1888 Election Cycle

The race for president was the closest yet in Minnesota but GOP nominee Benjamin Harrison still carried the state by 14.5 points – his second best showing in the 10-state Midwest region only scoring a bigger victory in Kansas (24.2 points).

Republicans recorded another clean sweep of statewide offices with Lieutenant Governor Albert Rice, Secretary of State Hans Mattson, Attorney General Moses Clapp, and Treasurer Joseph Bobleter winning second terms by double-digits and state Representative William Merriam holding the governorship for his party with a 9.2-point victory over former U.S. Representative, Minneapolis Mayor, and state Senator Eugene Wilson.

Republicans also swept all five congressional races – knocking three Democratic freshmen out of office in the 1st (Mark Dunnell), 3rd (John Louis (J.L.) MacDonald), and 4th (Edmund Rice) CDs.

Chief Justice James Gilfillan and appointed Associate Justice Loren Collins were reelected to the Supreme Court in the last cycle of nonpartisan elections for the Court until 1912.

Elections

Date Office Stage Winners Details
11/06/1888 State House, District 27 General John H. Ives (Democrat) won with 1,398 votes (50.69%) and a winning margin of +18.17
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
John H. Ives Man Democrat 1,398 50.69
James A. Johnson Man Republican 897 32.52
P.H. Thornton Man Reform Democrat 372 13.49
James K. Erskine Man Prohibition 32 1.16
Gustav (G.) Kemper Man Independent 22 0.80

St. Paul, 1st and 4th precincts of 4th Ward.

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11/06/1888 State House, District 27 General Gebhard Willrich (Republican) won with 1,989 votes (42.30%) and a winning margin of +6.21
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Gebhard Willrich Man Republican 1,989 42.30
John H. Bayer Man Democrat 1,697 36.09
Louis A. (L.A.) Normandin Man Reform Democrat 384 8.17
Newton R. (N.R.) Frost Man Independent 273 5.81
George W. Hall Man Independent 159 3.38
Peter Max Man Farm and Labor 99 2.11

St. Paul, 2nd and 3rd precincts of 4th Ward.

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11/06/1888 State House, District 27 General William F. Bickel (Republican) won with 1,339 votes (52.08%) and a winning margin of +12.25
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
William F. Bickel Man Republican 1,339 52.08
John S. Grode Man Democrat 1,024 39.83
Robert G. MacKay Man Independent 137 5.33
R.P. Bentley Man Independent 22 0.86

St. Paul, 3rd Ward.

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11/06/1888 State House, District 27 General Hiram F. Stevens (Republican) won with 3,552 votes (83.95%) and a winning margin of +72.73
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Hiram F. Stevens Man Republican 3,552 83.95
James McGuire Man Reform Democrat 475 11.23
Chris Gaefke Man Farm and Labor 160 3.78
Robert P. Lewis Man Independent 9 0.21

St. Paul, 2nd and 6th Wards.

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11/06/1888 State House, District 31 General Robert J. (R.J.) Faricy (Democrat) won with 1,903 votes (65.04%) and a winning margin of +30.08
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Robert J. (R.J.) Faricy Man Democrat 1,903 65.04
William Wilson Man Republican-People's 1,023 34.96
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