Jump to content

1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

← 1930 November 8, 1932 1934 →
 
Nominee Albert G. Schmedeman Walter J. Kohler Sr. Frank Metcalfe
Party Democratic Republican Socialist
Popular vote 590,114 470,805 56,965
Percentage 52.48% 41.87% 5.07%

County results
Schmedeman:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Kohler:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Philip La Follette
Republican

Elected Governor

Albert G. Schmedeman
Democratic

The 1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1932. Incumbent Republican Governor Philip La Follette was defeated in the Republican primary, and in the midst of the Great Depression and nationwide voter dissatisfaction with the Republican Party, Democratic nominee Albert G. Schmedeman defeated Republican nominee Walter J. Kohler Sr. and Socialist nominee Frank Metcalfe with 52.48% of the vote. Schmedeman became the first Democrat to win a gubernatorial election in Wisconsin since George Wilbur Peck in 1892. Two years later, in 1934, La Follette would run for governor again and defeated Schmedeman, this time running with the Progressive Party.

This was the only Democratic victory in a Wisconsin gubernatorial election between 1892 and 1958. As of 2022, this is the most recent gubernatorial election in which Juneau, Shawano, and Waupaca have voted for a Democratic candidate.

Primary election

[edit]

Primary elections were held on September 20, 1932.

Democratic party

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]

Results

[edit]
Democratic primary results[2][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Albert G. Schmedeman 58,098 44.04%
Democratic William B. Rubin 44,556 33.77%
Democratic Leo P. Fox 29,276 22.19%
Total votes 131,930 100.00%

Republican party

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]

Results

[edit]
Republican primary results[2][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Walter J. Kohler, Sr. 414,575 56.45%
Republican Philip La Follette (incumbent) 319,884 43.55%
Total votes 734,459 100.00%

Socialist party

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]

Results

[edit]
Socialist primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Socialist Frank Metcalfe 31,836 100.00%
Total votes 31,836 100.00%

Prohibition party

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]
  • Adolph R. Bucknam, Prohibition nominee for U.S. Senate in 1922 and for governor in 1924 and 1928
  • William C. Dean, Prohibition nominee for governor in 1918

Results

[edit]
Prohibition primary results[2][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Prohibition William C. Dean 717 53.79%
Prohibition Adolph R. Bucknam 616 46.21%
Total votes 1,333 100.00%

General election

[edit]

Candidates

[edit]

Major party candidates

Other candidates

Results

[edit]
1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Albert G. Schmedeman 590,114 52.48% +24.46%
Republican Walter J. Kohler Sr. 470,805 41.87% −22.89%
Socialist Frank Metcalfe 56,965 5.07% +0.85%
Prohibition William C. Dean 3,148 0.28% −2.16%
Communist[a] Fred Basset Blair 2,926 0.26% −0.23%
Socialist Labor[b] Joseph Ehrhardt 398 0.04%
Scattering[c] 146 0.01%
Majority 119,309 10.61%
Turnout 1,124,502 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing +47.35%

Results by county

[edit]

Schmedeman's victory ended many long streaks of Republican victories in counties throughout the state. In particular, Schmedeman was the first Democrat to ever win Barron County, Burnett County, Grant County, Iron County, Rusk County, and Trempealeau County. He was also the first Democrat since William A. Barstow in 1853 to win Adams County and Vernon County along with the first since Barstow in 1855 to win Waupaca County. Additionally, Clark County, Jackson County, and Lafayette County voted Democratic for the first time since 1873. This election saw Marinette County back the losing the candidate for the first time ever.

Columbia County, Grant County, Green County, Iowa County, Lafayette County, and Sauk County would not vote Democratic again until 2002, nor would Monroe County until 2006.

County[6][7] Albert G. Schmedeman
Democratic
Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Republican
Frank Metcalfe
Socialist
All Others
Various
Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # %
Adams 1,601 55.96% 1,211 42.33% 26 0.91% 23 0.80% 390 13.63% 2,861
Ashland 5,044 58.88% 3,342 39.01% 83 0.97% 97 1.13% 1,702 19.87% 8,566
Barron 6,858 58.79% 4,536 38.88% 147 1.26% 125 1.07% 2,322 19.90% 11,666
Bayfield 2,600 48.84% 2,478 46.55% 114 2.14% 131 2.46% 122 2.29% 5,323
Brown 15,206 54.91% 12,046 43.50% 367 1.33% 76 0.27% 3,160 11.41% 27,695
Buffalo 2,827 57.17% 2,079 42.04% 16 0.32% 23 0.47% 748 15.13% 4,945
Burnett 2,127 57.02% 1,496 40.11% 53 1.42% 54 1.45% 631 16.92% 3,730
Calumet 4,992 71.76% 1,879 27.01% 61 0.88% 25 0.36% 3,113 44.75% 6,957
Chippewa 7,383 54.27% 6,084 44.73% 81 0.60% 55 0.40% 1,299 9.55% 13,603
Clark 7,279 61.05% 4,251 35.65% 230 1.93% 163 1.37% 3,028 25.40% 11,923
Columbia 7,873 56.91% 5,861 42.36% 54 0.39% 47 0.34% 2,012 14.54% 13,835
Crawford 4,333 64.61% 2,325 34.67% 14 0.21% 34 0.51% 2,008 29.94% 6,706
Dane 24,536 51.33% 22,280 46.61% 831 1.74% 155 0.32% 2,256 4.72% 47,802
Dodge 14,333 66.84% 6,846 31.93% 214 1.00% 50 0.23% 7,487 34.92% 21,443
Door 3,009 45.65% 3,493 52.99% 37 0.56% 53 0.80% -484 -7.34% 6,592
Douglas 8,341 44.94% 9,452 50.92% 510 2.75% 259 1.40% -1,111 -5.99% 18,562
Dunn 4,203 47.42% 4,522 51.02% 81 0.91% 57 0.64% -319 -3.60% 8,863
Eau Claire 6,359 41.48% 8,810 57.46% 86 0.56% 77 0.50% -2,451 -15.99% 15,332
Florence 789 46.44% 849 49.97% 38 2.24% 23 1.35% -60 -3.53% 1,699
Fond du Lac 13,935 54.90% 11,127 43.84% 214 0.84% 105 0.41% 2,808 11.06% 25,381
Forest 2,243 66.28% 1,096 32.39% 22 0.65% 23 0.68% 1,147 33.89% 3,384
Grant 8,656 54.19% 7,168 44.88% 59 0.37% 89 0.56% 1,488 9.32% 15,972
Green 4,862 55.21% 3,824 43.42% 62 0.70% 58 0.66% 1,038 11.79% 8,806
Green Lake 3,782 55.78% 2,948 43.48% 29 0.43% 21 0.31% 834 12.30% 6,780
Iowa 4,520 55.69% 3,523 43.41% 20 0.25% 53 0.65% 997 12.28% 8,116
Iron 1,554 46.58% 1,550 46.46% 59 1.77% 173 5.19% 4 0.12% 3,336
Jackson 3,282 56.61% 2,405 41.48% 55 0.95% 56 0.97% 877 15.13% 5,798
Jefferson 10,283 61.15% 6,437 38.28% 77 0.46% 20 0.12% 3,846 22.87% 16,817
Juneau 3,722 55.97% 2,824 42.47% 53 0.80% 51 0.77% 898 13.50% 6,650
Kenosha 11,526 48.12% 10,305 43.02% 1,883 7.86% 240 1.00% 1,221 5.10% 23,954
Kewaunee 4,278 70.43% 1,762 29.01% 19 0.31% 15 0.25% 2,516 41.42% 6,074
La Crosse 10,194 48.34% 10,766 51.06% 65 0.31% 61 0.29% -572 -2.71% 21,086
Lafayette 4,677 56.22% 3,593 43.19% 22 0.26% 27 0.32% 1,084 13.03% 8,319
Langlade 5,256 59.06% 3,498 39.30% 110 1.24% 36 0.40% 1,758 19.75% 8,900
Lincoln 4,544 53.57% 3,816 44.98% 69 0.81% 54 0.64% 728 8.58% 8,483
Manitowoc 13,816 65.25% 7,029 33.20% 276 1.30% 52 0.25% 6,787 32.05% 21,173
Marathon 15,462 62.22% 8,850 35.61% 493 1.98% 47 0.19% 6,612 26.61% 24,852
Marinette 5,036 40.80% 7,009 56.79% 252 2.04% 46 0.37% -1,973 -15.98% 12,343
Marquette 2,207 54.67% 1,801 44.61% 16 0.40% 13 0.32% 406 10.06% 4,037
Milwaukee 131,158 49.86% 87,911 33.42% 42,404 16.12% 1,570 0.60% 43,247 16.44% 263,043
Monroe 6,147 60.90% 3,807 37.72% 55 0.54% 85 0.84% 2,340 23.18% 10,094
Oconto 5,651 57.93% 4,008 41.09% 57 0.58% 39 0.40% 1,643 16.84% 9,755
Oneida 3,846 56.42% 2,729 40.03% 213 3.12% 29 0.43% 1,117 16.39% 6,817
Outagamie 13,353 52.33% 11,866 46.50% 236 0.92% 64 0.25% 1,487 5.83% 25,519
Ozaukee 5,004 69.33% 2,071 28.69% 132 1.83% 11 0.15% 2,933 40.63% 7,218
Pepin 1,606 52.90% 1,401 46.15% 17 0.56% 12 0.40% 205 6.75% 3,036
Pierce 3,650 47.35% 3,717 48.22% 254 3.29% 88 1.14% -67 -0.87% 7,709
Polk 5,142 54.85% 3,999 42.66% 131 1.40% 102 1.09% 1,143 12.19% 9,374
Portage 7,205 55.92% 5,552 43.09% 85 0.66% 43 0.33% 1,653 12.83% 12,885
Price 3,620 55.74% 2,606 40.13% 129 1.99% 139 2.14% 1,014 15.61% 6,494
Racine 15,956 47.24% 15,344 45.43% 2,176 6.44% 299 0.89% 612 1.81% 33,775
Richland 3,448 45.42% 4,042 53.24% 31 0.41% 71 0.94% -594 -7.82% 7,592
Rock 10,734 35.17% 19,367 63.45% 285 0.93% 136 0.45% -8,633 -28.28% 30,522
Rusk 2,636 49.24% 2,485 46.42% 166 3.10% 66 1.23% 151 2.82% 5,353
Sauk 7,000 54.30% 5,761 44.69% 50 0.39% 81 0.63% 1,239 9.61% 12,892
Sawyer 1,952 53.61% 1,599 43.92% 67 1.84% 23 0.63% 353 9.70% 3,641
Shawano 6,914 65.38% 3,349 31.67% 236 2.23% 76 0.72% 3,565 33.71% 10,575
Sheboygan 12,419 45.89% 13,661 50.48% 860 3.18% 124 0.46% -1,242 -4.59% 27,064
St. Croix 6,312 58.74% 4,263 39.67% 94 0.87% 77 0.72% 2,049 19.07% 10,746
Taylor 3,667 62.03% 1,580 26.73% 621 10.50% 44 0.74% 2,087 35.30% 5,912
Trempealeau 5,286 60.78% 3,302 37.97% 70 0.80% 39 0.45% 1,984 22.81% 8,697
Vernon 5,365 58.93% 3,638 39.96% 35 0.38% 66 0.72% 1,727 18.97% 9,104
Vilas 1,351 41.40% 1,783 54.64% 43 1.32% 86 2.64% -432 -13.24% 3,263
Walworth 5,338 35.46% 9,585 63.68% 78 0.52% 52 0.35% -4,247 -28.21% 15,053
Washburn 2,256 53.83% 1,785 42.59% 104 2.48% 46 1.10% 471 11.24% 4,191
Washington 7,707 68.67% 3,350 29.85% 146 1.30% 21 0.19% 4,357 38.82% 11,224
Waukesha 10,772 47.10% 11,619 50.81% 423 1.85% 55 0.24% -847 -3.70% 22,869
Waupaca 7,079 51.17% 6,502 47.00% 188 1.36% 66 0.48% 577 4.17% 13,835
Waushara 2,803 48.76% 2,866 49.85% 35 0.61% 45 0.78% -63 -1.10% 5,749
Winnebago 13,241 46.72% 14,501 51.16% 483 1.70% 117 0.41% -1,260 -4.45% 28,342
Wood 7,968 57.76% 5,585 40.49% 163 1.18% 79 0.57% 2,383 17.27% 13,795
Total 590,114 52.48% 470,805 41.87% 56,965 5.07% 6,618 0.59% 119,309 10.61% 1,124,502

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

[edit]

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ "Independent Communist"
  2. ^ "Independent Socialist Labor"
  3. ^ These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Rubin To Pay Visit In City". The Rhinelander Daily News. Rhinelander, Wisconsin. August 24, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Wisconsin Blue Book 1933, p. 515.
  3. ^ "WI Governor, 1932 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "WI Governor, 1932 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  5. ^ "WI Governor, 1932 - PRB Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers - Election of State Officers - November 8, 1932
  7. ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1933). "Summary Vote For Governor". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1933. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company. p. 533.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
  • Witte, Edwin E.; Kelly, Alice, eds. (1933). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1933. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer.