1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Flag of Wisconsin (1913-1981).svg
  1954 November 6, 1956 1958  
  Vernon Wallace Thomson.jpg Senator William Proxmire.jpg
Nominee Vernon W. Thomson William Proxmire
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote808,273749,421
Percentage51.89%48.11%

1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Thomson:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Proxmire:      50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Walter J. Kohler Jr.
Republican

Elected Governor

Vernon Wallace Thomson
Republican

The 1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1956. Republican nominee Vernon W. Thomson defeated Democratic nominee William Proxmire with 51.89% of the vote. Proxmire was defeated for the third consecutive gubernatorial election; he would subsequently win a special election for the United States Senate the following year after the death of Joseph McCarthy.

Contents

Primary election

The primary election was held on September 11, 1956. Both major party candidates were unopposed in their respective primaries.

Republican party

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Vernon W. Thomson 400,442 100.00%
Total votes400,442 100.00%

Democratic party

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic William Proxmire 265,475 100.00%
Total votes265,475 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election [3] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Vernon W. Thomson 808,273 51.89% +0.43%
Democratic William Proxmire 749,42148.11%−0.29%
Scattering [a] 940.01%
Majority58,8523.78%
Total votes1,557,788 100.00%
Republican hold Swing +0.72%

Results by county

After this election, Taylor County would not vote Republican again until 1978.

County [3] [4] Vernon W. Thomson
Republican
William Proxmire
Democratic
Scattering
Write-in
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %
Adams 1,65252.98%1,46647.02%00.00%1865.97%3,118
Ashland 3,58446.55%4,11553.45%00.00%-531-6.90%7,699
Barron 7,58454.38%6,36245.62%00.00%1,2228.76%13,946
Bayfield 2,73048.38%2,91351.62%00.00%-183-3.24%5,643
Brown 26,18156.45%20,19243.54%20.00%5,98912.91%46,375
Buffalo 3,03055.20%2,45944.80%00.00%57110.40%5,489
Burnett 2,10951.70%1,97048.30%00.00%1393.41%4,079
Calumet 5,37064.88%2,90535.10%20.02%2,46529.78%8,277
Chippewa 8,22849.95%8,24650.05%00.00%-18-0.11%16,474
Clark 6,92654.06%5,88645.94%00.00%1,0408.12%12,812
Columbia 9,26559.74%6,24340.26%00.00%3,02219.49%15,508
Crawford 3,59353.70%3,09846.30%00.00%4957.40%6,691
Dane 34,49643.47%44,85156.52%90.01%-10,355-13.05%79,356
Dodge 15,24461.23%9,65238.77%00.00%5,59222.46%24,896
Door 5,92969.50%2,60230.50%00.00%3,32739.00%8,531
Douglas 8,28341.16%11,84158.84%10.00%-3,558-17.68%20,125
Dunn 5,83855.80%4,62444.20%00.00%1,21411.60%10,462
Eau Claire 11,63150.32%11,48549.68%00.00%1460.63%23,116
Florence 84150.06%83949.94%00.00%20.12%1,680
Fond du Lac 18,42461.19%11,68538.81%10.00%6,73922.38%30,110
Forest 1,50242.26%2,05257.74%00.00%-550-15.48%3,554
Grant 10,92965.72%5,69934.27%10.01%5,23031.45%16,629
Green 6,09056.97%4,59943.03%00.00%1,49113.95%10,689
Green Lake 4,94469.90%2,12830.09%10.01%2,81639.81%7,073
Iowa 4,76256.99%3,59443.01%00.00%1,16813.98%8,356
Iron 1,36734.57%2,58765.43%00.00%-1,220-30.85%3,954
Jackson 3,03348.47%3,22451.52%10.02%-191-3.05%6,258
Jefferson 11,51157.26%8,59142.73%10.00%2,92014.53%20,103
Juneau 4,66062.16%2,83737.84%00.00%1,82324.32%7,497
Kenosha 16,27341.98%22,49458.02%10.00%-6,221-16.05%38,768
Kewaunee 4,12755.78%3,27244.22%00.00%85511.56%7,399
La Crosse 15,49851.79%14,42748.21%00.00%1,0713.58%29,925
Lafayette 4,38155.10%3,57044.90%00.00%81110.20%7,951
Langlade 4,26154.64%3,53745.36%00.00%7249.28%7,798
Lincoln 5,66460.42%3,71139.58%00.00%1,95320.83%9,375
Manitowoc 14,22448.64%15,01751.35%10.00%-793-2.71%29,242
Marathon 17,80246.42%20,54553.58%00.00%-2,743-7.15%38,347
Marinette 8,05456.54%6,19043.46%00.00%1,86413.09%14,244
Marquette 2,52866.65%1,26433.32%10.03%1,26433.32%3,793
Milwaukee 180,46244.02%229,44355.97%270.01%-48,981-11.95%409,932
Monroe 6,71256.99%5,06543.00%10.01%1,64713.98%11,778
Oconto 6,10958.61%4,31441.39%00.00%1,79517.22%10,423
Oneida 5,17753.68%4,46746.31%10.01%7107.36%9,645
Outagamie 23,03766.33%11,69433.67%00.00%11,34332.66%34,731
Ozaukee 8,06657.90%5,86442.10%00.00%2,20215.81%13,930
Pepin 1,68958.54%1,19641.46%00.00%49317.09%2,885
Pierce 5,34357.78%3,90442.22%00.00%1,43915.56%9,247
Polk 5,27949.64%5,35650.36%00.00%-77-0.72%10,635
Portage 6,35741.42%8,99158.58%10.01%-2,634-17.16%15,349
Price 3,43051.37%3,24748.63%00.00%1832.74%6,677
Racine 25,98746.85%29,45353.10%260.05%-3,466-6.25%55,466
Richland 4,74759.72%3,20040.26%20.03%1,54719.46%7,949
Rock 25,49559.25%17,53140.75%00.00%7,96418.51%43,026
Rusk 3,11249.19%3,21550.81%00.00%-103-1.63%6,327
Sauk 9,71560.12%6,44339.87%10.01%3,27220.25%16,159
Sawyer 2,47458.09%1,78541.91%00.00%68916.18%4,259
Shawano 8,69865.95%4,48934.04%10.01%4,20931.92%13,188
Sheboygan 20,35952.97%18,07847.03%00.00%2,2815.93%38,437
St. Croix 6,25651.72%5,84048.28%00.00%4163.44%12,096
Taylor 3,38851.07%3,24548.91%10.02%1432.16%6,634
Trempealeau 4,76648.66%5,02951.34%00.00%-263-2.69%9,795
Vernon 5,43848.45%5,78751.55%00.00%-349-3.11%11,225
Vilas 3,10953.50%1,78736.50%00.00%1,32227.00%4,896
Walworth 14,89569.01%6,68830.98%20.01%8,20738.02%21,585
Washburn 2,57355.14%2,09344.86%00.00%48010.29%4,666
Washington 10,00460.09%6,64539.91%00.00%3,35920.18%16,649
Waukesha 29,57357.94%21,46542.05%60.01%8,10815.88%51,044
Waupaca 11,06073.08%4,07426.92%00.00%6,98646.16%15,134
Waushara 4,37771.19%1,77128.81%00.00%2,60642.39%6,148
Winnebago 25,63862.93%15,10137.06%30.01%10,53725.86%40,742
Wood 12,40056.91%9,38943.09%00.00%3,01113.82%21,789
Total808,27351.89%749,42148.11%940.01%58,8523.78%1,557,788

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes

  1. These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.

References

  1. "THOMSON, Vernon Wallace 1905–1988". House.gov . Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  2. 1 2 The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1958). "Vote For State Officers, Primary Election". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1958. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 663.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. 1 2 Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for State Officers - General Election - 1956
  4. 1 2 The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1958). "Vote For State Officers By Counties, General Election, November 6, 1956". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1958. Madison, Wisconsin. pp. 769–770.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)