Republicans dominated again at the ballot box although there was one incumbent electoral casualty. Lieutenant Governor C. Elmer Anderson was defeated in the GOP primary by state Dairy and Food Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture Edward Thye. Republicans swept statewide offices in November with Governor Harold Stassen, Secretary of State Mike Holm, Auditor Stafford King, Attorney General J.A.A. Burnquist, Treasurer Julius Schmahl, and Clerk of the Supreme Court Grace Kaercher Davis winning reelection, Thye holding the Lieutenant Governorship, and William Nolan winning an open seat on the Railroad and Warehouse Commission. Governor Stassen resigned on April 27, 1943 to enter the U.S. Navy and serve in World War II with Thye succeeding him.
Republicans won both U.S. Senate elections on the ballot. Arthur Nelson won the special election to fill the remaining two months of the term for the seat of the late Farmer-Laborite Ernest Lundeen who died in August 1940. Senator Joseph Ball, who was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Lundeen’s death, opted to only run for the full six-year term and won easily. In U.S. House contests, Walter Judd defeated freshman Oscar Youngdahl in the 5th CD GOP primary. Republicans held all eight seats in the general with Harold Hagen holding the open 9th CD for the Farmer-Labor Party.
Luther Youngdahl and Thomas Gallagher won two open seats on the Supreme Court with incumbent Royal Stone dying in office following the September primary but prior to the general election.
Elections
Date
Office
Stage
Winners
Details
12/30/1942
State House, District 07
Special Primary
Edward O. (E.O.) Lund (Nonpartisan) won with 801 votes (40.72%) and a winning margin of +16.47
Ludwig B. (L.B.) Erdahl (Nonpartisan) won with 620 votes (31.52%) and a winning margin of +7.27
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Edward O. (E.O.) Lund
Man
Nonpartisan
801
40.72
Ludwig B. (L.B.) Erdahl
Man
Nonpartisan
620
31.52
Victor Schermerhorn
Man
Nonpartisan
477
24.25
Walt (W.J.) Werner
Man
Nonpartisan
69
3.51
Special primary election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Mitchel Perrizo who enlisted in the U.S. Navy and resigned from his seat after being elected to the 53rd Legislature. Lund was a banker from Bricelyn. Erdahl was a farmer from Frost. Schermerhorn was a produce buyer from Blue Earth. Werner was a salesman from Blue Earth.
Joseph H. Ball (Republican) won with 356,297 votes (46.98%) and a winning margin of +18.77
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Joseph H. Ball
Incumbent
Man
Republican
356,297
46.98
Elmer A. Benson
Man
Farmer-Labor
213,965
28.21
Martin A. Nelson
Man
Progressive
109,226
14.40
Edward Murphy
Man
Democrat
78,959
10.41
Senator Ball was a journalist from St. Paul. He did not run in the special election for the remaining two months of the unexpired term. Benson was a resident of Appleton, former state Commissioner of Securities (1933), Commissioner of Banks (1933-1935), appointed U.S. Senator (1935-1936), Governor (1937-1939), and U.S. Senate nominee in 1940.
Nelson was an attorney from Austin, GOP nominee for Governor in 1934 and 1936 and candidate in 1938 and 1942, GOP candidate for U.S. Senate in 1940, and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice (1953-1972). Nelson was nominated by petition.
Murphy was a resident of St. Paul and was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1940.
Arthur E. Nelson (Republican) won with 372,240 votes (56.12%) and a winning margin of +29.43
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Arthur E. Nelson
Man
Republican
372,240
56.12
Al Hansen
Man
Farmer-Labor
177,008
26.68
John E. (J.E.) O'Rourke
Man
Democrat
114,086
17.20
Special election on November 3, 1942 for the unexpired term ending January 3, 1943 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Farmer-Laborite Ernest Lundeen on August 31, 1940. The vacancy had been filled until the special election by the appointment of Republican Joseph H. Ball on October 14, 1940.
Nelson was an attorney from St. Paul, former Mayor of St. Paul (1922-1926), and Republican nominee for U.S. Senator in 1928.