1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Country:Wisconsin
Flag Year:1913
Type:Presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1954 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1954
Next Election:1958 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Next Year:1958
Election Date:November 6, 1956
Image1:File:Vernon Wallace Thomson.jpg
Nominee1:Vernon W. Thomson
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:808,273
Percentage1:51.89%
Nominee2:William Proxmire
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:749,421
Percentage2:48.11%
Map Size:250px
Governor
Before Election:Walter J. Kohler Jr.
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Vernon Wallace Thomson
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1956. Republican nominee Vernon W. Thomson defeated Democratic nominee William Proxmire with 51.89% of the vote. Proxmire was defeated for the third consecutive gubernatorial election; he would subsequently win a special election for the United States Senate the following year after the death of Joseph McCarthy.

Primary election

The primary election was held on September 11, 1956. Both major party candidates were unopposed in their respective primaries.

Republican party

Candidates

Results

Democratic party

Candidates

Results

General election

Candidates

Results by county

After this election, Taylor County would not vote Republican again until 1978.

CountyVernon W. Thomson
Republican
William Proxmire
Democratic
Scattering
Write-in
MarginTotal votes cast
%%%%
Adams1,65252.98%1,46647.02%00.00%1865.97%3,118
Ashland3,58446.55%4,11553.45%00.00%-531-6.90%7,699
Barron7,58454.38%6,36245.62%00.00%1,2228.76%13,946
Bayfield2,73048.38%2,91351.62%00.00%-183-3.24%5,643
Brown26,18156.45%20,19243.54%20.00%5,98912.91%46,375
Buffalo3,03055.20%2,45944.80%00.00%57110.40%5,489
Burnett2,10951.70%1,97048.30%00.00%1393.41%4,079
Calumet5,37064.88%2,90535.10%20.02%2,46529.78%8,277
Chippewa8,22849.95%8,24650.05%00.00%-18-0.11%16,474
Clark6,92654.06%5,88645.94%00.00%1,0408.12%12,812
Columbia9,26559.74%6,24340.26%00.00%3,02219.49%15,508
Crawford3,59353.70%3,09846.30%00.00%4957.40%6,691
Dane34,49643.47%44,85156.52%90.01%-10,355-13.05%79,356
Dodge15,24461.23%9,65238.77%00.00%5,59222.46%24,896
Door5,92969.50%2,60230.50%00.00%3,32739.00%8,531
Douglas8,28341.16%11,84158.84%10.00%-3,558-17.68%20,125
Dunn5,83855.80%4,62444.20%00.00%1,21411.60%10,462
Eau Claire11,63150.32%11,48549.68%00.00%1460.63%23,116
Florence84150.06%83949.94%00.00%20.12%1,680
Fond du Lac18,42461.19%11,68538.81%10.00%6,73922.38%30,110
Forest1,50242.26%2,05257.74%00.00%-550-15.48%3,554
Grant10,92965.72%5,69934.27%10.01%5,23031.45%16,629
Green6,09056.97%4,59943.03%00.00%1,49113.95%10,689
Green Lake4,94469.90%2,12830.09%10.01%2,81639.81%7,073
Iowa4,76256.99%3,59443.01%00.00%1,16813.98%8,356
Iron1,36734.57%2,58765.43%00.00%-1,220-30.85%3,954
Jackson3,03348.47%3,22451.52%10.02%-191-3.05%6,258
Jefferson11,51157.26%8,59142.73%10.00%2,92014.53%20,103
Juneau4,66062.16%2,83737.84%00.00%1,82324.32%7,497
Kenosha16,27341.98%22,49458.02%10.00%-6,221-16.05%38,768
Kewaunee4,12755.78%3,27244.22%00.00%85511.56%7,399
La Crosse15,49851.79%14,42748.21%00.00%1,0713.58%29,925
Lafayette4,38155.10%3,57044.90%00.00%81110.20%7,951
Langlade4,26154.64%3,53745.36%00.00%7249.28%7,798
Lincoln5,66460.42%3,71139.58%00.00%1,95320.83%9,375
Manitowoc14,22448.64%15,01751.35%10.00%-793-2.71%29,242
Marathon17,80246.42%20,54553.58%00.00%-2,743-7.15%38,347
Marinette8,05456.54%6,19043.46%00.00%1,86413.09%14,244
Marquette2,52866.65%1,26433.32%10.03%1,26433.32%3,793
Milwaukee180,46244.02%229,44355.97%270.01%-48,981-11.95%409,932
Monroe6,71256.99%5,06543.00%10.01%1,64713.98%11,778
Oconto6,10958.61%4,31441.39%00.00%1,79517.22%10,423
Oneida5,17753.68%4,46746.31%10.01%7107.36%9,645
Outagamie23,03766.33%11,69433.67%00.00%11,34332.66%34,731
Ozaukee8,06657.90%5,86442.10%00.00%2,20215.81%13,930
Pepin1,68958.54%1,19641.46%00.00%49317.09%2,885
Pierce5,34357.78%3,90442.22%00.00%1,43915.56%9,247
Polk5,27949.64%5,35650.36%00.00%-77-0.72%10,635
Portage6,35741.42%8,99158.58%10.01%-2,634-17.16%15,349
Price3,43051.37%3,24748.63%00.00%1832.74%6,677
Racine25,98746.85%29,45353.10%260.05%-3,466-6.25%55,466
Richland4,74759.72%3,20040.26%20.03%1,54719.46%7,949
Rock25,49559.25%17,53140.75%00.00%7,96418.51%43,026
Rusk3,11249.19%3,21550.81%00.00%-103-1.63%6,327
Sauk9,71560.12%6,44339.87%10.01%3,27220.25%16,159
Sawyer2,47458.09%1,78541.91%00.00%68916.18%4,259
Shawano8,69865.95%4,48934.04%10.01%4,20931.92%13,188
Sheboygan20,35952.97%18,07847.03%00.00%2,2815.93%38,437
St. Croix6,25651.72%5,84048.28%00.00%4163.44%12,096
Taylor3,38851.07%3,24548.91%10.02%1432.16%6,634
Trempealeau4,76648.66%5,02951.34%00.00%-263-2.69%9,795
Vernon5,43848.45%5,78751.55%00.00%-349-3.11%11,225
Vilas3,10953.50%1,78736.50%00.00%1,32227.00%4,896
Walworth14,89569.01%6,68830.98%20.01%8,20738.02%21,585
Washburn2,57355.14%2,09344.86%00.00%48010.29%4,666
Washington10,00460.09%6,64539.91%00.00%3,35920.18%16,649
Waukesha29,57357.94%21,46542.05%60.01%8,10815.88%51,044
Waupaca11,06073.08%4,07426.92%00.00%6,98646.16%15,134
Waushara4,37771.19%1,77128.81%00.00%2,60642.39%6,148
Winnebago25,63862.93%15,10137.06%30.01%10,53725.86%40,742
Wood12,40056.91%9,38943.09%00.00%3,01113.82%21,789
Total808,27351.89%749,42148.11%940.01%58,8523.78%1,557,788

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes and References

  1. Web site: THOMSON, Vernon Wallace 1905–1988 . . 23 May 2020.