1942 Election Cycle

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.

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11/03/1942 State Senate, District 01 General Henry A. Larson (Nonpartisan) won with 9,074 votes (100.00%) and a winning margin of +100.00
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Henry A. Larson Incumbent Man Nonpartisan 9,074 100.00
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11/03/1942 U.S. Senate General 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.

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11/03/1942 U.S. House, District 01 General August H. Andresen (Republican) won with 58,387 votes (66.23%) and a winning margin of +32.46
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
August H. Andresen Incumbent Man Republican 58,387 66.23
Harold R. Atwood Man Democrat 29,771 33.77
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11/03/1942 Clerk of the Supreme Court General Grace F. Kaercher (Republican) won with 362,760 votes (51.61%) and a winning margin of +25.18
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Grace F. Kaercher Incumbent Woman Republican 362,760 51.61
Katherine A. (Kate) Amundson Woman Farmer-Labor 185,742 26.43
Eugene A. O'Brien Man Democrat 154,376 21.96

Clerk of the Supreme Court Kaercher Davis was reelected to a fifth nonconsecutive term.

Amundson was a resident of Minneapolis and candidate for DFL Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner in 1946.

O'Brien was a resident of Excelsior.

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