William Alexander Gaston (May 1, 1859 – July 17, 1927) was an American lawyer, banker, and politician who was the Democratic Party nominee for Governor of Massachusetts in 1902, 1903, and 1926 and the United States Senate in 1905 and 1922.

Outside of politics, Gaston served as president of the Boston Elevated Railway and National Shawmut Bank.

Gaston resided in Boston, had a summer home on the Fox Islands in North Haven, and owned a 1,500 acre farm in Barre, Massachusetts, where he kept his champion cows.

[8] In 1901, Gaston was mentioned by Democratic party chairman William S. McNary as a possible candidate for Governor of Massachusetts.

[10] Quincy was defeated by Republican Winthrop M. Crane and chose not to run in 1902, which made Gaston and Charles Sumner Hamlin the frontrunners for the nomination.

[13] Gaston was elected as an at-large delegate to the 1904 Democratic National Convention as part of a slate of candidates that supported Richard Olney.

[15] Olney refused to run for president and at the 1904 convention, Gaston and the Massachusetts delegation backed Alton B. Parker and a platform that supported the gold standard.

[18] During the 1912 United States Presidential Election, Gaston helped raise money for Woodrow Wilson's campaign.

Following Wilson's election, Gaston's friends pushed for his appointment as United States Secretary of the Navy, a position that traditionally went to a man from New England.

[21] However, Gaston was defeated in the primary election by Richard H. Long 39% to 34% (former Lieutenant Governor Edward P. Barry received the remaining 27%).

[23] On April 8, 1922, Gaston announced that he was running in that year's election United States Senate seat held by Republican Henry Cabot Lodge.