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The 1938 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938. Primary elections were held on September 20, 1938. Incumbent Progressive Governor Philip La Follette was defeated by Republican nominee Julius P. Heil.
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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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Despite having a high initial popularity, La Follette's reputation had begun to deteriorate as his governorship ran its course. This all culminated in the disastrous 1937 special session, where La Follette attempted to force through a bill without public debate, and without the normal machinery of the legislative process. The bill, decried by critics as dictatorial, would have, among other things, fundamentally altered the system of checks and balances in Wisconsin by making it so that legislation would be written up by the executive and handed to the legislature to either approve or reject. Alongside this, the session passed through legislation reorganizing the state executive branch to remove redundant agencies to improve efficiency. This had been one of the final blows for the establishment, who had begun to talk of electoral fusion to defeat La Follette.
At Oshkosh, a committee was established by members of the Democratic, Republican, Union, and Progressive parties in the hope of defeating La Follette. In their goals they aligned with Robert Kirkland Henry, the former Democratic state treasurer, in that goal. Despite the bipartisan nature of this committee, it was still done in opposition to the leadership of both parties. Due to the nature of the primary system in Wisconsin, one candidate could not officially run under multiple party lines, so instead, the candidate would be required to give up one party to run under another, to the coalition hopefuls, that meant the party their candidate got the least votes in.[1]
Henry 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.[1][2]
| 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% | ||
| 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% | ||
| 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 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.[10] On October 7, 1938, the Democratic state central committee met and nominated State Senator Harry W. Bolens, another proponent of a coalition, to replace Henry on the Democratic ticket.[11][12]
Major party candidates
Other candidates
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Julius P. Heil | 543,675 | 55.39% | +25.97% | |
| Progressive | Philip La Follette (incumbent) | 353,381 | 36.00% | −10.37% | |
| Democratic | Harry W. Bolens | 78,446 | 7.99% | −13.71% | |
| Union | Frank W. Smith | 4,564 | 0.47% | −1.79% | |
| Socialist Labor[lower-alpha 1] | John Schleier, Jr. | 1,459 | 0.15% | +0.01% | |
| Scattering[lower-alpha 2] | 35 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 190,294 | 19.39% | |||
| Total votes | 981,560 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican gain from Progressive | Swing | +36.34% | |||
Iron County voted for the losing candidate for the first time in this election. Adams County, Burnett County, Jackson County, and Washburn County all voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1892.
| County[13][14] | Julius P. Heil Republican |
Philip La Follette Progressive |
Harry W. Bolens Democratic |
All Others Various |
Margin[lower-alpha 3] | Total votes cast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,180 | 44.13% | 1,379 | 51.57% | 104 | 3.89% | 11 | 0.41% | -199 | -7.44% | 2,674 |
| Ashland | 3,100 | 43.50% | 3,447 | 48.37% | 538 | 7.55% | 42 | 0.59% | -347 | -4.87% | 7,127 |
| Barron | 5,329 | 56.28% | 3,733 | 39.43% | 356 | 3.76% | 50 | 0.53% | 1,596 | 16.86% | 9,468 |
| Bayfield | 2,197 | 37.83% | 3,363 | 57.90% | 227 | 3.91% | 21 | 0.36% | -1,166 | -20.08% | 5,808 |
| Brown | 11,290 | 51.39% | 6,735 | 30.66% | 3,819 | 17.38% | 124 | 0.56% | 4,555 | 20.73% | 21,968 |
| Buffalo | 2,231 | 48.65% | 2,225 | 48.52% | 117 | 2.55% | 13 | 0.28% | 6 | 0.13% | 4,586 |
| Burnett | 1,417 | 39.46% | 1,964 | 54.69% | 176 | 4.90% | 34 | 0.95% | -547 | -15.23% | 3,591 |
| Calumet | 4,154 | 64.17% | 1,679 | 25.94% | 624 | 9.64% | 16 | 0.25% | 2,475 | 38.24% | 6,473 |
| Chippewa | 7,733 | 63.59% | 3,943 | 32.42% | 457 | 3.76% | 28 | 0.23% | 3,790 | 31.17% | 12,161 |
| Clark | 3,469 | 64.34% | 2,907 | 28.91% | 600 | 5.97% | 79 | 0.79% | 3,562 | 35.43% | 10,055 |
| Columbia | 6,358 | 57.00% | 4,176 | 37.44% | 601 | 5.39% | 20 | 0.18% | 2,182 | 19.56% | 11,155 |
| Crawford | 3,558 | 56.31% | 1,610 | 25.48% | 1,026 | 16.24% | 125 | 1.98% | 1,948 | 30.83% | 6,319 |
| Dane | 18,279 | 47.48% | 18,508 | 48.08% | 1,611 | 4.18% | 98 | 0.25% | -229 | -0.59% | 38,496 |
| Dodge | 11,432 | 64.75% | 4,444 | 25.17% | 1,729 | 9.79% | 51 | 0.29% | 6,988 | 39.58% | 17,656 |
| Door | 3,318 | 68.02% | 1,266 | 25.95% | 251 | 5.15% | 43 | 0.88% | 2,052 | 42.07% | 4,878 |
| Douglas | 8,422 | 42.93% | 9,508 | 48.47% | 1,515 | 7.72% | 173 | 0.88% | -1,086 | -5.54% | 19,618 |
| Dunn | 4,934 | 60.97% | 2,947 | 36.41% | 196 | 2.42% | 16 | 0.20% | 1,987 | 24.55% | 8,093 |
| Eau Claire | 7,117 | 53.57% | 5,599 | 42.14% | 532 | 4.00% | 38 | 0.29% | 1,518 | 11.43% | 13,286 |
| Florence | 760 | 40.69% | 977 | 52.30% | 111 | 5.94% | 20 | 1.07% | -217 | -11.62% | 1,868 |
| Fond du Lac | 12,255 | 61.76% | 4,896 | 24.67% | 2,544 | 12.82% | 148 | 0.75% | 7,359 | 37.09% | 19,843 |
| Forest | 1,687 | 42.09% | 1,798 | 44.86% | 495 | 12.35% | 28 | 0.70% | -111 | -2.77% | 4,008 |
| Grant | 7,357 | 59.55% | 3,983 | 32.24% | 960 | 7.77% | 54 | 0.44% | 3,374 | 27.31% | 12,354 |
| Green | 4,270 | 55.07% | 2,984 | 38.48% | 251 | 3.24% | 249 | 3.21% | 1,286 | 16.58% | 7,754 |
| Green Lake | 3,657 | 67.13% | 1,147 | 21.05% | 624 | 11.45% | 20 | 0.37% | 2,510 | 46.07% | 5,448 |
| Iowa | 3,479 | 58.46% | 2,048 | 34.41% | 407 | 6.84% | 17 | 0.29% | 1,431 | 24.05% | 5,951 |
| Iron | 1,774 | 38.67% | 2,628 | 57.28% | 175 | 3.81% | 11 | 0.24% | -854 | -18.61% | 4,588 |
| Jackson | 2,267 | 47.26% | 2,274 | 47.40% | 240 | 5.00% | 16 | 0.33% | -7 | -0.15% | 4,797 |
| Jefferson | 8,324 | 64.07% | 3,385 | 26.05% | 1,244 | 9.58% | 39 | 0.30% | 4,939 | 38.02% | 12,992 |
| Juneau | 3,800 | 55.50% | 2,588 | 37.80% | 446 | 6.51% | 13 | 0.19% | 1,212 | 17.70% | 6,847 |
| Kenosha | 10,853 | 47.24% | 10,182 | 44.32% | 1,830 | 7.97% | 108 | 0.47% | 671 | 2.92% | 22,973 |
| Kewaunee | 3,972 | 66.01% | 1,276 | 21.21% | 736 | 12.23% | 33 | 0.55% | 2,696 | 44.81% | 6,017 |
| La Crosse | 10,946 | 59.19% | 6,624 | 35.82% | 892 | 4.82% | 32 | 0.17% | 4,322 | 23.37% | 18,494 |
| Lafayette | 3,948 | 52.17% | 2,548 | 33.67% | 1,059 | 13.99% | 12 | 0.16% | 1,400 | 18.50% | 7,567 |
| Langlade | 3,833 | 46.55% | 3,091 | 37.53% | 1,265 | 15.36% | 46 | 0.56% | 742 | 9.01% | 8,235 |
| Lincoln | 4,356 | 54.15% | 3,309 | 41.13% | 337 | 4.19% | 43 | 0.53% | 1,047 | 13.01% | 8,045 |
| Manitowoc | 10,391 | 52.76% | 6,997 | 35.53% | 1,955 | 9.93% | 350 | 1.78% | 3,394 | 17.23% | 19,693 |
| Marathon | 12,310 | 57.85% | 7,198 | 33.83% | 1,643 | 7.72% | 127 | 0.60% | 5,112 | 24.02% | 21,278 |
| Marinette | 6,370 | 56.78% | 3,657 | 32.60% | 1,149 | 10.24% | 42 | 0.37% | 2,713 | 24.18% | 11,218 |
| Marquette | 2,355 | 70.15% | 733 | 21.83% | 262 | 7.80% | 7 | 0.21% | 1,622 | 48.32% | 3,357 |
| Milwaukee | 118,617 | 51.94% | 87,916 | 38.50% | 20,272 | 8.88% | 1,575 | 0.69% | 30,701 | 13.44% | 228,380 |
| Monroe | 5,529 | 59.07% | 3,478 | 37.16% | 333 | 3.56% | 20 | 0.21% | 2,051 | 21.91% | 9,360 |
| Oconto | 4,800 | 52.67% | 3,169 | 34.77% | 1,087 | 11.93% | 58 | 0.64% | 1,631 | 17.90% | 9,114 |
| Oneida | 3,303 | 47.13% | 3,261 | 46.53% | 400 | 5.71% | 45 | 0.64% | 42 | 0.60% | 7,009 |
| Outagamie | 12,365 | 63.40% | 4,658 | 23.88% | 2,031 | 10.41% | 450 | 2.31% | 7,707 | 39.51% | 19,504 |
| Ozaukee | 4,143 | 63.52% | 1,464 | 22.45% | 884 | 13.55% | 31 | 0.48% | 2,679 | 41.08% | 6,522 |
| Pepin | 1,494 | 59.52% | 869 | 34.62% | 145 | 5.78% | 2 | 0.08% | 625 | 24.90% | 2,510 |
| Pierce | 3,249 | 51.38% | 2,770 | 43.80% | 229 | 3.62% | 76 | 1.20% | 479 | 7.57% | 6,324 |
| Polk | 3,323 | 44.59% | 3,876 | 52.01% | 217 | 2.91% | 37 | 0.50% | -553 | -7.42% | 7,453 |
| Portage | 5,243 | 46.06% | 4,068 | 35.73% | 2,024 | 17.78% | 49 | 0.43% | 1,175 | 10.32% | 11,384 |
| Price | 3,427 | 52.30% | 2,664 | 40.65% | 423 | 6.46% | 39 | 0.60% | 763 | 11.64% | 6,553 |
| Racine | 16,764 | 52.01% | 12,850 | 39.86% | 2,516 | 7.81% | 105 | 0.33% | 3,914 | 12.14% | 32,235 |
| Richland | 4,250 | 73.01% | 1,276 | 21.92% | 283 | 4.86% | 12 | 0.21% | 2,974 | 51.09% | 5,821 |
| Rock | 15,612 | 59.68% | 9,051 | 34.60% | 1,454 | 5.56% | 41 | 0.16% | 6,561 | 25.08% | 26,158 |
| Rusk | 3,011 | 56.31% | 1,997 | 37.35% | 314 | 5.87% | 25 | 0.47% | 1,014 | 18.96% | 5,347 |
| Sauk | 6,654 | 58.71% | 4,227 | 37.29% | 434 | 3.83% | 19 | 0.17% | 2,427 | 21.41% | 11,334 |
| Sawyer | 2,131 | 52.72% | 1,465 | 36.24% | 439 | 10.86% | 7 | 0.17% | 666 | 16.48% | 4,042 |
| Shawano | 5,518 | 58.29% | 3,422 | 36.15% | 489 | 5.17% | 37 | 0.39% | 2,096 | 22.14% | 9,466 |
| Sheboygan | 14,616 | 66.31% | 3,705 | 16.81% | 3,418 | 15.51% | 304 | 1.38% | 10,911 | 49.50% | 22,043 |
| St. Croix | 3,836 | 47.06% | 3,543 | 43.47% | 699 | 8.58% | 73 | 0.90% | 293 | 3.59% | 8,151 |
| Taylor | 2,762 | 45.56% | 2,792 | 46.06% | 454 | 7.49% | 54 | 0.89% | -30 | -0.49% | 6,062 |
| Trempealeau | 3,502 | 48.87% | 3,168 | 44.21% | 479 | 6.68% | 17 | 0.24% | 334 | 4.66% | 7,166 |
| Vernon | 5,327 | 60.34% | 3,234 | 36.63% | 249 | 2.82% | 19 | 0.22% | 2,093 | 23.71% | 8,829 |
| Vilas | 2,047 | 52.33% | 1,548 | 39.57% | 306 | 7.82% | 11 | 0.28% | 499 | 12.76% | 3,912 |
| Walworth | 8,211 | 74.66% | 2,203 | 20.03% | 563 | 5.12% | 21 | 0.19% | 6,008 | 45.63% | 10,998 |
| Washburn | 1,880 | 45.45% | 2,081 | 50.31% | 160 | 3.87% | 15 | 0.36% | -201 | -4.86% | 4,136 |
| Washington | 7,594 | 70.38% | 2,356 | 21.84% | 793 | 7.35% | 47 | 0.44% | 5,238 | 48.54% | 10,790 |
| Waukesha | 15,363 | 71.55% | 5,198 | 24.21% | 861 | 4.01% | 49 | 0.23% | 10,165 | 47.34% | 21,471 |
| Waupaca | 7,502 | 64.41% | 3,720 | 31.94% | 385 | 3.31% | 40 | 0.34% | 3,782 | 32.47% | 11,647 |
| Waushara | 3,592 | 69.06% | 1,449 | 27.86% | 150 | 2.88% | 10 | 0.19% | 2,143 | 41.20% | 5,201 |
| Winnebago | 14,020 | 60.40% | 6,845 | 29.49% | 2,083 | 8.97% | 264 | 1.14% | 7,175 | 30.91% | 23,212 |
| Wood | 6,508 | 51.30% | 5,302 | 41.79% | 768 | 6.05% | 109 | 0.86% | 1,206 | 9.51% | 12,687 |
| Total | 543,675 | 55.39% | 353,381 | 36.00% | 78,446 | 7.99% | 6,058 | 0.62% | 190,294 | 19.39% | 981,560 |
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