# 1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1932. Incumbent Republican Governor Philip La Follette was defeated in the Republican primary, and in the midst of the Great Depression and nationwide voter dissatisfaction with the Republican Party, Democratic nominee Albert G. Schmedeman defeated Republican nominee Walter J. Kohler Sr. and Socialist nominee Frank Metcalfe with 52.48% of the vote. Schmedeman became the first Democrat to win a gubernatorial election in Wisconsin since George Wilbur Peck in 1892. Two years later, in 1934, La Follette would run for governor again and defeated Schmedeman, this time running with the Progressive Party.
This was the only Democratic victory in a Wisconsin gubernatorial election between 1892 and 1958. As of 2022, this is the most recent gubernatorial election in which Juneau, Shawano, and Waupaca have voted for a Democratic candidate.

## Primary election

Primary elections were held on September 20, 1932.

### Democratic party
#### Candidates

* Leo P. Fox, Democratic nominee for Wisconsin's 6th congressional district in 1920 and for lieutenant governor in 1928
* William B. Rubin, attorney
* Albert G. Schmedeman, mayor of Madison and Democratic nominee for governor in 1928

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Albert G. Schmedeman | 58,098 | 44.04% |
| | Democratic | William B. Rubin | 44,556 | 33.77% |
| | Democratic | Leo P. Fox | 29,276 | 22.19% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 131,930 | 100.00% |

### Republican party
#### Candidates

* Walter J. Kohler Sr., former Governor
* Philip La Follette, incumbent Governor

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Walter J. Kohler Sr. | 414,575 | 56.45% |
| | Republican | Philip La Follette (incumbent) | 319,884 | 43.55% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 734,459 | 100.00% |

### Socialist party
#### Candidates

* Frank Metcalfe, nominee for governor in 1930

#### Results

Socialist primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Socialist | Frank Metcalfe | 31,836 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 31,836 | 100.00% |

### Prohibition party
#### Candidates

* Adolph R. Bucknam, Prohibition nominee for U.S. Senate in 1922 and for governor in 1924 and 1928
* William C. Dean, Prohibition nominee for governor in 1918

#### Results

Prohibition primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Prohibition | William C. Dean | 717 | 53.79% |
| | Prohibition | Adolph R. Bucknam | 616 | 46.21% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,333 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

Major party candidates
* Albert G. Schmedeman, Democratic
* Walter J. Kohler Sr., Republican
Other candidates
* Fred B. Blair, Communist, nominee for governor in 1930
* William C. Dean, Prohibition
* Frank Metcalfe, Socialist
* Joseph Ehrhardt, Socialist Labor, nominee for governor in 1928

### Results

1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Albert G. Schmedeman | 590,114 | 52.48% | +24.46% |
| | Republican | Walter J. Kohler Sr. | 470,805 | 41.87% | −22.89% |
| | Socialist | Frank Metcalfe | 56,965 | 5.07% | +0.85% |
| | Prohibition | William C. Dean | 3,148 | 0.28% | −2.16% |
| | Communist | Fred Basset Blair | 2,926 | 0.26% | −0.23% |
| | Socialist Labor | Joseph Ehrhardt | 398 | 0.04% | |
| | | Scattering | 146 | 0.01% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 119,309 | 10.61% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,124,502 | 100.00% | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | +47.35% | |

### Results by county

Schmedeman's victory ended many long streaks of Republican victories in counties throughout the state. In particular, Schmedeman was the first Democrat to ever win Barron County, Burnett County, Grant County, Iron County, Rusk County, and Trempealeau County. He was also the first Democrat since William A. Barstow in 1853 to win Adams County and Vernon County along with the first since Barstow in 1855 to win Waupaca County. Additionally, Clark County, Jackson County, and Lafayette County voted Democratic for the first time since 1873. This election saw Marinette County back the losing the candidate for the first time ever.
Columbia County, Grant County, Green County, Iowa County, Lafayette County, and Sauk County would not vote Democratic again until 2002, nor would Monroe County until 2006.
| County | Albert G. Schmedeman Democratic | Albert G. Schmedeman Democratic | Walter J. Kohler Sr. Republican | Walter J. Kohler Sr. Republican | Frank Metcalfe Socialist | Frank Metcalfe Socialist | All Others Various | All Others Various | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 1,601 | 55.96% | 1,211 | 42.33% | 26 | 0.91% | 23 | 0.80% | 390 | 13.63% | 2,861 |
| Ashland | 5,044 | 58.88% | 3,342 | 39.01% | 83 | 0.97% | 97 | 1.13% | 1,702 | 19.87% | 8,566 |
| Barron | 6,858 | 58.79% | 4,536 | 38.88% | 147 | 1.26% | 125 | 1.07% | 2,322 | 19.90% | 11,666 |
| Bayfield | 2,600 | 48.84% | 2,478 | 46.55% | 114 | 2.14% | 131 | 2.46% | 122 | 2.29% | 5,323 |
| Brown | 15,206 | 54.91% | 12,046 | 43.50% | 367 | 1.33% | 76 | 0.27% | 3,160 | 11.41% | 27,695 |
| Buffalo | 2,827 | 57.17% | 2,079 | 42.04% | 16 | 0.32% | 23 | 0.47% | 748 | 15.13% | 4,945 |
| Burnett | 2,127 | 57.02% | 1,496 | 40.11% | 53 | 1.42% | 54 | 1.45% | 631 | 16.92% | 3,730 |
| Calumet | 4,992 | 71.76% | 1,879 | 27.01% | 61 | 0.88% | 25 | 0.36% | 3,113 | 44.75% | 6,957 |
| Chippewa | 7,383 | 54.27% | 6,084 | 44.73% | 81 | 0.60% | 55 | 0.40% | 1,299 | 9.55% | 13,603 |
| Clark | 7,279 | 61.05% | 4,251 | 35.65% | 230 | 1.93% | 163 | 1.37% | 3,028 | 25.40% | 11,923 |
| Columbia | 7,873 | 56.91% | 5,861 | 42.36% | 54 | 0.39% | 47 | 0.34% | 2,012 | 14.54% | 13,835 |
| Crawford | 4,333 | 64.61% | 2,325 | 34.67% | 14 | 0.21% | 34 | 0.51% | 2,008 | 29.94% | 6,706 |
| Dane | 24,536 | 51.33% | 22,280 | 46.61% | 831 | 1.74% | 155 | 0.32% | 2,256 | 4.72% | 47,802 |
| Dodge | 14,333 | 66.84% | 6,846 | 31.93% | 214 | 1.00% | 50 | 0.23% | 7,487 | 34.92% | 21,443 |
| Door | 3,009 | 45.65% | 3,493 | 52.99% | 37 | 0.56% | 53 | 0.80% | -484 | -7.34% | 6,592 |
| Douglas | 8,341 | 44.94% | 9,452 | 50.92% | 510 | 2.75% | 259 | 1.40% | -1,111 | -5.99% | 18,562 |
| Dunn | 4,203 | 47.42% | 4,522 | 51.02% | 81 | 0.91% | 57 | 0.64% | -319 | -3.60% | 8,863 |
| Eau Claire | 6,359 | 41.48% | 8,810 | 57.46% | 86 | 0.56% | 77 | 0.50% | -2,451 | -15.99% | 15,332 |
| Florence | 789 | 46.44% | 849 | 49.97% | 38 | 2.24% | 23 | 1.35% | -60 | -3.53% | 1,699 |
| Fond du Lac | 13,935 | 54.90% | 11,127 | 43.84% | 214 | 0.84% | 105 | 0.41% | 2,808 | 11.06% | 25,381 |
| Forest | 2,243 | 66.28% | 1,096 | 32.39% | 22 | 0.65% | 23 | 0.68% | 1,147 | 33.89% | 3,384 |
| Grant | 8,656 | 54.19% | 7,168 | 44.88% | 59 | 0.37% | 89 | 0.56% | 1,488 | 9.32% | 15,972 |
| Green | 4,862 | 55.21% | 3,824 | 43.42% | 62 | 0.70% | 58 | 0.66% | 1,038 | 11.79% | 8,806 |
| Green Lake | 3,782 | 55.78% | 2,948 | 43.48% | 29 | 0.43% | 21 | 0.31% | 834 | 12.30% | 6,780 |
| Iowa | 4,520 | 55.69% | 3,523 | 43.41% | 20 | 0.25% | 53 | 0.65% | 997 | 12.28% | 8,116 |
| Iron | 1,554 | 46.58% | 1,550 | 46.46% | 59 | 1.77% | 173 | 5.19% | 4 | 0.12% | 3,336 |
| Jackson | 3,282 | 56.61% | 2,405 | 41.48% | 55 | 0.95% | 56 | 0.97% | 877 | 15.13% | 5,798 |
| Jefferson | 10,283 | 61.15% | 6,437 | 38.28% | 77 | 0.46% | 20 | 0.12% | 3,846 | 22.87% | 16,817 |
| Juneau | 3,722 | 55.97% | 2,824 | 42.47% | 53 | 0.80% | 51 | 0.77% | 898 | 13.50% | 6,650 |
| Kenosha | 11,526 | 48.12% | 10,305 | 43.02% | 1,883 | 7.86% | 240 | 1.00% | 1,221 | 5.10% | 23,954 |
| Kewaunee | 4,278 | 70.43% | 1,762 | 29.01% | 19 | 0.31% | 15 | 0.25% | 2,516 | 41.42% | 6,074 |
| La Crosse | 10,194 | 48.34% | 10,766 | 51.06% | 65 | 0.31% | 61 | 0.29% | -572 | -2.71% | 21,086 |
| Lafayette | 4,677 | 56.22% | 3,593 | 43.19% | 22 | 0.26% | 27 | 0.32% | 1,084 | 13.03% | 8,319 |
| Langlade | 5,256 | 59.06% | 3,498 | 39.30% | 110 | 1.24% | 36 | 0.40% | 1,758 | 19.75% | 8,900 |
| Lincoln | 4,544 | 53.57% | 3,816 | 44.98% | 69 | 0.81% | 54 | 0.64% | 728 | 8.58% | 8,483 |
| Manitowoc | 13,816 | 65.25% | 7,029 | 33.20% | 276 | 1.30% | 52 | 0.25% | 6,787 | 32.05% | 21,173 |
| Marathon | 15,462 | 62.22% | 8,850 | 35.61% | 493 | 1.98% | 47 | 0.19% | 6,612 | 26.61% | 24,852 |
| Marinette | 5,036 | 40.80% | 7,009 | 56.79% | 252 | 2.04% | 46 | 0.37% | -1,973 | -15.98% | 12,343 |
| Marquette | 2,207 | 54.67% | 1,801 | 44.61% | 16 | 0.40% | 13 | 0.32% | 406 | 10.06% | 4,037 |
| Milwaukee | 131,158 | 49.86% | 87,911 | 33.42% | 42,404 | 16.12% | 1,570 | 0.60% | 43,247 | 16.44% | 263,043 |
| Monroe | 6,147 | 60.90% | 3,807 | 37.72% | 55 | 0.54% | 85 | 0.84% | 2,340 | 23.18% | 10,094 |
| Oconto | 5,651 | 57.93% | 4,008 | 41.09% | 57 | 0.58% | 39 | 0.40% | 1,643 | 16.84% | 9,755 |
| Oneida | 3,846 | 56.42% | 2,729 | 40.03% | 213 | 3.12% | 29 | 0.43% | 1,117 | 16.39% | 6,817 |
| Outagamie | 13,353 | 52.33% | 11,866 | 46.50% | 236 | 0.92% | 64 | 0.25% | 1,487 | 5.83% | 25,519 |
| Ozaukee | 5,004 | 69.33% | 2,071 | 28.69% | 132 | 1.83% | 11 | 0.15% | 2,933 | 40.63% | 7,218 |
| Pepin | 1,606 | 52.90% | 1,401 | 46.15% | 17 | 0.56% | 12 | 0.40% | 205 | 6.75% | 3,036 |
| Pierce | 3,650 | 47.35% | 3,717 | 48.22% | 254 | 3.29% | 88 | 1.14% | -67 | -0.87% | 7,709 |
| Polk | 5,142 | 54.85% | 3,999 | 42.66% | 131 | 1.40% | 102 | 1.09% | 1,143 | 12.19% | 9,374 |
| Portage | 7,205 | 55.92% | 5,552 | 43.09% | 85 | 0.66% | 43 | 0.33% | 1,653 | 12.83% | 12,885 |
| Price | 3,620 | 55.74% | 2,606 | 40.13% | 129 | 1.99% | 139 | 2.14% | 1,014 | 15.61% | 6,494 |
| Racine | 15,956 | 47.24% | 15,344 | 45.43% | 2,176 | 6.44% | 299 | 0.89% | 612 | 1.81% | 33,775 |
| Richland | 3,448 | 45.42% | 4,042 | 53.24% | 31 | 0.41% | 71 | 0.94% | -594 | -7.82% | 7,592 |
| Rock | 10,734 | 35.17% | 19,367 | 63.45% | 285 | 0.93% | 136 | 0.45% | -8,633 | -28.28% | 30,522 |
| Rusk | 2,636 | 49.24% | 2,485 | 46.42% | 166 | 3.10% | 66 | 1.23% | 151 | 2.82% | 5,353 |
| Sauk | 7,000 | 54.30% | 5,761 | 44.69% | 50 | 0.39% | 81 | 0.63% | 1,239 | 9.61% | 12,892 |
| Sawyer | 1,952 | 53.61% | 1,599 | 43.92% | 67 | 1.84% | 23 | 0.63% | 353 | 9.70% | 3,641 |
| Shawano | 6,914 | 65.38% | 3,349 | 31.67% | 236 | 2.23% | 76 | 0.72% | 3,565 | 33.71% | 10,575 |
| Sheboygan | 12,419 | 45.89% | 13,661 | 50.48% | 860 | 3.18% | 124 | 0.46% | -1,242 | -4.59% | 27,064 |
| St. Croix | 6,312 | 58.74% | 4,263 | 39.67% | 94 | 0.87% | 77 | 0.72% | 2,049 | 19.07% | 10,746 |
| Taylor | 3,667 | 62.03% | 1,580 | 26.73% | 621 | 10.50% | 44 | 0.74% | 2,087 | 35.30% | 5,912 |
| Trempealeau | 5,286 | 60.78% | 3,302 | 37.97% | 70 | 0.80% | 39 | 0.45% | 1,984 | 22.81% | 8,697 |
| Vernon | 5,365 | 58.93% | 3,638 | 39.96% | 35 | 0.38% | 66 | 0.72% | 1,727 | 18.97% | 9,104 |
| Vilas | 1,351 | 41.40% | 1,783 | 54.64% | 43 | 1.32% | 86 | 2.64% | -432 | -13.24% | 3,263 |
| Walworth | 5,338 | 35.46% | 9,585 | 63.68% | 78 | 0.52% | 52 | 0.35% | -4,247 | -28.21% | 15,053 |
| Washburn | 2,256 | 53.83% | 1,785 | 42.59% | 104 | 2.48% | 46 | 1.10% | 471 | 11.24% | 4,191 |
| Washington | 7,707 | 68.67% | 3,350 | 29.85% | 146 | 1.30% | 21 | 0.19% | 4,357 | 38.82% | 11,224 |
| Waukesha | 10,772 | 47.10% | 11,619 | 50.81% | 423 | 1.85% | 55 | 0.24% | -847 | -3.70% | 22,869 |
| Waupaca | 7,079 | 51.17% | 6,502 | 47.00% | 188 | 1.36% | 66 | 0.48% | 577 | 4.17% | 13,835 |
| Waushara | 2,803 | 48.76% | 2,866 | 49.85% | 35 | 0.61% | 45 | 0.78% | -63 | -1.10% | 5,749 |
| Winnebago | 13,241 | 46.72% | 14,501 | 51.16% | 483 | 1.70% | 117 | 0.41% | -1,260 | -4.45% | 28,342 |
| Wood | 7,968 | 57.76% | 5,585 | 40.49% | 163 | 1.18% | 79 | 0.57% | 2,383 | 17.27% | 13,795 |
| Total | 590,114 | 52.48% | 470,805 | 41.87% | 56,965 | 5.07% | 6,618 | 0.59% | 119,309 | 10.61% | 1,124,502 |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Adams
* Ashland
* Barron
* Bayfield
* Brown
* Buffalo
* Burnett
* Calumet
* Chippewa
* Clark
* Columbia
* Crawford
* Dane
* Dodge
* Fond du Lac
* Forest
* Grant
* Green
* Green Lake
* Iowa
* Iron
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Juneau
* Kenosha
* Kewaunee
* Lafayette
* Langlade
* Lincoln
* Manitowoc
* Marathon
* Marquette
* Milwaukee
* Monroe
* Oconto
* Oneida
* Outagamie
* Ozaukee
* Pepin
* Polk
* Portage
* Price
* Racine
* Rusk
* Sauk
* Sawyer
* Shawano
* St. Croix
* Taylor
* Trempealeau
* Vernon
* Washburn
* Washington
* Waupaca
* Wood

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Sheboygan