Governor, 1938 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harold E. Stassen | Man | Republican | 678,839 | 59.92 | +25.74 |
| Elmer A. Benson Incumbent | Man | Farmer-Labor | 387,263 | 34.18 | |
| Thomas F. Gallagher | Man | Democrat | 65,875 | 5.81 | |
| John William Castle | Man | Industrial | 899 | 0.08 |
Governor Benson was the first incumbent to lose a reelection bid since Republican Adolph Eberthart in 1914 and first incumbent to lose a general election since Democrat-People’s Governor John Lind in 1900.
Stassen was District Attorney of Dakota County (1931-1938). Gallagher was a Minneapolis attorney and Democratic nominee for Attorney General in 1936 who was later elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court where he served four terms (1943-1967).
Castle was a resident of Winona, painter and decorator, and Industrial gubernatorial nominee in 1940. Castle was nominated by petition.
Related Reports
- Pathway to the Governor’s Mansion in Minnesota, Part IV: Age (October 29, 2009)
Sources
- The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota, 1939 (Abstract of Votes Polled for State Officers By Counties).