1918 United States Senate election in Minnesota

The 1918 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 5, 1918. It was the first election for Minnesota's Class 2 seat in the United States Senate, and the second U.S. Senate election in Minnesota overall, held after the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which established the popular election of United States Senators. Incumbent U.S. Senator Knute Nelson of the Republican Party of Minnesota easily defeated his challenger in the general election, Willis Greenleaf Calderwood of the National Party, to win a fourth term in the Senate.

1918 United States Senate election in Minnesota

← 1913 November 5, 1918 1923 (special) →
 
Nominee Knute Nelson Willis G. Calderwood
Party Republican National
Popular vote 206,428 137,334
Percentage 60.05% 39.95%

County results
Nelson:      50–60%      60–70%      70-80%
Calderwood:      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election

Knute Nelson
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Knute Nelson
Republican

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Declared

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  • Knute Nelson, Incumbent U.S. Senator since 1895
  • James A. Peterson, Minneapolis attorney, former Hennepin County Attorney (1897–1899), former State Representative from the 42nd district (1901–1903), Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 1912[1]

Results

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Republican primary election results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Knute Nelson (Incumbent) 229,923 71.99%
Republican James A. Peterson 89,464 28.01%
Total votes 319,387 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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  • Willis G. Calderwood, state chair of the Prohibition Party, Prohibition nominee for state House District 30 in 1894, for state House District 39 in 1904, 1906, 1908, and 1910, for the at-large U.S. House seat in 1912, for Governor in 1914, and for the U.S. Senate in 1916; Farmer-Labor candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1924[3]

Results

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Special election results[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Knute Nelson (Incumbent) 206,428 60.05%
National Willis G. Calderwood 137,334 39.95%
Total votes 343,762 100.00%
Majority 69,094 20.10%
Republican hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ University of Minnesota Libraries, University of Minnesota. "1918 Minnesota U.S. Senate Republican Primary". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "Primary Election Results of election held June 17th, 1918" (PDF). Minnesota Legislature.
  3. ^ University of Minnesota Libraries, University of Minnesota. "1918 Minnesota U.S. Senate General Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  4. ^ "MN US Senate, 1918". ourcampaigns.com.