1923 United States Senate special election in Minnesota

The 1923 United States Senate special election in Minnesota took place on July 16, 1923. The election was held to fill, for the remainder of the unexpired term, the seat in the United States Senate left vacant by Republican U.S. Senator Knute Nelson, who died in office on April 28, 1923. State Senator Magnus Johnson of the Farmer–Labor Party of Minnesota defeated Governor J. A. O. Preus of the Republican Party of Minnesota, and State Senator James A. Carley of the Minnesota Democratic Party, which, together with Henrik Shipstead's victory in 1922, brought both of Minnesota's seats in the United States Senate into the hands of the Farmer–Labor Party for the first time in history.

1923 United States Senate special election in Minnesota

← 1918 July 16, 1923 1924 →
 
Nominee Magnus Johnson J. A. O. Preus
Party Farmer–Labor Republican
Popular vote 290,165 195,319
Percentage 57.48% 38.69%

County results

U.S. senator before election

Knute Nelson
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Magnus Johnson
Farmer–Labor

Johnson's victory marked the first time, since Morton S. Wilkinson took office in 1859, that neither of Minnesota's seats in the United States Senate were held by a Republican. It also marked the first time, since Wilkinson's assumption of the office, that the person holding Minnesota's Class 2 U.S. Senate seat was not a Republican, and Johnson became just the second non-Republican to ever hold that seat (the first being the Democrat James Shields, whose term of office ended when Wilkinson's began).

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Nominated

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  • J.A.O. Preus, Governor (1921–1925), former state Insurance Commissioner (1911–1915), former state Auditor (1915–1921), Minneapolis attorney[1]

Eliminated in Primary

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  • Sydney Anderson, Lanesboro attorney, U.S. Representative from the 1st CD (1911–1925)[1]
  • Joseph A. A. Burnquist, former state representative from the 33rd HD (1909–1913), former lieutenant governor (1913–1915), former governor (1915–1921)[1]
  • Oscar Hallam, St. Paul attorney, former Second Judicial District judge, former associate justice of the Supreme Court (1913–1923)[1]
  • Ernest Lundeen, former state representative from the 42nd HD (1911–1915), former U.S. Representative from the 5th CD (1917–1919), candidate for U.S. Senate in 1922, Minneapolis attorney[1]
  • John J. Martin, Minneapolis attorney[1]
  • Victor L. Power, attorney and mayor of Hibbing (1913–1922, 1923–1924)[1]
  • Thomas D. Schall, Excelsior attorney, Progressive-turned-Republican U.S. Representative from the 10th CD (1915–1925)[1]
  • Halvor Steenerson, former Polk County prosecuting attorney (1881–1883), former city attorney of Crookson, former state Senator from the 45th SD (1883–1887), former U.S. Representative from the 9th CD (1903–1923), resident of Crookson[1]

Results

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Republican Party primary results[1]
Republican J.A.O. Preus 57,919 33.64
Republican Oscar Hallam 32,482 18.87
Republican Thomas D. Schall 29,713 17.26
Republican Sydney Anderson 17,526 10.18
Republican Victor L. Power 15,384 8.94
Republican Joseph A.A. Burnquist 8,381 4.87
Republican Ernest Lundeen 5,851 3.40
Republican Halvor Steenerson 4,032 2.34
Republican John J. Martin 861 0.50
Total Votes 172,149 100.0

Farmer-Labor Primary

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Candidates

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Nominated

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  • Magnus Johnson, state senator from the 26th SD (1919–1923), former state Representative from the 26th House District (1915–1919)[2]

Eliminated in Primary

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  • L.A. Fritsche, Mayor of New Ulm, physician[2]
  • Charles August Lindbergh, former prosecuting attorney of Morrison County (1891–1893), former Republican U.S. Representative (CD 06, 1907–1917), candidate for U.S. Senate in 1916, candidate for governor in 1918, resident of Little Falls[2]

Results

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Farmer-Labor primary results[2]
Farmer-Labor Magnus Johnson 57,570 48.88
Farmer-Labor L.A. Fritsche 38,393 32.60
Farmer-Labor Charles A. Lindbergh 21,811 18.52
Total Votes 117,774 100.0

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Nominated

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  • James A. Carley, state senator from the 3rd SD (1915-), former Democratic state Representative from the 3rd HD (1909–1911), Plainview attorney[3]

Eliminated in Primary

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  • Francis C. Cary, Lecturer and former attorney from Minneapolis[3]

Results

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Democratic primary results[3]
Democratic James A. Carley 7,555 74.19
Democratic Francis C. Cary 2,628 25.81
Total Votes 10,183 100.0

Special election

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Candidates

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Republican

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  • J.A.O. Preus, Governor (1921–1925), former state Insurance Commissioner (1911–1915), former state Auditor (1915–1921), Minneapolis attorney[4]

Farmer-Labor

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  • Magnus Johnson, state senator from the 26th SD (1919–1923), former state Representative from the 26th House District (1915–1919)[4]

Democratic

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  • James A. Carley, state senator from the 3rd SD (1915-), former Democratic state Representative from the 3rd HD (1909–1911), Plainview attorney[4]

Results

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Special election results[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Farmer–Labor Magnus Johnson 290,165 57.48%
Republican J. A. O. Preus 195,319 38.69%
Democratic James A. Carley 19,311 3.83%
Total votes 504,795 100.00%
Majority 94,846 18.79%
Farmer–Labor gain from Republican

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j University of Minnesota Libraries, University of Minnesota. "1923 Minnesota U.S. Senate Special Republican Primary". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d University of Minnesota Libraries, University of Minnesota. "1923 Minnesota U.S. Senate Special Farmer-Labor Primary". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c University of Minnesota Libraries, University of Minnesota. "1923 Minnesota U.S. Senate Special Democratic Primary". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c University of Minnesota Libraries, University of Minnesota. "1923 Minnesota U.S. Senate Special Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  5. ^ "Our Campaigns - MN US Senate - Special Election Race - Jul 16, 1923".