Governor, 1894 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knute Nelson Incumbent | Man | Republican | 147,943 | 49.94 | +20.27 |
| Sidney (S.M.) Owen | Man | People's | 87,890 | 29.67 | |
| George L. Becker | Man | Democrat | 53,584 | 18.09 | |
| Hans (H.S.) Hilleboe | Man | Prohibition | 6,832 | 2.31 |
This was the first of several gubernatorial elections in Minnesota history in which a major party did not place first or second.
Governor Nelson was reelection to a second term, however he resigned on January 31, 1895 to become U.S. Senator (1895-1923). Minneapolis lumberman, former state Senator (SD 28, 1887-1891), and Lieutenant Governor (1893-1895) David Clough took Nelson’s seat. p>Owen was a Minneapolis farm journal editor and Farmer’s Alliance 1890 gubernatorial nominee.
Becker was a lawyer from St. Paul, former St. Paul City Councilman (1854-1856), former Mayor of St. Paul (1856), and Democratic gubernatorial nominee (1859). Becker was also a candidate in 1857 for one of an expected three at-large U.S. House seats and placed third, but when Minnesota received only two seats in 1858, the top three finishers drew lots and Becker came up short.
Hilleboe, a professor and principal at the Minnesota Lutheran Seminary and Institute in Willmar, was the Prohibition Party nominee for Secretary of State in 1890.
Related Reports
Sources
- The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota, 1895 (p. 463).