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The 1942 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1942.

Incumbent Republican Governor Julius P. Heil was defeated by Progressive nominee Orland S. Loomis in a rematch of the 1940 election with 49.65% of the vote. As of 2023, this is the last time Waupaca and Dodge counties did not vote for the Republican candidate for governor. Primary elections were held on September 15, 1942.

Loomis died of a heart attack on December 7, 1942, a month before he was to take office. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Lieutenant Governor Walter Samuel Goodland would serve Orland Loomis's term as governor, overriding the view of Governor Julius Heil that he should continue in office.[1][2]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

  • Milton T. Murray, state senator
  • James K. Robinson, dentist, unsuccessful candidate for Progressive nomination for lieutenant governor in 1936 and unsuccessful candidate for Republican nomination for governor in 1940[3]

Results

Republican primary results[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Julius P. Heil (incumbent) 136,980 51.57
Republican Milton T. Murray 95,908 36.11
Republican James K. Robinson 32,740 12.33
Total votes 265,628 100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Results

Democratic primary results[4][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William C. Sullivan 15,684 24.31
Democratic Gustav J. Keller 15,482 23.99
Democratic Raymond J. Cannon 11,075 17.16
Democratic Stanley Z. Fajkowski 10,333 16.01
Democratic Albert J. Wilde 7,227 11.20
Democratic Joseph H. Conlin 4,725 7.32
Total votes 64,526 100.00

Progressive primary

Nominee

Results

Progressive primary results[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Orland S. Loomis 54,508 100.00
Total votes 54,508 100.00

Socialist primary

Nominee

Results

Socialist primary results[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Socialist Frank P. Zeidler 5,666 100.00
Total votes 5,666 100.00

Other party nominations

General election

Results

1942 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[10][11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Orland S. Loomis 397,664 49.65%
Republican Julius P. Heil (incumbent) 291,945 36.45%
Democratic William C. Sullivan 98,153 12.25%
Socialist Frank P. Zeidler 11,295 1.41%
Independent Communist Fred B. Blair 1,092 0.14%
Independent Socialist Labor Georgia Cozzini 490 0.06%
Scattering 346 0.04%
Majority 105,719 13.20%
Turnout 800,985 100.00%
Progressive gain from Republican Swing

Notes

  1. ^ Orland S. Loomis was elected in the 1942 election, but died before taking office. Per a ruling of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Goodland, who had been re-elected lieutenant governor in the same election, served as governor for the entire term.

References

  1. ^ "Goodland Governor By Wisconsin Ruling; Court Holds Lieutenant Governor Must Fill Death Vacancy". New York Times. December 30, 1942. p. E10.
  2. ^ Richardson, Darcy G. (November 10, 2012). "Time Capsule: Wisconsin's Progressive Party Cheated by the Grim Reaper". Darcy Richardson’s Uncovered Politics. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Primary". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. September 9, 1942. p. 2. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d Wisconsin Blue Book 1944, p. 504.
  5. ^ "WI Governor, 1942 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  6. ^ "GOP Nominates Heil". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. September 16, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "These Men Seek State Nominations". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. September 13, 1942. p. 10. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "LaFollette, Once Progressive Chief Seeks GOP Nod". Dixon Evening Telegraph. Dixon, Illinois. August 12, 1946. p. 2. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  9. ^ "WI Governor, 1942 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  10. ^ Glashan 1979, pp. 342–343.
  11. ^ Wisconsin Blue Book 1944, p. 572.
  12. ^ "WI Governor, 1942". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 9, 2021.

Bibliography

  • Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Meckler Books. ISBN 0-930466-17-9.
  • Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1944). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1944. State of Wisconsin.
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