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 County results Clough: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Lind: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1896 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1896.Republican Party of Minnesota incumbentDavid Marston Clough narrowly defeatedDemocratic Party of Minnesota challengerJohn Lind. Lind later won the1898 gubernatorial election and became the first Democrat elected to the office ofGovernor of Minnesota sinceHenry Hastings Sibley left office in 1860. 1896 was the first of three successive elections in which Lind ran for governor at the head of a coalition consisting of the Democratic Party and the majority faction of thePeople's Party.
In the Republican primary, Incumbent Clough would prevail with 40 delegates. In second place, with 33, wasJohn L. Gibbs.Moses Clapp,Samuel Rinnah Van Sant, andWilliam E. Lee would each have respectively fewer votes.[1]William Henry Eustis would also gain four delegates at end of voting.[2]
On August 1, 1896, the Democratic State Convention was held. Populist John Lind was nominated without opposition. Previous conservative candidateDaniel W. Lawler was denounced by the convention as the party now hoped for success running with, instead of against, the Populists.[3]
Lind, joking nicknamed 'Honest John' by Republicans, was accused by republicans of in 1881 collaborating with the County Commissioners ofBrown County to alter tax laws that would result in Lind being secretly personally enriched. No actual evidence to support this claim was ever brought forward.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | David Marston Clough (incumbent) | 165,806 | 49.17% | −0.77% | |
| Democratic-People's | John Lind | 162,254 | 48.11% | +30.02% | |
| Prohibition | William J. Dean | 5,154 | 1.53% | −0.77% | |
| Independent | A. A. Ames | 2,890 | 0.86% | n/a | |
| Socialist Labor | William B. Hammond | 1,125 | 0.33% | n/a | |
| Majority | 3,552 | 1.06% | |||
| Turnout | 337,229 | ||||
| Republicanhold | Swing | ||||
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