Gunderson was a St. Paul city employee. Gunderson was pressured to withdraw from the race by the Women's Farmer-Labor Federation after defeating Senator Naplin in the primary. The Federation had pressured the party to repudiate Gunderson as its nominee and place Mrs. Marian LeSueuer on the ticket by petition instead but eventually relented by late August 1934.
Naplin was a former school teacher from Thief River Falls and sitting state Senator (SD 65, 1927-1935). Naplin was the party-endorsed candidate.