The 1940 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1940. Incumbent Republican Harold Stassen defeated Farmer–Labor Party challenger, and former governor, Hjalmar Petersen.

Stassen was seeking a second term. Petersen had served as governor from 1936-1937 after the death of Farmer-Laborite governor Floyd B. Olson. In 1936, Elmer Benson was elected governor, who would then lose his second term to Stassen in 1938. Petersen and Benson were political rivals following the death of Olson, with Petersen unsuccessfully challenging Benson in the Farmer-Labor primary of 1938. With Benson not running in 1940, Petersen found himself without major opposition within his party. Stassen, as a popular incumbent, found no serious opposition either. The Democrats, unable to win any state offices since 1914, had no clear strong candidates, and had placed third every election since 1918.

Republican Primary

Incumbent governor Harold Stassen won re-nomination without serious opposition in a landslide. Ernest F. Jacobson ran his campaign on a platform critical of Henrik Shipstead, a Farmer-Laborite who had recently won the Republican nomination for Senator. Jacobson believed Stassen should run against Shipstead in the senatorial primary, to prevent a Farmer-Laborite from entering the ranks of the Republican party, leaving Jacobson able to run for governor.[1]

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in Primary

  • Ernest F. Jacobson, Attorney
  • Arthur B. Gilbert, President of the Recovery League of Minnesota

Results

Republican Party of Minnesota primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Harold Stassen 301,508 89.90%
Republican Ernest F. Jacobson 24,209 7.22%
Republican Arthur B. Gilbert 9,658 2.88%
Total votes 335,375 100%

[2]

Farmer-Labor Primary

The Farmer-Labor Primary election was won by former governor Hjalmar Petersen. His only major opposition was Charles Egley. Egley considered Petersen too moderate, and openly sparred with pro-Petersen politicial William Mahoney. Egley considered Petersen as too similar to the Republicans, and would both sabotage the Farmer-Labor party internally but also hand the electoral victory to Stassen. Mahoney responded, falling short of calling Egley a communist, but called his campaign 'communist-inspired'. Petersen did not directly involve himself, allowing for Mahoney to argue for him to the press.[3]

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in Primary

  • Charles Egley, Representative of the Farmers Union Livestock Exchange
  • Edgar Bernard, Farmer and Republican primary candidate in 1934.
  • Jesse C. Becker

Results

Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Farmer–Labor Hjalmar Petersen 92,443 70.47%
Farmer–Labor Charles Egley 23,201 17.69%
Farmer–Labor Edgar Bernard 9,271 7.07%
Farmer–Labor Jesse C. Becker 6,258 4.77%
Total votes 131,173 100%

[4]

Democratic Primary

Murphy, a pro-Roosevelt candidate, won over Slen in an upset victory.[5] Slen was accused by Murphy and Sylvester McGovern of making a deal to, once nominated, drop out to support Petersen, resulting in his popularity suffering in the last week of the campaign.[6] Murphy was further boosted by an endorsement from congressman Elmer Ryan. Slen was supported by Joseph N. Moonan who was elected state chairman, now putting the candidate and party leadership at odds.[7]

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in Primary


Results

Democratic Party of Minnesota primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edward Murphy 34,463 36.08%
Democratic Theodor S. Slen 28,021 29.33%
Democratic John McGovern 21,795 22.82%
Democratic Sylvester McGovern 11,249 11.78%
Total votes 95,528 100%

[8]

Candidates

  • Edward Murphy, Attorney (Democrat)
  • Harold Stassen, Incumbent (Republican)
  • Hjalmar Petersen, Former Governor (Farmer-Labor)
  • John William Castle, Painter (Industrial)
  • Martin Mackie (write-in), Labor organizer (Communist)

Campaigns

Petersen opened his campaign on September 30, at a dinner in Mankato. Petersen's speech was spent attacking Stassen. He claimed that relief funds after a tornado in Anoka were misused, with one person's $600 damaged being compensated for with $3,341. Petersen spoke on how state financial reports are mandated under state law, but Stassen released none in his term, despite Stassen's claims of $18 million in saving and a 25% reduction in state employees. The actual number of savings was unknown, and the reduction in state employees was only 14%, of which almost all were cut from the highway department. Furthermore, the number of miles of highway paved by the highway department halved. Petersen went on to give explicit accusations of forgery and embezzlement by the Stassen administration. He called on liberal voters who voted for Roosevelt to put their support with progressives and leftists behind his campaign.[9]

Stassen spent little time campaigning after his primary victory, focusing his efforts mostly to supporting the elections of Henrik Shipstead and Wendell Willkie.

With the Farmer-Labor party falling victim to factionalism, Murphy attempted to consolidate the similarly divided and factional Democratic Party around him. He stated "If Minnesota Democrats will forget factionalism and petty jealousies, we will become the No. 1 party in Minnesota. I have no feeling against any Democrat or faction of Democrats. I invite and ask co-operation of all. I appreciate the clean, sportsman like campaigns conducted by my three (primary) opponents and their supporters and look forward to their help in November."[5]

Stassen was at an advantage with an 81% approval rate.[10]

Results

1940 Gubernatorial Election, Minnesota
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Harold Stassen (incumbent) 654,686 52.06% −7.86%
Farmer–Labor Hjalmar Petersen 459,609 36.55% +2.37%
Democratic Edward Murphy 140,021 11.13% +5.32%
Industrial John William Castle 3,175 0.25% +0.17%
Communist Martin Mackie (write-in) 360 0.03% n/a
Majority 195,077 15.51%
Turnout 1,257,851
Republican hold Swing

[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Jacobson Flays Stassen's Record". St. Paul Pioneer Press. August 31, 1940.
  2. ↑ "Governor, 1940 Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive.
  3. ↑ Ball, Joseph H. (September 6, 1940). "Egley Replies To Mahoney". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Governor, 1940 Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive.
  5. 1 2 "Murphy Pledges Support to Roosevelt". St. Paul Pioneer Press. September 12, 1940. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  6. ↑ "McGovern Charges Slen Withdrawal Deal". St. Paul Pioneer Press. September 8, 1940.
  7. ↑ Ball, Joseph H. (September 12, 1940). "Murphy Clinches Nomination". St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  8. ↑ "Governor, 1940 Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive.
  9. ↑ Ball, Joseph H. (October 1, 1940). "Petersen Opens Campaign With Blast at Stassen". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Gallup Analyzes Stassen's Position". The Minneapolis Star. May 1, 1943. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 23, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Governor, 1940 Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive.

Minnesota Historical Election Archive

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940_Minnesota_gubernatorial_election