1930 Election Cycle

The Farmer-Labor Party scored its biggest victory to date winning the Governor’s mansion with Floyd Olson at the top of the ticket in an open seat race, handily defeating GOP state Auditor Ray Chase. Farmer-Laborites also won the open seat for Lieutenant Governor (Henry Arens). Republicans held the remaining statewide offices with Secretary of State Mike Holm, Attorney General Henry Benson, Treasurer Julius Schmahl, Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner Frank Matson, and Clerk of the Supreme Court Grace Kaerchner Davis. Stafford King also was victorious in the open seat race for Auditor. Democrats did not field nominees for Lieutenant Governor and Clerk of the Supreme Court.

In federal races, Republican U.S. Senator Thomas Schall defeated Democrat Einar Hoidale by less than two points in the best showing for the Democrats in the direct election era. All 10 U.S. Representatives – nine Republicans and one Farmer-Laborite – won reelection this cycle.

In nonpartisan races, Andrew Holt and Royal Stone were reelected Associate Justices of the Supreme Court.

Elections

Date Office Stage Winners Details
11/04/1930 Secretary of State General Mike Holm (Republican) won with 487,695 votes (63.66%) and a winning margin of +36.30
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Mike Holm Incumbent Man Republican 487,695 63.66
Anna Olson Determan Woman Farmer-Labor 209,596 27.36
Mary MacGregor Woman Democrat 56,535 7.38
Henry Bartlett Man Communist 12,326 1.61

Secretary of State Holm was reelected to a sixth term.

Determan was the wife of three-term Litchfield Mayor Bernard Determan. Determan was a prominent public speaker and first president of the Litchfield League of Women Voters.

MacGregor was a resident of Duluth, 9th CD delegate to the 1920 Democratic convention, and relative of former U.S. Senators John W. Daniel of Virginia and George Vest of Missouri.

Barlett was a resident of St. Paul and nominated by petition.

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11/04/1930 Lieutenant Governor General Henry Arens (Farmer-Labor) won with 358,385 votes (50.14%) and a winning margin of +2.33
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Henry Arens Man Farmer-Labor 358,385 50.14
John H. Hougen Man Republican 341,718 47.80
Andrew Roine Man Communist 14,719 2.06

The Farmer-Labor victory ended a string of 29 consecutive Republican wins for Lieutenant Governor in the state.

Arens was a farmer from Jordan, former state Representative (HD 21, 1919-1923), and sitting state Senator (SD 21, 1923-1931). He would later get elected to the U.S. House (At-large, 1933-1935).

Hougen was an attorney from Fisher and sitting state Senator (SD 66, 1927-1931).

Roine was a resident of Angora and nominated by petition.

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11/04/1930 Governor General Floyd B. Olson (Farmer-Labor) won with 473,154 votes (59.34%) and a winning margin of +23.03
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Floyd B. Olson Man Farmer-Labor 473,154 59.34
Raymond P. (Ray) Chase Man Republican 289,528 36.31
Edward Indrehus Man Democrat 29,109 3.65
Karl Reeve Man Communist 5,594 0.70

Olson was an attorney from Minneapolis, Hennepin County Attorney (1920-1930), and Farmer-Laborite nominee for governor in 1924.

Chase was a former Anoka municipal judge (1911-1916), deputy state Auditor (1916-1921), and state Auditor (1921-1931). He would later win election to the U.S. House (AL, 1933-1935) and the state Railroad and Warehouse Commission (1944-1948).

Indrehus was a farmer from Foley, former state Representative (HD 45, 1915-1919), candidate for governor in 1920, and Democratic gubernatorial nominee in 1922.

Reeve was a resident of St. Paul and former St. Paul mayoral candidate. Reeve was nominated by petition.

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11/04/1930 U.S. House, District 10 General Godfrey G. Goodwin (Republican) won with 38,391 votes (49.53%) and a winning margin of +1.56
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Godfrey G. Goodwin Incumbent Man Republican 38,391 49.53
Erling Swenson Man Farmer-Labor 37,182 47.97
David Moses Man Communist 1,931 2.49
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11/04/1930 Attorney General General Henry N. Benson (Republican) won with 358,955 votes (51.16%) and a winning margin of +14.59
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Henry N. Benson Incumbent Man Republican 358,955 51.16
Joseph B. Himsl Man Farmer-Labor 256,581 36.57
Walter F. Dacey Man Democrat 86,037 12.26

Benson was a former state Senator (SD 20, 1911-1915; SD 15, 1915-1923) and St. Peter attorney who was appointed attorney general by Governor Theodore Christianson in November 1929 after the resignation of Gustaf (G. Aaron) Youngquist.

Himsl, a probate court judge, was a former Stearns County Attorney.

Dacey was an attorney in Duluth.

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