televised, made the portly Dever look bad. Also that year, the Dever administration came under fire when the Massachusetts Federation of Taxpayers Associations found that pensions for members and former members of the state legislature had been increased. One of those eligible was former Mayor of Boston and Governor James Michael Curley, a convicted felon. Dever gave in to pressure groups, calling a special session of the legislature that repealed the bill. Dever had built a strong political machine in Massachusetts, and was widely considered a potential candidate for the United States Senate in 1952, which was also sought by John F. Kennedy. After informing Kennedy that he was interested in running again for governor, the two established a joint campaign committee. Kennedy maintained a distance from Dever and his campaign, and was able to capture the Senate seat in the election, which was otherwise a major victory for Republicans. Republican Christian Herter defeated Dever in a narrow win, assisted by the long coattails of Presidential winner Dwight David Eisenhower, and discontent among the state's ethnic Democrats for Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic presidential nominee. After Dever's death, associates of his alleged that the publisher of the Boston Post pressured Dever to arrange a loan in exchange for the newspaper's endorsement. Death and burial After leaving office Dever returned to practicing law. He attempted to remain active in politics, supporting Stevenson in the 1956 presidential race, even though most state party leaders did not believe Stevenson's chances against Eisenhower were any better than they had been in 1952. Dever was a lifelong bachelor, who lived for many years in Cambridge with his sister Marie. She served as his First Lady during his tenure as governor. He suffered from heart disease in his later years, and died of a heart attack on April 11, 1958. He was buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in the West Roxbury section of Boston. Notes Sources External links |- |- |- |- 1903 births 1958 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War II Boston University School of Law alumni Burials at St. Joseph Cemetery (West Roxbury, Massachusetts) Democratic Party governors of Massachusetts Massachusetts Attorneys General Democratic Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Politicians from Boston United States Navy officers Candidates in the 1952 United States presidential election 20th-century American politicians