1920 Minnesota gubernatorial election

← 1918 November 2, 1920 1922 →

Nominee J. A. O. Preus Henrik Shipstead Laurence C. Hodgson Party Republican Independent Democratic Popular vote 415,805 281,402 81,293 Percentage 53.06% 35.91% 10.37%

County results Preus:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Shipstead:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Tie:     Preus/Shipstead 30–40%

Governor before election J. A. A. Burnquist Republican Elected Governor J. A. O. Preus Republican

The1920 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1920.Republican Party of Minnesota candidateJ. A. O. Preus defeatedIndependent challenger'sHenrik Shipstead and theMayor ofSt. Paul,Laurence C. Hodgson. Shipstead narrowly lost to Preus in the Republican primary of that year^[1] and challenged him in the general, beating the Democratic nominee but coming far short of winning the general.

Shipstead would soon join theFarmer–Labor Party, which did not officially participate in this election, and would become the first party member to win statewide under that banner as Senator in 1922. The Farmer–Laborites would also become the main opposition party, replacing the Democrats, displacing them until the two parties' political union into theDFL in the 1944.

The Democratic Primary election was held on June 21, 1920.^[2]

• Laurence C. Hodgson,Mayor of St. Paul

• Charles M. Andrist, businessman, formerChief of Staff toGovernor Hammond, formerUniversity of Minnesota professor, Democratic nominee forLieutenant Governor in1914^[3]
• Robert W. Hargadine, former State Fire Marshal, former Campaign Manager forGovernor John A. Johnson^[4]
• Edward Indrehus, formerState Representative, Democratic nominee forSecretary of State in 1918^[5]
• Alfred Jaques,U.S. Attorney for theDistrict of Minnesota^[6]
• Oliver J. Quane, editor of the St. Peter Herald,Army Lieutenant Colonel inWorld War I, veteran of theSpanish-American War^[7]
• Julius Thorson, Democratic nominee forLieutenant Governor in1918, formerState Representative^[8]

• C. W. Stanton, district judge^[9]

^[10]

The Republican Primary election was held on June 21, 1920.^[2]

Shipstead was endorsed by theNonpartisan League andArthur C. Townley. Preus's campaign in the primary was focused on emphasizing that firstly, Preus and Shipstead were the only ones with a chance in the general election, and secondly that Shipstead was asocialist in disguise as a Republican, and that he was the only candidate to stop the rise of what he called 'Townleyism'.^[11] Preus's campaign slogan would become 'Down Socialism'. In a speech inMankato, he described the primary as "Americanism versus Socialism."^[12]

• J. A. O. Preus,State Auditor, former State Commissioner of Insurance^[13]

• Franklin F. Ellsworth,U.S. Representative, former County Attorney ofWatonwan County^[14]
• Thomas Frankson,Lieutenant Governor, formerState Representative^[15]
• Samuel G. Iverson, formerState Auditor, formerState Representative
• Thomas Keefe, businessman, attorney^[16]
• Henrik Shipstead, formerState Representative, former Mayor ofGlenwood^[17]

• Michael J. Dowling, formerSpeaker of the Minnesota House, former Mayor ofOlivia^[18][19] (endorsed Preus^[20])
• Dr. L. A. Fritsche, Mayor ofNew Ulm^[21][22]
• Fred E. Hadley, editor of the Winnebago Enterprise, member of the Republican State Committee^[23] (endorsed Preus^[20])
• Dr. Frank Nelson, president of Minnesota College, former Kansas Superintendent^[24][19] (endorsed Preus^[20])
• W. F. Schilling, farmer^[25]
• Julius A. Schmahl,Secretary of State^[19]

• Ernest Lundeen, formerU.S. Representative, formerState Representative^[21]

Following his defeat in the Republican primary, Shipstead would begin his campaign running as an independent on September 20, 1920.^[26]

Preus would be successful among independents, who were the deciding demographic in the election. This was the first time a gubernatorial in Minnesota would be decided by independents.^[27] On October 21, 1920,William J. Mayo, a Democrat, endorsed Preus.^[28]

• List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections

• http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=653
• http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=657
• http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=62566

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