Hoidale was an attorney and former state Commissioner of Agriculture, Dairy and Food from Minneapolis, former prosecuting attorney of Brown County (1900-1906), former judge advocate of the state militia (1900-1908), Democratic candidate for the 5th CD in 1910 and 1912, Democratic nominee for the 5th CD in 1929, Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1930, and a U.S. Representative (At-large, 1933-1935).
Lohmann was an attorney from St. Paul, former state American Legion commander, and Farmer-Labor candidate for Attorney General in 1940.