# 1938 South Dakota gubernatorial election

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The 1938 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938. Incumbent Republican Governor Leslie Jensen declined to seek re-election and instead unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate. Harlan J. Bushfield, the former chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party, won the Republican primary to succeed Jensen. In the general election, he faced Democratic nominee Oscar Fosheim, a state representative from Miner County, in the general election. Bushfield defeated Fosheim by a relatively close margin, winning his first term as governor.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Oscar Fosheim, State Representative from Miner County
* Mancel W. Peterson, State Senator from Day County, former State Senate President

### Results

Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Oscar Fosheim | 42,422 | 62.04% |
| | Democratic | Mancel W. Peterson | 25,956 | 37.96% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 68,378 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Harlan J. Bushfield, former chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party, former Hand County State's Attorney
* Blaine Simons, state senator from Minnehaha County

### Results

Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Harlan J. Bushfield | 64,929 | 65.72% |
| | Republican | Blaine Simons | 33,871 | 34.28% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 98,800 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Results

1938 South Dakota gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Harlan J. Bushfield | 149,362 | 53.95% | +2.35% |
| | Democratic | Oscar Fosheim | 127,485 | 46.05% | −2.35% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,877 | 7.90% | +4.70% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 276,847 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |