1942 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
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 County results Loomis: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Heil: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Wisconsin |
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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.
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Julius P. Heil, incumbent governor
Eliminated in primary
[edit]- 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[1]
Results
[edit]| 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% | ||
Progressive primary
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Orland S. Loomis, former Attorney General of Wisconsin (1937–1939) and nominee for governor in 1940
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | Orland S. Loomis | 54,508 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 54,508 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Raymond J. Cannon, former U.S. Representative
- Joseph H. Conlin, concert singer[5]
- Stanley Z. Fajkowski, former tavern keeper[6]
- Gustav J. Keller, Democratic nominee for Attorney General of Wisconsin in 1940
- Albert J. Wilde, real estate broker[5]
Results
[edit]| 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% | ||
Socialist primary
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Frank P. Zeidler, former county surveyor, member of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors[5]
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socialist | Frank P. Zeidler | 5,666 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 5,666 | 100.00% | ||
Other party nominations
[edit]- Fred Basset Blair, Independent Communist, Communist nominee for governor in 1932 and 1940
- Georgia Cozzini, Independent Socialist Labor
General election
[edit]Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | Orland S. Loomis | 397,664 | 49.65% | +9.87% | |
| Republican | Julius P. Heil (incumbent) | 291,945 | 36.45% | −4.22% | |
| Democratic | William C. Sullivan | 98,153 | 12.25% | −7.04% | |
| Socialist | Frank P. Zeidler | 11,295 | 1.41% | ||
| Communist[b] | Fred Basset Blair | 1,092 | 0.14% | −0.03% | |
| Socialist Labor[c] | Georgia Cozzini | 490 | 0.06% | −0.02% | |
| Scattering[d] | 346 | 0.04% | |||
| Majority | 105,719 | 13.20% | |||
| Total votes | 800,985 | 100.00% | |||
| Progressive gain from Republican | Swing | +14.09% | |||
Results by county
[edit]Shawano County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1879 while Lafayette County and Price County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1892.
| County[8][9] | Orland S. Loomis Progressive |
Julius P. Heil Republican |
William C. Sullivan Democratic |
Frank P. Zeidler Socialist |
All Others Various |
Margin[e] | Total votes cast | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,223 | 62.02% | 632 | 32.05% | 99 | 5.02% | 13 | 0.66% | 5 | 0.25% | 591 | 29.97% | 1,972 |
| Ashland | 3,443 | 59.52% | 1,808 | 31.25% | 486 | 8.40% | 25 | 0.43% | 23 | 0.40% | 1,635 | 28.26% | 5,785 |
| Barron | 4,179 | 64.15% | 1,986 | 30.49% | 296 | 4.54% | 32 | 0.49% | 21 | 0.32% | 2,193 | 33.67% | 6,514 |
| Bayfield | 2,490 | 60.79% | 1,234 | 30.13% | 325 | 7.93% | 32 | 0.78% | 15 | 0.37% | 1,256 | 30.66% | 4,096 |
| Brown | 7,527 | 39.26% | 7,223 | 37.68% | 4,328 | 22.58% | 85 | 0.44% | 8 | 0.04% | 304 | 1.59% | 19,171 |
| Buffalo | 2,284 | 58.93% | 1,476 | 38.08% | 97 | 2.50% | 17 | 0.44% | 2 | 0.05% | 808 | 20.85% | 3,876 |
| Burnett | 1,653 | 64.42% | 777 | 30.28% | 110 | 4.29% | 17 | 0.66% | 9 | 0.35% | 876 | 34.14% | 2,566 |
| Calumet | 1,638 | 36.68% | 1,987 | 44.49% | 796 | 17.82% | 40 | 0.90% | 5 | 0.11% | -349 | -7.81% | 4,466 |
| Chippewa | 4,430 | 49.08% | 4,081 | 45.21% | 480 | 5.32% | 22 | 0.24% | 13 | 0.14% | 349 | 3.87% | 9,026 |
| Clark | 4,220 | 57.26% | 2,707 | 36.73% | 383 | 5.20% | 45 | 0.61% | 15 | 0.20% | 1,513 | 20.53% | 7,370 |
| Columbia | 4,852 | 59.43% | 2,755 | 33.75% | 514 | 6.30% | 37 | 0.45% | 6 | 0.07% | 2,097 | 25.69% | 8,164 |
| Crawford | 1,675 | 29.81% | 2,521 | 44.87% | 1,393 | 24.80% | 28 | 0.50% | 1 | 0.02% | -846 | -15.06% | 5,618 |
| Dane | 30,394 | 74.05% | 8,841 | 21.54% | 1,577 | 3.84% | 207 | 0.50% | 24 | 0.06% | 21,553 | 52.51% | 41,043 |
| Dodge | 6,696 | 47.79% | 5,248 | 37.46% | 1,937 | 13.82% | 121 | 0.86% | 9 | 0.06% | 1,448 | 10.33% | 14,011 |
| Door | 1,582 | 47.84% | 1,433 | 43.33% | 265 | 8.01% | 20 | 0.60% | 7 | 0.21% | 149 | 4.51% | 3,307 |
| Douglas | 7,397 | 57.89% | 3,429 | 26.84% | 1,832 | 14.34% | 82 | 0.64% | 38 | 0.30% | 3,968 | 31.05% | 12,778 |
| Dunn | 2,989 | 52.50% | 2,450 | 43.04% | 220 | 3.86% | 17 | 0.30% | 17 | 0.30% | 539 | 9.47% | 5,693 |
| Eau Claire | 5,438 | 54.66% | 4,063 | 40.84% | 382 | 3.84% | 55 | 0.55% | 10 | 0.10% | 1,375 | 13.82% | 9,948 |
| Florence | 334 | 39.86% | 350 | 41.77% | 148 | 17.66% | 2 | 0.24% | 4 | 0.48% | -16 | -1.91% | 838 |
| Fond du Lac | 6,333 | 42.67% | 6,395 | 43.09% | 1,972 | 13.29% | 107 | 0.72% | 35 | 0.24% | -62 | -0.42% | 14,842 |
| Forest | 1,266 | 46.84% | 663 | 24.53% | 736 | 27.23% | 29 | 1.07% | 9 | 0.33% | 530[f] | 19.61% | 2,703 |
| Grant | 6,583 | 49.15% | 5,400 | 40.31% | 1,319 | 9.85% | 59 | 0.44% | 34 | 0.25% | 1,183 | 8.83% | 13,395 |
| Green | 3,667 | 58.95% | 2,200 | 35.36% | 292 | 4.69% | 37 | 0.59% | 25 | 0.40% | 1,467 | 23.58% | 6,221 |
| Green Lake | 1,541 | 39.78% | 1,727 | 44.58% | 584 | 15.07% | 15 | 0.39% | 7 | 0.18% | -186 | -4.80% | 3,874 |
| Iowa | 3,588 | 62.14% | 1,819 | 31.50% | 310 | 5.37% | 27 | 0.47% | 30 | 0.52% | 1,769 | 30.64% | 5,774 |
| Iron | 1,850 | 52.10% | 1,086 | 30.58% | 549 | 15.46% | 45 | 1.27% | 21 | 0.59% | 764 | 21.52% | 3,551 |
| Jackson | 3,157 | 69.69% | 1,237 | 27.31% | 121 | 2.67% | 12 | 0.26% | 3 | 0.07% | 1,920 | 42.38% | 4,530 |
| Jefferson | 4,925 | 46.24% | 4,271 | 40.10% | 1,359 | 12.76% | 81 | 0.76% | 16 | 0.15% | 654 | 6.14% | 10,652 |
| Juneau | 3,553 | 72.04% | 1,198 | 24.29% | 162 | 3.28% | 19 | 0.39% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,355 | 47.75% | 4,932 |
| Kenosha | 6,512 | 37.93% | 7,362 | 42.88% | 3,006 | 17.51% | 217 | 1.26% | 72 | 0.42% | -850 | -4.95% | 17,169 |
| Kewaunee | 1,522 | 33.89% | 1,903 | 42.37% | 1,033 | 23.00% | 27 | 0.60% | 6 | 0.13% | -381 | -8.48% | 4,491 |
| La Crosse | 7,611 | 50.99% | 6,209 | 41.60% | 1,028 | 6.89% | 55 | 0.37% | 23 | 0.15% | 1,402 | 9.39% | 14,926 |
| Lafayette | 2,145 | 43.74% | 2,155 | 43.94% | 585 | 11.93% | 13 | 0.27% | 6 | 0.12% | -10 | -0.20% | 4,904 |
| Langlade | 2,195 | 38.38% | 2,034 | 35.57% | 1,424 | 24.90% | 49 | 0.86% | 17 | 0.30% | 161 | 2.82% | 5,719 |
| Lincoln | 3,871 | 60.51% | 2,093 | 32.72% | 327 | 5.11% | 76 | 1.19% | 30 | 0.47% | 1,778 | 27.79% | 6,397 |
| Manitowoc | 8,292 | 52.83% | 5,613 | 35.76% | 1,656 | 10.55% | 126 | 0.80% | 10 | 0.06% | 2,679 | 17.07% | 15,697 |
| Marathon | 7,684 | 47.01% | 6,442 | 39.42% | 1,881 | 11.51% | 315 | 1.93% | 22 | 0.13% | 1,242 | 7.60% | 16,344 |
| Marinette | 2,140 | 27.40% | 4,063 | 52.02% | 1,545 | 19.78% | 56 | 0.72% | 6 | 0.08% | -1,923 | -24.62% | 7,810 |
| Marquette | 1,014 | 38.75% | 1,275 | 48.72% | 307 | 11.73% | 14 | 0.53% | 7 | 0.27% | -261 | -9.97% | 2,617 |
| Milwaukee | 103,650 | 50.83% | 62,701 | 30.75% | 30,230 | 14.82% | 6,546 | 3.21% | 787 | 0.39% | 40,949 | 20.08% | 203,914 |
| Monroe | 3,924 | 60.24% | 2,206 | 33.87% | 337 | 5.17% | 38 | 0.58% | 9 | 0.14% | 1,718 | 26.37% | 6,514 |
| Oconto | 3,222 | 42.57% | 3,004 | 39.69% | 1,284 | 16.97% | 52 | 0.69% | 6 | 0.08% | 218 | 2.88% | 7,568 |
| Oneida | 2,950 | 59.75% | 1,475 | 29.88% | 449 | 9.09% | 55 | 1.11% | 8 | 0.16% | 1,475 | 29.88% | 4,937 |
| Outagamie | 4,495 | 26.14% | 7,780 | 45.25% | 4,754 | 27.65% | 155 | 0.90% | 9 | 0.05% | -3,026[g] | -17.60% | 17,193 |
| Ozaukee | 2,810 | 53.00% | 1,848 | 34.85% | 570 | 10.75% | 63 | 1.19% | 11 | 0.21% | 962 | 18.14% | 5,302 |
| Pepin | 673 | 46.45% | 690 | 47.62% | 79 | 5.45% | 4 | 0.28% | 3 | 0.21% | -17 | -1.17% | 1,449 |
| Pierce | 2,372 | 48.98% | 2,285 | 47.18% | 169 | 3.49% | 11 | 0.23% | 6 | 0.12% | 87 | 1.80% | 4,843 |
| Polk | 4,277 | 68.88% | 1,708 | 27.51% | 194 | 3.12% | 22 | 0.35% | 8 | 0.13% | 2,569 | 41.38% | 6,209 |
| Portage | 3,648 | 38.12% | 2,468 | 25.79% | 3,386 | 35.38% | 60 | 0.63% | 8 | 0.08% | 262[f] | 2.74% | 9,570 |
| Price | 2,269 | 43.01% | 2,320 | 43.98% | 552 | 10.46% | 64 | 1.21% | 70 | 1.33% | -51 | -0.97% | 5,275 |
| Racine | 11,673 | 44.04% | 11,000 | 41.50% | 3,500 | 13.21% | 271 | 1.02% | 61 | 0.23% | 673 | 2.54% | 26,505 |
| Richland | 2,417 | 48.73% | 2,116 | 42.66% | 385 | 7.76% | 14 | 0.28% | 28 | 0.56% | 301 | 6.07% | 4,960 |
| Rock | 8,306 | 48.29% | 7,662 | 44.55% | 1,153 | 6.70% | 50 | 0.29% | 29 | 0.17% | 644 | 3.74% | 17,200 |
| Rusk | 2,271 | 50.91% | 1,740 | 39.00% | 402 | 9.01% | 33 | 0.74% | 15 | 0.34% | 531 | 11.90% | 4,461 |
| Sauk | 5,390 | 57.89% | 3,319 | 35.65% | 500 | 5.37% | 70 | 0.75% | 32 | 0.34% | 2,071 | 22.24% | 9,311 |
| Sawyer | 1,255 | 42.33% | 1,349 | 45.50% | 334 | 11.26% | 20 | 0.67% | 7 | 0.24% | -94 | -3.17% | 2,965 |
| Shawano | 2,163 | 34.33% | 3,415 | 54.21% | 642 | 10.19% | 77 | 1.22% | 3 | 0.05% | -1,252 | -19.87% | 6,300 |
| Sheboygan | 7,653 | 37.11% | 8,499 | 41.22% | 3,894 | 18.88% | 518 | 2.51% | 57 | 0.28% | -846 | -4.10% | 20,621 |
| St. Croix | 3,098 | 49.62% | 2,359 | 37.78% | 751 | 12.03% | 32 | 0.51% | 4 | 0.06% | 739 | 11.84% | 6,244 |
| Taylor | 2,537 | 47.75% | 1,962 | 36.93% | 648 | 12.20% | 138 | 2.60% | 28 | 0.53% | 575 | 10.82% | 5,313 |
| Trempealeau | 3,204 | 62.27% | 1,683 | 32.71% | 243 | 4.72% | 9 | 0.17% | 6 | 0.12% | 1,521 | 29.56% | 5,145 |
| Vernon | 4,508 | 65.14% | 2,164 | 31.27% | 228 | 3.29% | 20 | 0.29% | 1 | 0.01% | 2,344 | 33.87% | 6,921 |
| Vilas | 1,308 | 40.71% | 1,134 | 35.29% | 723 | 22.50% | 33 | 1.03% | 15 | 0.47% | 174 | 5.42% | 3,213 |
| Walworth | 3,171 | 31.88% | 5,759 | 57.90% | 966 | 9.71% | 43 | 0.43% | 7 | 0.07% | -2,588 | -26.02% | 9,946 |
| Washburn | 1,466 | 55.28% | 999 | 37.67% | 170 | 6.41% | 12 | 0.45% | 5 | 0.19% | 467 | 17.61% | 2,652 |
| Washington | 2,827 | 40.17% | 3,231 | 45.91% | 902 | 12.82% | 78 | 1.11% | 0 | 0.00% | -404 | -5.74% | 7,038 |
| Waukesha | 7,999 | 47.24% | 7,475 | 44.15% | 1,299 | 7.67% | 147 | 0.87% | 12 | 0.07% | 524 | 3.09% | 16,932 |
| Waupaca | 3,423 | 47.25% | 3,149 | 43.46% | 601 | 8.30% | 63 | 0.87% | 9 | 0.12% | 274 | 3.78% | 7,245 |
| Waushara | 1,178 | 38.36% | 1,577 | 51.35% | 272 | 8.86% | 27 | 0.88% | 17 | 0.55% | -399 | -12.99% | 3,071 |
| Winnebago | 7,000 | 38.44% | 8,949 | 49.14% | 2,023 | 11.11% | 202 | 1.11% | 36 | 0.20% | -1,949 | -10.70% | 18,210 |
| Wood | 6,634 | 59.40% | 3,773 | 33.78% | 649 | 5.81% | 92 | 0.82% | 20 | 0.18% | 2,861 | 25.62% | 11,168 |
| Total | 397,664 | 49.65% | 291,945 | 36.45% | 98,153 | 12.25% | 11,295 | 1.41% | 1,928 | 0.24% | 105,719 | 13.20% | 800,985 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Progressive
[edit]- Brown
- Chippewa
- Clark
- Dodge
- Door
- Green
- Jefferson
- La Crosse
- Langlade
- Manitowoc
- Marathon
- Oconto
- Ozaukee
- Pierce
- Racine
- Richland
- Rock
- Rusk
- St. Croix
- Taylor
- Vilas
- Waukesha
- Waupaca
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Progressive
[edit]Counties that flipped from Progressive to Republican
[edit]Aftermath
[edit]State ex rel. Martin v. Heil
[edit]Following the certification of Loomis' election to the governor's office, he had begun holding necessary budget hearings, meeting with advisors and doing other duties tasked to the governor-elect. On December 7, 1942, He died suddenly of a heart attack a month before he was to take office.[10]
In response to Loomis' death, both Heil and Goodland filed suit with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, with both arguing they were entitled to hold the office Loomis was elected to. Heil and many Republican leaders in the state argued that he should continue to serve as governor after the expiration of his term until a successor could be appointed or elected.[11] Goodland on the other hand argued that as the lieutenant governor-elect, he was entitled to act as governor under the laws of Wisconsin at the time.
On December 29, the court reached a unanimous 6-0 decison.[12] In an opinion authored by justice John D. Wickhem, the court ruled that Goodland would serve as acting governor for the duration of Loomis' term.[13][14][15]
Notes
[edit]- ^ 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.
- ^ "Independent Communist"
- ^ "Independent Socialist Labor"
- ^ These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.
- ^ All margins are Loomis over Heil unless otherwise noted
- ^ a b Loomis's margin over Sullivan
- ^ Heil's margin over Sullivan
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Primary". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. September 9, 1942. p. 2. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c d The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1944). "Primary Vote For Governor By Counties". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1944. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 504.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "WI Governor, 1942 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ "GOP Nominates Heil". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. September 16, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c "These Men Seek State Nominations". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. September 13, 1942. p. 10. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ "LaFollette, Once Progressive Chief Seeks GOP Nod". Dixon Evening Telegraph. Dixon, Illinois. August 12, 1946. p. 2. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ "WI Governor, 1942 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers - Election of State Officers - November 3, 1942
- ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1944). "Summary Vote For Governor By Counties". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1944. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 572.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Register of the Orland S. Loomis Papers, 1909-1945". University of Wisconsin–Madison. Retrieved March 29, 2025 – via Archival Resources in Wisconsin: Descriptive Finding Aids.
- ^ Richardson, Darcy (November 10, 2012). "Time Capsule: Wisconsin's Progressive Party Cheated by the Grim Reaper". Uncovered Politics. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ "Statistics on Wisconsin Supreme Court Decisions, 1942-43" (PDF). Wisconsin Supreme Court. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ^ "Former justices: Justice John D. Wickhem". Wisconsin Supreme Court. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ^ "State ex rel. Martin v. Heil". Casetext.com. December 29, 1942. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
...we are of the view that on the first Monday of January, 1943, the powers and duties of the office of governor will devolve upon Walter S. Goodland, the duly elected lieutenant governor, for the entire term for which Mr. Loomis was elected.
- ^ "Goodland Governor By Wisconsin Ruling; Court Holds Lieutenant Governor Must Fill Death Vacancy". New York Times. December 30, 1942. p. E10.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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.