1950 South Dakota gubernatorial election
The 1950 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1950. Incumbent Republican Governor George T. Mickelson was unable to seek re-election to a third term due to newly imposed term limits.[1] Accordingly, a competitive race to replace him ensued. Attorney General Sigurd Anderson won a slim plurality in the Republican primary, barely exceeding 35% and narrowly avoiding having the Republican nomination sent to the state party convention.[2] In the general election, Anderson faced State Representative Joe Robbie. Anderson easily defeated Robbie, winning his first term with 61% of the vote to Robbie's 39%.
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 County results Anderson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Tie: 50–60% Robbie: 50–60% 60–70% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in South Dakota |
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Democratic primary
State Representative Joe Robbie, who represented Davison County in the State House,[3] was the only Democrat to file for the gubernatorial race, winning the nomination by default and removing the race from the primary election ballot.[4]
Republican primary
Candidates
- Sigurd Anderson, Attorney General of South Dakota
- Joe Foss, World War II flying ace
- Boyd Leedom, attorney[5]
- Charles J. Dalthorp, State Finance Director[6][7]
- Irwin R. Erickson, former Assistant Attorney General of South Dakota[7]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sigurd Anderson | 35,609 | 35.34% | |
| Republican | Joe Foss | 33,257 | 33.01% | |
| Republican | Boyd Leedom | 20,059 | 19.91% | |
| Republican | Charles J. Dalthorp | 8,345 | 8.28% | |
| Republican | Irwin R. Erickson | 3,481 | 3.46% | |
| Total votes | 100,751 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sigurd Anderson | 154,254 | 60.89% | -0.19% | |
| Democratic | Joe Robbie | 99,062 | 39.11% | +0.19% | |
| Majority | 55,192 | 21.78% | -0.38% | ||
| Turnout | 253,316 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
References
- "Joe Foss Is Up For Governor". Lead Daily Call. Lead, S.D. November 23, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- Milner, Harold S. (June 11, 1950). "Anderson Wins GOP Nomination: Attorney General Amasses 35.3319 Percent Of Vote". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, S.D. p. 1. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- "Joseph, Jr. Robbie". Historical Listing. South Dakota Legislature Legislative Research Council. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- "Four Top-Of-The-Ballot Contests Slated In South Dakota Primary". Lead Daily Call. Lead, S.D. May 7, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- "GOP Nominee Snarled by South Dakota's Vote". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. June 8, 1950. p. 9. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- "South Dakota's People, Its Farms and Other Resources Appraised by C. J. Dalthorp". Argus-Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. September 7, 1949. p. 10. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- "Expect Big Vote in S.D. Primary". Ames Daily Tribune. Ames, Iowa. June 6, 1950. p. 7. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- Nelson, Nelson; Heinrich, Chad W., eds. (2005). "Chapter 8: Elections". Legislative Manual: South Dakota, 2005. Pierre, S.D. p. 633.
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Bibliography
- Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.