Clifford Peterson's loss was the 12th defeat by a Railroad / Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner at the ballot box following Anti-Monopolist Alonzo Edgerton in 1875, Republican-turned-Prohibitionist William Marshall in 1881, Democratic-People's nominees Peter Rindal and Thomas Knox in 1900, Republican Christian Laurisch in 1934, Republican Frank Matson in 1936, Farmer-Laborite Harold Atwood in 1938, Farmer-Laborite Charles Munn in 1940, Republican Rollin Johnson in the 1944 GOP primary and 1948 general election, and Republican Elling Knutson in 1952's GOP primary.
Hjalmar Petersen was an editor and publisher from Askov, a former state Representative (HD 56, 1931-1935), former Farmer-Labor Lieutenant Governor (1935-1936), former Farmer-Labor Governor (1936-1937), former Farmer-Labor Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner (1937-1943), Farmer-Labor candidate for Governor in 1938, Farmer-Labor nominee for Governor in 1940 and 1942, Republican candidate for Governor in 1946, DFL candidate for Governor in 1950, and DFL candidate for U.S. Senate in 1958
Gallagher was a truck operator from Minneapolis and DFL nominee for Clerk of the Supreme Court in 1950.
Orville Pederson was a resident of Minneapolis and transport driver for Schirmer Transportation Co.
Jorgenson was a resident of Minneapolis, laborer for the Twin Cities sanitary district, former Minneapolis Alderman (4th Ward), and DFL nominee for Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner in 1952.
Connolly was a resident of St. Paul and a machine operator at Minnesota Mining and Manufactoring Co.