Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. was an American pharmacist and politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Minnesota from 1949 to 1964 and 1971 to 1978. As a senator he was a major leader of modern liberalism in the United States. As President Lyndon B. Johnson's vice president, he supported the controversial Vietnam War. An intensely divided Democratic Party nominated him in the 1968 presidential election, which he lost to Republican nominee Richard Nixon.
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is the Minnesota affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party. As of 2023, it controls four of Minnesota's eight U.S. House seats, both of its U.S. Senate seats, the Minnesota House of Representatives and Senate, and all other statewide offices, including the governorship, making it the dominant party in the state.
Elmer Austin Benson was an American lawyer and politician from Minnesota. In 1935, Benson was appointed to the U.S. Senate following the death of Thomas Schall. He served as the 24th governor of Minnesota, defeating Republican Martin Nelson in a landslide in Minnesota's 1936 gubernatorial election. He lost the governorship two years later to Republican Harold Stassen in the 1938 gubernatorial election.
Joseph Hurst Ball was an American journalist, politician and businessman. Ball served as a Republican senator from Minnesota from 1940 to 1949. He was a conservative in domestic policy and a leading foe of labor unions. He helped draft the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947. Ball was best known for his internationalism and his support for a postwar world organization, that became the United Nations. However, after 1945, he was an opponent of the Marshall Plan.
The Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party (FL) was a left-wing American political party in Minnesota between 1918 and 1944. Largely dominating Minnesota politics during the Great Depression, it was one of the most successful statewide third party movements in United States history and the longest-lasting affiliate of the national Farmer–Labor movement. At its height in the 1920s and 1930s, party members included three Minnesota governors, four United States senators, eight United States representatives and a majority in the Minnesota legislature.
The 1970 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate, taking place in the middle of Richard Nixon's first term as President. The Democrats lost a net of three seats, while the Republicans and the Conservative Party of New York picked up one net seat each, and former Democrat Harry F. Byrd Jr. was re-elected as an independent.
The 1936 United States Senate elections coincided with the reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Great Depression continued and voters backed progressive candidates favoring Roosevelt's New Deal in races across the country. The Democrats gained 5 net seats during the election, and in combination with Democratic and Farmer–Labor interim appointments and the defection of George W. Norris from the Republican Party to become independent, the Republicans were reduced to 16 seats, the most lopsided Senate since Reconstruction.
Minnesota is known for a politically active citizenry, with populism being a longstanding force among the state's political parties. Minnesota has consistently high voter turnout; in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, 77.8% of eligible Minnesotans voted – the highest percentage of any U.S. state or territory – versus the national average of 61.7%. This was due in part to its same day voter registration laws; previously unregistered voters can register on election day, at their polls, with evidence of residency.
The 1934 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 6, 1934. Incumbent Farmer–Labor U.S. Senator Henrik Shipstead defeated former State Senator Nathaniel J. Holmberg of the Republican Party of Minnesota and U.S. Representative Einar Hoidale of the Minnesota Democratic Party to win a third term.
The 1978 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Wendell Anderson was defeated by Republican challenger Rudy Boschwitz.
The 1942 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 3, 1942. Incumbent Republican Joseph H. Ball, who had been temporarily appointed by Governor Harold Stassen in 1940 to fill the seat of the deceased Farmer–Labor U.S. Senator Ernest Lundeen, defeated Farmer–Labor former U.S. Senator and former Governor Elmer Benson, independent candidate Martin A. Nelson, and Democratic nominee Ed Murphy, to win election to the full six-year term beginning in January 1943. A special election held on the same date elected Republican nominee Arthur E. Nelson to serve the remainder of Lundeen's unexpired term.
The 1946 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 5, 1946. It was the first election to either of Minnesota's seats in the United States Senate held since the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota merged in 1944, to form the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Incumbent U.S. Senator Henrik Shipstead was defeated in the Republican primary by Governor Edward John Thye, who went on to defeat DFL challenger Theodore Jorgenson in the general election.
The 1922 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 7, 1922. Farmer–Labor challenger Henrik Shipstead defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Frank B. Kellogg and Democratic challenger Anna Dickie Olesen.
The 1930 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on Tuesday November 4, Incumbent Senator Thomas D. Schal defeated Einar Hoidale of the Minnesota Democratic Party and Forner United States Representative Ernest Lundeen of the Farmer–Labor Party of Minnesota to win a second term.
The 1936 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 3, 1936. Incumbent Farmer–Laborite Elmer A. Benson, who had been temporarily appointed by Governor Floyd B. Olson in 1935 to fill the seat of the deceased Republican U.S. Senator Thomas D. Schall, opted to run for Governor rather than seek election to a full term or to fill the remainder of the unexpired term. Governor Olson won the Farmer–Labor primary for nomination to the full Senate term, but died of stomach cancer prior to the general election. In Olson's place, the Farmer–Labor Party ran U.S. Representative Ernest Lundeen, who went on to defeat former Governor Theodore Christianson of the Republican Party of Minnesota in the general election. A special election held on the same date elected Republican nominee Guy V. Howard to serve the remainder of Schall's unexpired term.
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.
The 1942 United States Senate special election in Minnesota took place on November 3, 1942. The election was held to fill the vacancy in the seat formerly held by the late Ernest Lundeen for the final two months of Lundeen's unexpired term. Governor Harold Stassen had appointed Joseph H. Ball to fill the seat in 1940, but this appointment was temporary and subject to a special election held in the next general election year thereafter—1942. Ball opted to run for the full six-year term immediately following the end of Lundeen's term, instead of running for election to continue for the remainder of the term. In Ball's stead, the Republican Party of Minnesota nominated Arthur E. Nelson, who, in the special election, defeated both of his challengers—Al Hansen of the Farmer–Labor Party of Minnesota and John E. O'Rourke of the Minnesota Democratic Party.
The 1954 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 2, 1954. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey defeated Republican Minnesota State Treasurer Val Bjornson, to win a second term.
The 1960 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 8, 1960. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey defeated Republican Minneapolis Mayor P. Kenneth Peterson, to win a third term.
The 1978 United States Senate special election in Minnesota was held on November 7, 1978. Democratic candidate Bob Short was defeated by Republican candidate David Durenberger.
