1938 Minnesota gubernatorial election

The 1938 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1938. Republican Party of Minnesota candidate Harold Stassen defeated Farmer–Labor Party incumbent Elmer Benson. Martin A. Nelson and George E. Leach unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination, while Hjalmar Petersen unsuccessfully ran for the Farmer-Labor nomination.

1938 Minnesota gubernatorial election

November 8, 1938
 
Nominee Harold Stassen Elmer Benson Thomas F. Gallagher
Party Republican Farmer–Labor Democratic
Popular vote 678,839 387,263 65,875
Percentage 59.92% 34.18% 5.81%

County results
Stassen:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%
Benson      40-50%      50-60%

Governor before election

Elmer Benson
Farmer–Labor

Elected Governor

Harold Stassen
Republican

Results

1938 Gubernatorial Election, Minnesota
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Harold Stassen 678,839 59.92% +21.37%
Farmer–Labor Elmer Benson (incumbent) 387,263 34.18% -26.55%
Democratic Thomas F. Gallagher 65,875 5.81% n/a
Industrial John William Castle 899 0.08% -0.63%
Majority 291,576 25.74%
Turnout 1,132,876
Republican gain from Farmer–Labor Swing

Further reading

  • Benson, Elmer A. "Politics in My Lifetime." Minnesota History 47 (1980): 154–60. online
  • Haynes, John Earl. Dubious alliance: the making of Minnesota's DFL Party (U of Minnesota Press, 1984)
  • Kirby, Ales, David G. Dalin and John F. Rothmann. Harold E. Stassen: The Life and Perennial Candidacy of the Progressive Republican (2012)
  • Lovin, Hugh T. "The Fall of Farmer–Labor Parties, 1936-1938." Pacific Northwest Quarterly (1971): 16–26. in JSTOR
  • Sofchalk, Donald G. "Union and Ethnic Group Influence in the 1938 Election on the Minnesota Iron Ranges." Journal of the West (2003) 42#3 pp: 66–74.

See also


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