1958 Wyoming gubernatorial election

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1958 Wyoming gubernatorial election
Flag of Wyoming.svg
  1954 November 4, 1958 1962  
  John Joseph Hickey.jpg Milwardsimpson.jpg
Nominee John J. Hickey Milward Simpson
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote55,07052,488
Percentage48.94%46.64%

1958 Wyoming gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Hickey:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Simpson:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Milward Simpson
Republican

Elected Governor

John J. Hickey
Democratic

The 1958 Wyoming gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1958. Incumbent Republican Governor Milward Simpson ran for re-election to a second term. He was challenged by John J. Hickey, the former U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming and the Democratic nominee. Following a close campaign, Hickey narrowly defeated Simpson for re-election, winning just a narrow plurality because of a third-party candidate in the race. In an irony, just four years later, in the 1962 special U.S. Senate election, Simpson would defeat Hickey, avenging his loss in the gubernatorial election. To date, this is the last Wyoming gubernatorial election where an incumbent Republican was defeated.

Contents

Campaign

Louis W. Carlson ran a campaign around legalizing gambling. Simpson attributed him defeat to his failure to win the traditional Republican Sheridan County. Voters in Sheridan County were displeased with Interstate 90 going from Gillette to Buffalo rather than between Gillette and Sheridan. [1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic John J. Hickey 33,027 100.00%
Total votes33,027 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Milward Simpson (inc.) 28,749 77.61%
Republican Stanley Edwards8,29422.39%
Total votes37,043 100.00%

Results

1958 Wyoming gubernatorial election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic John J. Hickey 55,070 48.94% −0.57%
Republican Milward Simpson (inc.)52,48846.64%−3.86%
EconomyLouis W. Carlson4,9794.42%
Majority 2,5822.29%+1.30%
Turnout 112.537
Democratic gain from Republican

References

  1. Trachsel 1959, p. 364.
  2. 1 2 3 Gage, Jack R. (1959). 1959 Wyoming Official Directory and 1958 Election Returns. pp. 54–56.
  3. "Primary Interest Picking Up, Says Stanley Edwards". Casper Star-Tribune . Casper, Wyo. August 17, 1958. p. 2.

Works cited