# 1940 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

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vte :
The 1940 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held on November 5, 1940.
Incumbent Progressive U.S. Senator Robert La Follette Jr. was elected to a third term in office over Republican Fred H. Clausen and Democrat James E. Finnegan.

## Progressive primary
### Candidates

* Robert M. La Follette Jr., incumbent Senator since 1925

### Results

1940 Progressive U.S. Senate primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressive | Robert M. La Follette Jr. (incumbent) | 144,692 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 144,692 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Walter B. Chilsen, former State Assemblyman (1919–21) and editor of the Merrill Daily Herald
* Fred H. Clausen, farming equipment manufacturer
* Michael G. Eberlein
* Glenn Frank, former President of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
* John P. Koehler, Health Commissioner of Milwaukee
* William C. Maas
* Reuben W. Peterson, former State Assemblyman (1937–39)

### Campaign

Frank died two days before the primary, on September 15, but remained on the ballot.

### Results

1940 Republican U.S. Senate primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Fred H. Clausen | 109,293 | 31.23% |
| | Republican | John P. Koehler | 64,774 | 18.51% |
| | Republican | Glenn Frank (deceased) | 47,885 | 13.68% |
| | Republican | Michael G. Eberlein | 43,784 | 12.51% |
| | Republican | William C. Maas | 29,940 | 8.56% |
| | Republican | Reuben W. Peterson | 29,331 | 8.38% |
| | Republican | Walter B. Chilsen | 24,928 | 7.12% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 349,935 | 100.00% |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* William D. Carroll, former State Senator (1933–37)
* John Cudahy, former U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Irish Free State (write-in)
* James E. Finnegan, former Wisconsin Attorney General (1933–37)
* James J. Kerwin

### Results

1940 Democratic U.S. Senate primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | James E. Finnegan | 55.145 | 42.79% |
| | Democratic | William D. Carroll | 36,306 | 28.17% |
| | Democratic | James J. Kerwin | 22,642 | 17.57% |
| | Democratic | John Cudahy (write-in) | 14,773 | 11.46% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 128,866 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

* Fred H. Clausen, farming equipment manufacturer (Republican)
* James E. Finnegan, former Wisconsin Attorney General (Democratic)
* Ted Furman (Communist)
* Robert M. La Follette Jr., incumbent Senator since 1925 (Progressive)
* Adolf Wiggert (Socialist Labor)

### Results

1940 U.S. Senate election in Wisconsin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive | Robert M. La Follette Jr. (incumbent) | 805,609 | 45.26% | 2.52 |
| | Republican | Fred H. Clausen | 553,692 | 41.38% | 18.54 |
| | Democratic | James E. Finnegan | 176,688 | 13.20% | 11.04 |
| | Communist | Ted Furman | 1,308 | 0.10% | N/A |
| | Socialist Labor | Adolf Wiggert | 838 | 0.06% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,538,135 | 100.00% |
| | Progressive hold | Progressive hold | Progressive hold | Progressive hold | Progressive hold |