1920 Minnesota gubernatorial election

The 1920 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1920. Republican Party of Minnesota candidate J. A. O. Preus defeated Independent challenger's Henrik Shipstead and the Mayor of St. Paul, Laurence C. Hodgson. Shipstead narrowly lost to Preus in the Republican primary of that year^[1] and challenged him in the general, beating the Democratic nominee but coming far short of winning the general.

1920 Minnesota gubernatorial election

← 1918 November 2, 1920 1922 →

Nominee J. A. O. Preus Henrik Shipstead Laurence C. Hodgson Party Republican Independent Democratic Popular vote 415,805 281,402 81,293 Percentage 53.06% 35.91% 10.37%

County results Preus:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Tie:      Preus/Shipstead 30-40% Shipstead:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%

Governor before election J. A. A. Burnquist Republican Elected Governor J. A. O. Preus Republican

Shipstead would soon join the Farmer–Labor Party, which did not officially participate in this election, and would become the first party member to win statewide under that banner as Senator in 1922. The Farmer–Laborites would also become the main opposition party to the Democrats, displacing them until their political union in the 1940s.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

• Laurence C. Hodgson, Mayor of St. Paul

Eliminated in primary

• Charles M. Andrist, businessman, former Chief of Staff to Governor Hammond, former University of Minnesota professor, Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1914^[2]
• Robert W. Hargadine, former State Fire Marshal, former Campaign Manager for Governor John A. Johnson^[3]
• Edward Indrehus, former State Representative, Democratic nominee for Secretary of State in 1918^[4]
• Alfred Jaques, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota^[5]
• Oliver J. Quane, editor of the St. Peter Herald, Army Lieutenant Colonel in World War I, veteran of the Spanish-American War^[6]
• Julius Thorson, Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1918, former State Representative^[7]

Declined

• C. W. Stanton, district judge^[8]

Results

Results by county:

Hodgson

•      10-20%
•      20-30%
•      30-40%
•      40-50%
•      50-60%
•      60-70%
•      70-80%
•      90-100%
• Hodgson and Thorson tied at 20% apiece in Roseau County

Hargadine

•      30-40%

Quane

•      30-40%
•      40-50%
•      50-60%
•      60-70%

Thorson

•      20-30%
•      30-40%
•      40-50%
•      80-90%

Jaques

•      30-40%

Andrist

•      30-40%
•      50-60%

Indrehus

•      20-30%
•      30-40%
•      40-50%
•      70-80%

Minnesota Democratic gubernatorial primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Laurence C. Hodgson	11,114	40.17%
	Democratic	Robert W. Hargadine	3,679	13.30%
	Democratic	Oliver J. Quane	3,443	12.44%
	Democratic	Julius Thorson	3,232	11.68%
	Democratic	Alfred Jaques	2,179	7.88%
	Democratic	Charles M. Andrist	2,038	7.37%
	Democratic	Edward Indrehus	1,982	7.16%
Total votes			38,480	100%

^[9]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

• J. A. O. Preus, State Auditor, former State Commissioner of Insurance^[10]

Eliminated in primary

• Franklin F. Ellsworth, U.S. Representative, former County Attorney of Watonwan County^[11]
• Thomas Frankson, Lieutenant Governor, former State Representative^[12]
• Samuel G. Iverson, former State Auditor, former State Representative
• Thomas Keefe, businessman, attorney^[13]
• Henrik Shipstead, former State Representative, former Mayor of Glenwood^[14]

Withdrawn

• Michael J. Dowling, former Speaker of the Minnesota House, former Mayor of Olivia^[15][16] (endorsed Preus^[17])
• Dr. L. A. Fritsche, Mayor of New Ulm^[18][19]
• Fred E. Hadley, editor of the Winnebago Enterprise, member of the Republican State Committee^[20] (endorsed Preus^[17])
• Dr. Frank Nelson, president of Minnesota College, former Kansas Superintendent^[21][16] (endorsed Preus^[17])
• W. F. Schilling, farmer^[22]
• Julius A. Schmahl, Secretary of State^[16]

Declined

• Ernest Lundeen, former U.S. Representative, former State Representative^[18]

Results

Results by county:

Preus

•      40-50%
•      50-60%
•      60-70%

Shipstead

•      30-40%
•      40-50%
•      50-60%
•      60-70%
•      70-80%

Republican Party of Minnesota primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	J. A. O. Preus	133,832	43.55%
	Republican	Henrik Shipstead	125,861	40.96%
	Republican	Thomas Frankson	27,421	8.92%
	Republican	Franklin F. Ellsworth	7,754	2.52%
	Republican	Samuel G. Iverson	7,383	2.40%
	Republican	Thomas Keefe	5,060	1.65%
Total votes			195,202	100%

Results

1920 Gubernatorial Election, Minnesota^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	J. A. O. Preus	415,805	53.06%	+10.33%
	Independent	Henrik Shipstead	281,402	35.91%	n/a
	Democratic	Laurence C. Hodgson	81,293	10.37%	−9.33%
	Socialist	Peter J. Sampson	5,124	0.65%	−1.35%
Majority			134,403	17.15%
Turnout			783,624
	Republican hold		Swing

See also

• List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections