1940 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

The 1940 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held on November 5, 1940.

1940 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

← 1934 November 5, 1940 1946 →

Nominee Robert La Follette Jr. Fred H. Clausen James E. Finnegan Party Progressive Republican Democratic Popular vote 605,609 553,692 176,688 Percentage 45.26% 41.38% 13.20%

County results La Follete Jr.:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Clausen:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Robert La Follette Jr. Progressive Elected U.S. Senator Robert La Follette Jr. Progressive

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^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Robert M. La Follette Jr. (incumbent)	144,692	100.00%
Total votes			144,692	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• James E. Finnegan, former Wisconsin Attorney General (1933–1937)

Eliminated in primary

• William D. Carroll, former State Senator (1933–1937)
• John Cudahy, former U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Irish Free State (write-in)
• James J. Kerwin

Results

1940 Democratic U.S. Senate primary^[1]

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			128,866	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Fred H. Clausen, farming equipment manufacturer^[2]

Eliminated in primary

• Walter B. Chilsen, former State Assemblyman (1919–1921) and editor of the Merrill Daily Herald
• Michael G. Eberlein
• Glenn Frank, former President of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (deceased, remained on ballot)
• John P. Koehler, Health Commissioner of Milwaukee
• William C. Maas
• Reuben W. Peterson, former State Assemblyman (1937–1939)

Results

1940 Republican U.S. Senate primary^[1]

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			349,935	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^[3][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive	Robert M. La Follette Jr. (incumbent)	605,609	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			1,538,135	100.00%
	Progressive hold

See also

• 1940 United States Senate elections