# 1952 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1952 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1952.
Incumbent Republican Governor Walter J. Kohler Jr. defeated Democratic nominee William Proxmire with 62.50% of the vote. Kohler's share of the vote was the highest by a gubernatorial candidate since Philip La Follette in 1930; no candidate would match Kohler's share until Tommy Thompson in 1994.

## Primary election

Primary elections were held on September 9, 1952.

### Democratic party
#### Candidates

* William Proxmire, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William Proxmire | 178,133 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 178,133 | 100.00% |

### Republican party
#### Candidates

* Walter J. Kohler Jr., incumbent Governor

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Walter J. Kohler Jr. (incumbent) | 699,082 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 699,082 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

* William Proxmire, Democratic
* Walter J. Kohler Jr., Republican
* M. Michael Essin, Independent

### Results

1952 Wisconsin gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Walter J. Kohler Jr. (incumbent) | 1,009,171 | 62.48% | +9.27% |
| | Democratic | William Proxmire | 601,844 | 37.27% | −8.89% |
| | Independent | M. Michael Essin | 3,706 | 0.23% | −0.10% |
| | | Scattering | 493 | 0.03% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 407,327 | 25.22% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,615,214 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | +18.16% | |

### Results by county

After this election, Douglas County and Kenosha County would not vote Republican again until 1990.
| County | Walter J. Kohler Jr. Republican | Walter J. Kohler Jr. Republican | William Proxmire Democratic | William Proxmire Democratic | M. Michael Essin Independent | M. Michael Essin Independent | Scattering Write-in | Scattering Write-in | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 2,438 | 71.60% | 955 | 28.05% | 12 | 0.35% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,483 | 43.55% | 3,405 |
| Ashland | 4,732 | 58.29% | 3,340 | 41.14% | 46 | 0.57% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,392 | 17.15% | 8,118 |
| Barron | 10,673 | 72.64% | 3,954 | 26.91% | 65 | 0.44% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,719 | 45.73% | 14,692 |
| Bayfield | 3,808 | 63.27% | 2,163 | 35.94% | 48 | 0.80% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,645 | 27.33% | 6,019 |
| Brown | 30,913 | 69.66% | 13,429 | 30.26% | 31 | 0.07% | 1 | 0.00% | 17,484 | 39.40% | 44,374 |
| Buffalo | 4,397 | 74.11% | 1,518 | 25.59% | 18 | 0.30% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,879 | 48.53% | 5,933 |
| Burnett | 2,869 | 66.88% | 1,409 | 32.84% | 12 | 0.28% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,460 | 34.03% | 4,290 |
| Calumet | 7,195 | 80.52% | 1,730 | 19.36% | 11 | 0.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,465 | 61.16% | 8,936 |
| Chippewa | 12,443 | 69.69% | 5,382 | 30.14% | 30 | 0.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,061 | 39.55% | 17,855 |
| Clark | 10,091 | 76.37% | 3,074 | 23.26% | 48 | 0.36% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,017 | 53.11% | 13,213 |
| Columbia | 11,798 | 71.44% | 4,706 | 28.50% | 10 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,092 | 42.95% | 16,514 |
| Crawford | 5,455 | 72.12% | 2,105 | 27.83% | 4 | 0.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,350 | 44.29% | 7,564 |
| Dane | 40,167 | 50.81% | 38,699 | 48.95% | 182 | 0.23% | 9 | 0.01% | 1,468 | 1.86% | 79,057 |
| Dodge | 19,692 | 74.30% | 6,788 | 25.61% | 22 | 0.08% | 2 | 0.01% | 12,904 | 48.69% | 26,504 |
| Door | 7,967 | 84.17% | 1,484 | 15.68% | 14 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,483 | 68.49% | 9,465 |
| Douglas | 10,789 | 52.03% | 9,854 | 47.52% | 92 | 0.44% | 0 | 0.00% | 935 | 4.51% | 20,735 |
| Dunn | 8,023 | 73.54% | 2,873 | 26.34% | 13 | 0.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,150 | 47.21% | 10,909 |
| Eau Claire | 14,967 | 62.56% | 8,916 | 37.27% | 40 | 0.17% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,051 | 25.29% | 23,923 |
| Florence | 1,247 | 67.51% | 594 | 32.16% | 6 | 0.32% | 0 | 0.00% | 653 | 35.35% | 1,847 |
| Fond du Lac | 23,788 | 76.25% | 7,343 | 23.54% | 67 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 16,445 | 52.71% | 31,198 |
| Forest | 2,050 | 55.66% | 1,624 | 44.09% | 9 | 0.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 426 | 11.57% | 3,683 |
| Grant | 14,976 | 81.67% | 3,339 | 18.21% | 22 | 0.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 11,637 | 63.46% | 18,337 |
| Green | 8,640 | 77.44% | 2,512 | 22.52% | 5 | 0.04% | 0 | 0.00% | 6,128 | 54.93% | 11,157 |
| Green Lake | 6,497 | 82.54% | 1,364 | 17.33% | 10 | 0.13% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,133 | 65.21% | 7,871 |
| Iowa | 6,603 | 74.12% | 2,298 | 25.79% | 8 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,305 | 48.32% | 8,909 |
| Iron | 1,809 | 42.24% | 2,456 | 57.34% | 18 | 0.42% | 0 | 0.00% | -647 | -15.11% | 4,283 |
| Jackson | 4,231 | 61.56% | 2,633 | 38.31% | 5 | 0.07% | 4 | 0.06% | 1,598 | 23.25% | 6,873 |
| Jefferson | 14,031 | 67.60% | 6,713 | 32.34% | 11 | 0.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,318 | 35.26% | 20,755 |
| Juneau | 6,314 | 77.26% | 1,852 | 22.66% | 6 | 0.07% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,462 | 54.60% | 8,172 |
| Kenosha | 20,194 | 51.27% | 19,100 | 48.49% | 92 | 0.23% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,094 | 2.78% | 39,386 |
| Kewaunee | 6,763 | 80.68% | 1,610 | 19.21% | 9 | 0.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,153 | 61.48% | 8,382 |
| La Crosse | 20,147 | 63.80% | 11,369 | 36.00% | 64 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 8,778 | 27.80% | 31,580 |
| Lafayette | 6,141 | 71.63% | 2,427 | 28.31% | 4 | 0.05% | 1 | 0.01% | 3,714 | 43.32% | 8,573 |
| Langlade | 6,549 | 71.10% | 2,636 | 28.62% | 26 | 0.28% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,913 | 42.48% | 9,211 |
| Lincoln | 7,165 | 71.88% | 2,784 | 27.93% | 19 | 0.19% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,381 | 43.95% | 9,968 |
| Manitowoc | 19,383 | 62.56% | 11,563 | 37.32% | 36 | 0.12% | 2 | 0.01% | 7,820 | 25.24% | 30,984 |
| Marathon | 22,178 | 61.97% | 13,313 | 37.20% | 295 | 0.82% | 3 | 0.01% | 8,865 | 24.77% | 35,789 |
| Marinette | 10,263 | 66.89% | 5,058 | 32.96% | 23 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,205 | 33.92% | 15,344 |
| Marquette | 3,484 | 83.27% | 695 | 16.61% | 5 | 0.12% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,789 | 66.66% | 4,184 |
| Milwaukee | 209,887 | 48.68% | 219,550 | 50.92% | 1,283 | 0.30% | 449 | 0.10% | -9,663 | -2.24% | 431,169 |
| Monroe | 9,443 | 76.41% | 2,906 | 23.51% | 8 | 0.06% | 2 | 0.02% | 6,537 | 52.89% | 12,359 |
| Oconto | 8,205 | 73.81% | 2,883 | 25.94% | 28 | 0.25% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,322 | 47.88% | 11,116 |
| Oneida | 6,504 | 64.86% | 3,508 | 34.99% | 15 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,996 | 29.88% | 10,027 |
| Outagamie | 28,074 | 77.30% | 8,172 | 22.50% | 73 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 19,902 | 54.80% | 36,319 |
| Ozaukee | 8,522 | 66.03% | 4,372 | 33.88% | 12 | 0.09% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,150 | 32.16% | 12,906 |
| Pepin | 2,383 | 76.13% | 741 | 23.67% | 6 | 0.19% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,642 | 52.46% | 3,130 |
| Pierce | 7,446 | 76.44% | 2,275 | 23.35% | 20 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,171 | 53.08% | 9,741 |
| Polk | 7,761 | 69.39% | 3,406 | 30.45% | 18 | 0.16% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,355 | 38.94% | 11,185 |
| Portage | 9,220 | 57.79% | 6,714 | 42.08% | 20 | 0.13% | 1 | 0.01% | 2,506 | 15.71% | 15,955 |
| Price | 4,928 | 67.24% | 2,352 | 32.09% | 49 | 0.67% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,576 | 35.15% | 7,329 |
| Racine | 31,456 | 55.61% | 24,999 | 44.20% | 102 | 0.18% | 6 | 0.01% | 6,457 | 11.42% | 56,563 |
| Richland | 6,904 | 77.45% | 2,006 | 22.50% | 4 | 0.04% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,898 | 54.95% | 8,914 |
| Rock | 28,891 | 66.93% | 14,231 | 32.97% | 41 | 0.09% | 3 | 0.01% | 14,660 | 33.96% | 43,166 |
| Rusk | 4,718 | 68.21% | 2,173 | 31.42% | 26 | 0.38% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,545 | 36.79% | 6,917 |
| Sauk | 12,811 | 73.16% | 4,677 | 26.71% | 19 | 0.11% | 3 | 0.02% | 8,134 | 46.45% | 17,510 |
| Sawyer | 3,369 | 72.62% | 1,257 | 27.10% | 12 | 0.26% | 1 | 0.02% | 2,112 | 45.53% | 4,639 |
| Shawano | 11,800 | 81.42% | 2,670 | 18.42% | 22 | 0.15% | 0 | 0.00% | 9,130 | 63.00% | 14,492 |
| Sheboygan | 24,174 | 63.18% | 13,936 | 36.42% | 151 | 0.39% | 0 | 0.00% | 10,238 | 26.76% | 38,261 |
| St. Croix | 8,296 | 67.60% | 3,962 | 32.28% | 14 | 0.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,334 | 35.32% | 12,272 |
| Taylor | 5,448 | 71.97% | 2,100 | 27.74% | 19 | 0.25% | 3 | 0.04% | 3,348 | 44.23% | 7,570 |
| Trempealeau | 6,895 | 68.34% | 3,189 | 31.61% | 5 | 0.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 3,706 | 36.73% | 10,089 |
| Vernon | 8,186 | 71.15% | 3,302 | 28.70% | 18 | 0.16% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,884 | 42.45% | 11,506 |
| Vilas | 3,892 | 75.30% | 1,270 | 24.57% | 7 | 0.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,622 | 50.73% | 5,169 |
| Walworth | 17,619 | 78.79% | 4,698 | 21.01% | 45 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | 12,921 | 57.78% | 22,362 |
| Washburn | 3,496 | 68.19% | 1,619 | 31.58% | 12 | 0.23% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,877 | 36.61% | 5,127 |
| Washington | 12,361 | 71.82% | 4,834 | 28.09% | 17 | 0.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 7,527 | 43.73% | 17,212 |
| Waukesha | 29,770 | 64.26% | 16,472 | 35.55% | 87 | 0.19% | 1 | 0.00% | 13,298 | 28.70% | 46,330 |
| Waupaca | 14,524 | 85.36% | 2,479 | 14.57% | 12 | 0.07% | 0 | 0.00% | 12,045 | 70.79% | 17,015 |
| Waushara | 5,696 | 83.30% | 1,128 | 16.50% | 12 | 0.18% | 2 | 0.03% | 4,568 | 66.80% | 6,838 |
| Winnebago | 29,807 | 70.94% | 12,137 | 28.88% | 75 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 17,670 | 42.05% | 42,019 |
| Wood | 15,815 | 71.84% | 6,164 | 28.00% | 36 | 0.16% | 0 | 0.00% | 9,651 | 43.84% | 22,015 |
| Total | 1,009,171 | 62.48% | 601,844 | 37.26% | 3,706 | 0.23% | 493 | 0.03% | 407,327 | 25.22% | 1,615,214 |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Burnett
* Dane
* Douglas
* Eau Claire
* Forest
* Jackson
* Kenosha
* La Crosse
* Portage
* Washburn