1938 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
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![]() County results Heil: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% La Follette: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 1938 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938.
Incumbent Progressive Governor Philip La Follette was defeated by Republican nominee Julius P. Heil.
Primary elections[]
Primary elections were held on September 20, 1938.
Democratic primary[]
Candidates[]
- Jerome F. Fox, former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- Robert Kirkland Henry, former Wisconsin State Treasurer
- Edward Ihlenfeldt, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for Secretary of State of Wisconsin in 1934
Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Robert Kirkland Henry | 64,363 | 51.15 | |
Democratic | Jerome F. Fox | 50,497 | 40.13 | |
Democratic | Edward Ihlenfeldt | 10,984 | 6.73 | |
Total votes | 125,844 | 100.00 |
Henry, former Democratic State Treasurer, stood for both the Democratic and Republican nominations as part of a coalition movement designed to defeat Philip La Follette and the Progressive Party. If he had won both nominations, he intended to decline the nomination of the party in whose primary he received fewest votes.[3][4]
Henry won the Democratic nomination but lost the Republican nomination to Julius P. Heil. On October 1, 1938, Henry withdrew from the election in favour of Heil.[5] On October 7, 1938, the Democratic state central committee met and nominated State Senator Harry W. Bolens to replace Henry on the Democratic ticket.[6][7]
Republican primary[]
Candidates[]
- Julius P. Heil, industrialist[4][8]
- Robert Kirkland Henry, former Wisconsin State Treasurer
- Clun L. Miller, insurance counsellor[9]
- James G. Peterson, farmer[10]
Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Julius P. Heil | 126,820 | 55.83 | |
Republican | Robert Kirkland Henry | 73,348 | 32.29 | |
Republican | James G. Peterson | 20,262 | 8.92 | |
Republican | Clun L. Miller | 6,729 | 2.96 | |
Total votes | 227,159 | 100.00 |
Progressive primary[]
Candidates[]
- Philip La Follette, incumbent Governor
- Glenn P. Turner, Socialist nominee for Attorney General of Wisconsin in 1930 and 1934
Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Progressive | Philip La Follette (incumbent) | 136,291 | 80.21 | |
Progressive | Glenn P. Turner | 33,631 | 19.79 | |
Total votes | 169,922 | 100.00 |
Union primary[]
Candidates[]
- Frank W. Smith
Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Union | Frank W. Smith | 2,553 | 100.00 | |
Total votes | 2,553 | 100.00 |
General election[]
Candidates[]
Major party candidates
- Harry W. Bolens, Democratic
- Julius P. Heil, Republican
- Philip La Follette, Progressive
Other candidates
- John Schleier, Jr., Independent Socialist Labor
- Frank W. Smith, Union
Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Julius P. Heil | 543,675 | 55.39% | ||
Progressive | Philip La Follette (incumbent) | 353,381 | 36.00% | ||
Democratic | Harry W. Bolens | 78,446 | 7.99% | ||
Union | Frank W. Smith | 4,564 | 0.47% | ||
Independent Socialist Labor | John Schleier, Jr. | 1,459 | 0.15% | ||
Scattering | 35 | 0.00% | |||
Majority | 190,294 | 19.39% | |||
Turnout | 981,560 | 100.00% | |||
Republican gain from Progressive | Swing |
References[]
- ^ a b c d Wisconsin Blue Book 1940, p. 536.
- ^ "WI Governor, 1938 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Oshkosh men are active at session of coalitionists". The Oshkosh Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. November 22, 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Primaries: Wisconsin Obstacle Race". Time. New York City: Time Inc. October 3, 1938. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Henry Withdraws In Favor Of Heil". La Crosse Tribune And Leader-Press. La Crosse, Wisconsin. October 2, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Democrats Favor Harry Bolens for Governor Battle". The Post-Crescent. Appleton, Wisconsin. October 4, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Dem Party Is Reinforced; In Contest Again". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. October 8, 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Democrats Intend To Replace Henry In November Race". The Post-Crescent. Appleton, Wisconsin. October 3, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Miller Has Engine". The Oshkosh Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. September 3, 1938. p. 7. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "'Beat LaFollette' battle cry rings". Marshfield News-Herald. Marshfield, Wisconsin. September 16, 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "WI Governor, 1938 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "WI Governor, 1938 - PRG Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 87.
- ^ "WI Governor, 1938". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ Wisconsin Blue Book 1940, p. 606.
Bibliography[]
- Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
- Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., eds. (1940). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1940. State of Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin gubernatorial elections
- 1938 United States gubernatorial elections
- 1938 Wisconsin elections
- November 1938 events