1934 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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1934 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
← 1932 November 6, 1934 1936 →
 
Nominee Philip La Follette Albert G. Schmedeman Howard T. Greene
Party Progressive Democratic Republican
Popular vote 373,093 359,467 172,980
Percentage 39.12% 37.69% 18.14%
County results
La Follette:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Schmedeman:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%
Greene:      30–40%      40–50%
Governor before election

Albert G. Schmedeman
Democratic

Elected Governor

Philip La Follette
Progressive

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The 1934 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1934. Primary elections were held on September 18, 1934. Incumbent Democratic Governor Albert G. Schmedeman was defeated by Progressive nominee Philip La Follette.

As of 2022, this is the last time Green Lake County has voted for the Democratic nominee for governor. This is also the only gubernatorial election in which Waushara County did not vote for the Republican candidate.[a]

Background

With the onset of the Great Depression, Wisconsin's Republican factionalism had reached a breaking point, as Stalwarts and Progressives had grown increasingly estranged due to a growingly divergent outlook on the world. In 1928 the stalwarts had won the primary and nominated wealthy business leader Walter Kohler over Joseph Beck, defeating Madison mayor Albert Schmedemann. Two years later progressive scion Philip La Follette became governor, once again reasserting control of the party on the part of progressives. Despite taking several actions to curb the economic crisis, La Follette was unable to effectively articulate the achievements of his administration to primary voters, and with the factor of being outspent by the wealthy Kohler, went down in defeat in the primary, as Stalwarts once again retook control of the party. This time, in 1932, the Republicans went down in defeat against Schmedemann, who was propelled to victory by the election of New York governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

With this defeat, La Follette returned to his private life, but various factions within and beyond the Republican party began stirring for the formation of a new third party. This third party eventually culminated in the founding of the Wisconsin Progressive Party in 1934. After successfully suing the Secretary of State, La Follette and his supporters were able to hold a third party primary, and run under that label in the general election. Despite this, La Follette held reservations about running on the same ticket as his brother, Robert La Follette Jr., as he feared voters would reject "too much La Follette." In spite of this concern, he eventually threw his hat into the ring with tacit support from the Roosevelt administration.

Primary election

Democratic party

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[2][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Albert G. Schmedeman (inc.) 166,001 74.72%
Democratic William B. Rubin 41,985 18.90%
Democratic Richard F. Lehmann 14,189 6.39%
Total votes 222,175 100.00%

Republican party

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results[2][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Howard T. Greene 84,020 56.45%
Republican Fred R. Zimmerman 53,734 36.10%
Republican James N. Tittemore 11,084 7.45%
Total votes 148,838 100.00%

Progressive party

Candidates

Results

Progressive primary results[2][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Philip La Follette 154,454 95.36%
Progressive Henry O. Meisel 7,520 4.64%
Total votes 161,974 100.00%

Socialist party

Candidates

Results

Socialist primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Socialist George A. Nelson 28,877 100.00%
Total votes 28,877 100.00%

Other party nominations

The Communist, Prohibition and Socialist Labor parties were forced to run candidates as independents, as they were not recognized as legal parties due to failing to poll the required number of votes in past primary elections.[12]

General election

Results

1934 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Philip La Follette 373,093 39.12%
Democratic Albert G. Schmedeman (incumbent) 359,467 37.69% −14.79%
Republican Howard T. Greene 172,980 18.14% −23.73%
Socialist George A. Nelson 44,589 4.68% −0.39%
Communist[b] Morris Childs 2,454 0.26% −0.02%
Prohibition[c] Thomas W. North 857 0.09% −0.19%
Socialist Labor[d] Joseph Ehrhardt 332 0.03% +0.00%
Scattering[e] 25 0.00%
Majority 13,626 1.43%
Turnout 953,797 100.00%
Progressive gain from Democratic Swing

Results by county

This was the only election between 1892 and 1966 in which Marinette County voted for the Democratic candidate. After this election, Marquette County would not vote Democratic again until 2002 and Fond du Lac County and Winnebago County would not do the same until 1982.

County[13][14] Philip La Follette
Progressive 		Albert G. Schmedeman
Democratic 		Howard T. Greene
Republican 		George A. Nelson
Socialist 		All Others
Various 		Margin[f] Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # % # %
Adams 1,469 50.03% 924 31.47% 513 17.47% 28 0.95% 2 0.07% 545 18.56% 2,936
Ashland 3,906 50.70% 2,425 31.48% 1,077 13.98% 217 2.82% 79 1.03% 1,481 19.22% 7,704
Barron 5,517 53.18% 2,364 22.79% 1,755 16.92% 676 6.52% 63 0.61% 3,153 30.39% 10,375
Bayfield 3,213 56.22% 1,217 21.29% 998 17.46% 175 3.06% 112 1.96% 1,996 34.93% 5,715
Brown 8,144 37.12% 11,004 50.15% 2,336 10.65% 447 2.04% 10 0.05% -2,860 -13.03% 21,941
Buffalo 2,592 55.65% 1,035 22.22% 918 19.71% 111 2.38% 2 0.04% 1,557 33.43% 4,658
Burnett 1,938 50.10% 1,147 29.65% 623 16.11% 133 3.44% 27 0.70% 791 20.45% 3,868
Calumet 2,204 39.57% 2,853 51.22% 475 8.53% 35 0.63% 3 0.05% -649 -11.65% 5,570
Chippewa 3,922 37.89% 3,443 33.27% 2,797 27.02% 171 1.65% 17 0.16% 479 4.63% 10,350
Clark 5,816 53.69% 3,270 30.19% 1,445 13.34% 207 1.91% 94 0.87% 2,546 23.50% 10,832
Columbia 5,354 40.65% 4,199 31.88% 3,553 26.98% 60 0.46% 5 0.04% 1,155 8.77% 13,171
Crawford 2,185 35.18% 2,354 37.90% 1,657 26.68% 14 0.23% 1 0.02% -169 -2.72% 6,211
Dane 21,469 51.00% 10,188 24.20% 9,837 23.37% 491 1.17% 114 0.27% 11,281 26.80% 42,099
Dodge 7,378 41.28% 7,517 42.06% 2,599 14.54% 363 2.03% 14 0.08% -139 -0.78% 17,871
Door 2,807 44.92% 2,431 38.90% 978 15.65% 26 0.42% 7 0.11% 376 6.02% 6,249
Douglas 9,045 47.91% 6,254 33.12% 3,278 17.36% 162 0.86% 142 0.75% 2,791 14.78% 18,881
Dunn 3,797 43.41% 2,165 24.75% 2,383 27.25% 376 4.30% 25 0.29% 1,414[g] 16.17% 8,746
Eau Claire 4,957 38.45% 4,379 33.97% 3,381 26.23% 169 1.31% 5 0.04% 578 4.48% 12,891
Florence 645 38.17% 528 31.24% 417 24.67% 93 5.50% 7 0.41% 117 6.92% 1,690
Fond du Lac 7,315 36.22% 8,980 44.46% 3,734 18.49% 122 0.60% 47 0.23% -1,665 -8.24% 20,198
Forest 1,828 49.35% 1,411 38.09% 417 11.26% 36 0.97% 12 0.32% 417 11.26% 3,704
Grant 5,040 37.83% 3,734 28.03% 4,490 33.70% 35 0.26% 24 0.18% 550[g] 4.13% 13,323
Green 3,634 46.22% 1,730 22.00% 2,445 31.10% 27 0.34% 26 0.33% 1,189[g] 15.12% 7,862
Green Lake 1,259 22.71% 2,924 52.73% 1,334 24.06% 23 0.41% 5 0.09% -1,665 -30.03% 5,545
Iowa 3,515 46.80% 1,793 23.87% 2,148 28.60% 15 0.20% 39 0.52% 1,367[g] 18.20% 7,510
Iron 1,957 49.46% 1,491 37.68% 354 8.95% 14 0.35% 141 3.56% 466 11.78% 3,957
Jackson 3,361 61.10% 1,423 25.87% 625 11.36% 85 1.55% 7 0.13% 1,938 35.23% 5,501
Jefferson 5,590 41.52% 5,416 40.23% 2,378 17.66% 53 0.39% 25 0.19% 174 1.29% 13,462
Juneau 3,358 48.58% 2,353 34.04% 1,155 16.71% 39 0.56% 8 0.12% 1,005 14.54% 6,913
Kenosha 8,562 39.30% 7,961 36.55% 4,093 18.79% 1,042 4.78% 126 0.58% 601 2.76% 21,784
Kewaunee 2,356 40.91% 2,689 46.69% 665 11.55% 45 0.78% 4 0.07% -333 -5.78% 5,759
La Crosse 7,732 42.77% 5,855 32.38% 4,445 24.59% 34 0.19% 14 0.08% 1,877 10.38% 18,080
Lafayette 2,968 39.45% 2,304 30.63% 2,232 29.67% 12 0.16% 7 0.09% 664 8.83% 7,523
Langlade 2,445 31.86% 3,824 49.83% 1,288 16.78% 74 0.96% 43 0.56% -1,379 -17.97% 7,674
Lincoln 3,480 44.10% 2,434 30.84% 1,645 20.84% 317 4.02% 16 0.20% 1,046 13.25% 7,892
Manitowoc 9,088 48.58% 7,629 40.78% 1,818 9.72% 161 0.86% 11 0.06% 1,459 7.80% 18,707
Marathon 8,917 45.21% 7,146 36.23% 3,006 15.24% 640 3.25% 13 0.07% 1,771 8.98% 19,722
Marinette 3,261 31.80% 4,800 46.80% 1,952 19.03% 231 2.25% 12 0.12% -1,539 -15.01% 10,256
Marquette 1,140 31.65% 1,273 35.34% 1,169 32.45% 15 0.42% 5 0.14% -104[h] -2.89% 3,602
Milwaukee 55,300 28.74% 87,943 45.70% 18,975 9.86% 29,012 15.08% 1,215 0.63% -32,643 -16.96% 192,445
Monroe 5,065 52.16% 2,567 26.44% 1,929 19.87% 130 1.34% 19 0.20% 2,498 25.73% 9,710
Oconto 3,946 43.10% 3,230 35.28% 1,554 16.97% 416 4.54% 9 0.10% 716 7.82% 9,155
Oneida 3,184 49.43% 2,140 33.22% 708 10.99% 401 6.22% 9 0.14% 1,044 16.21% 6,442
Outagamie 8,184 38.68% 9,085 42.94% 3,643 17.22% 238 1.12% 9 0.04% -901 -4.26% 21,159
Ozaukee 2,674 42.99% 2,959 47.57% 482 7.75% 103 1.66% 2 0.03% -285 -4.58% 6,220
Pepin 1,104 37.78% 1,041 35.63% 725 24.81% 37 1.27% 15 0.51% 63 2.16% 2,922
Pierce 3,383 46.71% 1,742 24.05% 1,916 26.45% 184 2.54% 18 0.25% 1,467[g] 20.25% 7,243
Polk 4,183 47.08% 1,649 18.56% 1,191 13.40% 1,837 20.68% 25 0.28% 2,346[i] 26.40% 8,885
Portage 3,145 26.68% 6,613 56.09% 1,923 16.31% 102 0.87% 7 0.06% -3,468 -29.41% 11,790
Price 3,192 50.18% 1,963 30.86% 986 15.50% 155 2.44% 65 1.02% 1,229 19.32% 6,361
Racine 9,023 32.08% 13,293 47.26% 4,934 17.54% 676 2.40% 204 0.73% -4,270 -15.18% 28,130
Richland 1,876 27.04% 1,787 25.75% 3,170 45.68% 80 1.15% 26 0.37% -1,294[j] -18.65% 6,939
Rock 6,838 28.52% 9,167 38.24% 7,846 32.73% 87 0.36% 37 0.15% -1,321[h] -5.51% 23,975
Rusk 2,210 42.03% 1,780 33.85% 929 17.67% 318 6.05% 21 0.40% 430 8.18% 5,258
Sauk 5,950 45.91% 3,420 26.39% 3,316 25.59% 178 1.37% 96 0.74% 2,530 19.52% 12,960
Sawyer 1,377 36.54% 1,639 43.50% 708 18.79% 32 0.85% 12 0.32% -262 -6.95% 3,768
Shawano 5,159 54.00% 2,622 27.45% 1,409 14.75% 355 3.72% 8 0.08% 2,537 26.56% 9,553
Sheboygan 7,159 32.17% 10,217 45.91% 3,966 17.82% 876 3.94% 35 0.16% -3,058 -13.74% 22,253
St. Croix 4,010 42.04% 3,236 33.92% 2,042 21.41% 237 2.48% 14 0.15% 774 8.11% 9,539
Taylor 2,638 46.08% 1,682 29.38% 607 10.60% 719 12.56% 79 1.38% 956 16.70% 5,725
Trempealeau 4,478 53.42% 2,549 30.41% 1,291 15.40% 50 0.60% 14 0.17% 1,929 23.01% 8,382
Vernon 4,473 51.20% 1,800 20.60% 2,412 27.61% 37 0.42% 15 0.17% 2,061[g] 23.59% 8,737
Vilas 1,488 39.62% 1,634 43.50% 546 14.54% 36 0.96% 52 1.38% -146 -3.89% 3,756
Walworth 3,089 26.28% 4,020 34.20% 4,593 39.08% 34 0.29% 18 0.15% -573[k] -4.88% 11,754
Washburn 2,507 62.19% 757 18.78% 723 17.94% 33 0.82% 11 0.27% 1,750 43.41% 4,031
Washington 4,940 46.94% 3,997 37.98% 1,465 13.92% 120 1.14% 3 0.03% 943 8.96% 10,525
Waukesha 6,692 32.68% 9,009 43.99% 4,387 21.42% 363 1.77% 27 0.13% -2,317 -11.31% 20,478
Waupaca 6,001 48.63% 3,201 25.94% 2,982 24.17% 147 1.19% 8 0.06% 2,800 22.69% 12,339
Waushara 2,523 39.97% 1,971 31.22% 1,694 26.83% 103 1.63% 22 0.35% 552 8.74% 6,313
Winnebago 8,569 35.54% 9,148 37.94% 5,817 24.12% 341 1.41% 237 0.98% -579 -2.40% 24,112
Wood 5,569 45.63% 4,739 38.83% 1,698 13.91% 178 1.46% 22 0.18% 830 6.80% 12,206
Total 373,093 39.12% 359,467 37.69% 172,980 18.14% 44,589 4.67% 3,668 0.38% 13,626 1.43% 953,797

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Progressive

Counties that flipped from Republican to Progressive

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes

  1. ^ Waushara County did vote for the Whig candidate in 1851 and the opposition (non-Democratic) candidate in 1853; both elections took place prior to the establishment of the Republican Party in 1854. Waushara County has never voted for a Democrat in a gubernatorial election, although it has done so four times in presidential elections.
  2. ^ "Independent Communist"
  3. ^ "Independent Prohibition"
  4. ^ "Independent Socialist Labor"
  5. ^ These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.
  6. ^ All margins are La Follette over Schmedeman unless otherwise noted
  7. ^ a b c d e f La Follette's margin over Greene
  8. ^ a b Schmedeman's margin over Greene
  9. ^ La Follette's margin over Nelson
  10. ^ Greene's margin over La Follette
  11. ^ Greene's margin over Schmedeman

References

  1. ^ a b "Double Test For New Deal In Two States". The Daily Banner. Greencastle, Indiana. September 18, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Wisconsin Blue Book 1935, p. 543.
  3. ^ "WI Governor, 1934 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "New Political Party Gets Test". The Daily Banner. Greencastle, Indiana. September 15, 1934. p. 4. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  5. ^ "WI Governor, 1934 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  6. ^ "WI Governor, 1934 - PRG Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  7. ^ "Nelson To Be Speaker Here". The Rhinelander Daily News. Rhinelander, Wisconsin. October 31, 1934. p. 2. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  8. ^ "Kenosha Workers Hold Lenin Meeting". The daily worker. Chicago, Ill. January 18, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  9. ^ "Communists Name Full State Ticket". Marshfield News-Herald. Marshfield, Wisconsin. July 2, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  10. ^ "Milwaukee Will Hold State Campaign Rally". The daily worker. Chicago, Ill. August 9, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  11. ^ "State Communists Prepare For Battle". The Daily Tribune. Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. December 14, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  12. ^ "16 Candidates Seeking Offices As Independents Represent Communist, Social Labor, Prohibition Parties in November Election". La Crosse Tribune And Leader Press. La Crosse, Wisconsin. October 11, 1934. p. 8. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers - Election of State Officers - November 6, 1934
  14. ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1935). "Summary Vote For Governor By Counties". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1935. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company. p. 613.

Bibliography

  • Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
  • Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., eds. (1935). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1935. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer.
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