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1940 United States Senate election in Minnesota

←  1934 November 5, 1940 1946 →
 
Nominee Henrik Shipstead Elmer A. Benson John E. Regan
Party Republican Farmer–Labor Democratic
Popular vote 641,049 310,875 248,658
Percentage 53.01% 25.71% 20.56%

County results
Shipstead:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Benson:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election

Henrik Shipstead
Farmer–Labor

Elected U.S. Senator

Henrik Shipstead
Republican

The 1940 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 5, 1940. Incumbent U.S. Senator Henrik Shipstead defected to the Republican Party of Minnesota from the Farmer–Labor Party of Minnesota, and defeated former Governor Elmer Benson of the Farmer–Labor Party and John E. Regan of the Minnesota Democratic Party to win a fourth term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Louis Erickson
  • John E. O'Rourke, Former Minnesota State Representative from the 27th district (1935-1937)
  • John E. Regan, 1932 Democratic gubernatorial nominee and former Minnesota State Representative from the 8th district (1931-1933)
  • Joseph Wolf

Results

Democratic primary election results [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John E. Regan 50,328 52.31%
Democratic Joseph Wolf 20,759 21.58%
Democratic Louis Erickson 13,966 14.52%
Democratic John E. O'Rourke 11,154 11.59%
Total votes 96,207 100.00%

Farmer–Labor primary

Candidates

Declared

Results

Farmer–Labor primary election results [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Farmer–Labor Elmer A. Benson 79,245 61.90%
Farmer–Labor George H. Lommen 48,781 38.10%
Total votes 128,026 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Results

Republican primary election results [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Henrik Shipstead (Incumbent) 168,876 51.37%
Republican Martin A. Nelson 97,812 29.75%
Republican Ray P. Chase 35,697 10.86%
Republican Ben Andreen 13,858 4.22%
Republican O. J. Hagen 5,810 1.77%
Republican Asher Howard 3,313 1.01%
Republican Michael Ferch 1,712 0.52%
Republican Engelberth Zeiner 1,660 0.50%
Total votes 328,738 100.00%

General election

Results

General election results [2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Henrik Shipstead (Incumbent) 641,049 53.01%
Farmer–Labor Elmer A. Benson 310,875 25.71%
Democratic John E. Regan 248,658 20.56%
Trotskyist Anti-War Grace Holmes Carlson 8,761 0.72%
Independent Carl Winter 256 0.02
Total votes 1,209,343 100.00%
Majority 330,174 27.30%
Republican gain from Farmer–Labor

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Primary Election Returns of Election held September 10, 1940" (PDF). Minnesota Legislature.
  2. ^ "General Election Returns for Minnesota - Tuesday, November Fifth, 1940" (PDF). Minnesota Legislature.