525, with 3,239 votes going to the Prohibition Party candidate.

References

1891 births 1960 deaths Kentucky Democrats People from Carrollton, Kentucky 20th-century Kentucky politicians {{Kentucky-politician-stub