1938 Wisconsin gubernatorial election explained

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.

Background

The 1937 special session

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.

Coalition talks

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.^[2]

Primary election

Progressive party

Candidates

• Philip La Follette, incumbent Governor
• Glenn P. Turner, Socialist nominee for Attorney General of Wisconsin in 1930 and 1934

Results

Republican party

Candidates

• Julius P. Heil, industrialist^[3]
• Robert Kirkland Henry, former Wisconsin State Treasurer (1933–1937)
• Clun L. Miller, insurance counsellor^[4]
• James G. Peterson, farmer^[5]

Results

Democratic party

Candidates

• Jerome F. Fox, former state representative from Calumet (1931–1935)
• Robert Kirkland Henry, former Wisconsin State Treasurer (1933–1937) (withdrew)
• Edward Ihlenfeldt, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for Secretary of State of Wisconsin in 1934

Aftermath

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.^[6] 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.^{[7] [8]}

Union party

Candidates

• Frank W. Smith

Results

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

• Harry W. Bolens, Democratic
• Julius P. Heil, Republican
• Philip La Follette, Progressive

Other candidates

• John Schleier, Jr., Independent Socialist Labor
• Frank W. Smith, Union

Results by county

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	Julius P. Heil Republican		Philip La Follette Progressive		Harry W. Bolens Democratic		All Others Various		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%		%
Adams		1,180		44.13%	1,379	51.57%		104		3.89%		11		0.41%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-199	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-7.44%	2,674
Ashland		3,100		43.50%	3,447	48.37%		538		7.55%		42		0.59%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-347	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-547	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-229	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-1,086	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-217	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-111	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-854	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-18.61%	4,588
Jackson		2,267		47.26%	2,274	47.40%		240		5.00%		16		0.33%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-7	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-553	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-30	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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%	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-201	bgcolor="#5FD170"	-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

Counties that flipped from Progressive to Republican

• Barron
• Brown
• Buffalo
• Calumet
• Clark
• Columbia
• Crawford
• Door
• Dunn
• Eau Claire
• Grant
• Green
• Iowa
• Jefferson
• Juneau
• Kenosha
• Kewaunee
• La Crosse
• Lafayette
• Langlade
• Lincoln
• Manitowoc
• Marathon
• Marinette
• Milwaukee
• Monroe
• Oconto
• Oneida
• Outagamie
• Ozaukee
• Pepin
• Pierce
• Portage
• Price
• Racine
• Rusk
• Sauk
• Sawyer
• Shawano
• St. Croix
• Trempealeau
• Vernon
• Vilas
• Washington
• Waukesha
• Waupaca
• Wood

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Dodge
• Sheboygan

Bibliography

• Book: Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997 . Washington, D.C. . Congressional Quarterly Inc. . 1998 . 1-56802-396-0 . .
• Book: Ohm . Howard F. . Bryhan . Leone G. . 1940 . The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1940 . State of Wisconsin . .

Notes and References

1. News: . November 22, 1937 . Oshkosh men are active at session of coalitionists . 22 April 2021 . The Oshkosh Northwestern . Oshkosh, Wisconsin . 5.
2. . October 3, 1938 . Primaries: Wisconsin Obstacle Race . 22 April 2021 . Time . Time Inc. . New York City.
3. News: . October 3, 1938 . Democrats Intend To Replace Henry In November Race . 22 April 2021 . The Post-Crescent . Appleton, Wisconsin . 1.
4. News: . September 3, 1938 . Miller Has Engine . 22 April 2021 . The Oshkosh Northwestern . Oshkosh, Wisconsin . 7.
5. News: . September 16, 1938 . 'Beat LaFollette' battle cry rings . 22 April 2021 . Marshfield News-Herald . Marshfield, Wisconsin . 5.
6. News: . Henry Withdraws In Favor Of Heil . La Crosse Tribune And Leader-Press . La Crosse, Wisconsin . October 2, 1938 . 1 . 22 April 2021.
7. News: . Democrats Favor Harry Bolens for Governor Battle . The Post-Crescent . Appleton, Wisconsin . October 4, 1938 . 1 . 22 April 2021.
8. News: . Dem Party Is Reinforced; In Contest Again . The Capital Times . Madison, Wisconsin . October 8, 1938 . 3 . 22 April 2021.