1904 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1904 Wisconsin gubernatorial election Wisconsin 1866 Presidential no 1902 Wisconsin gubernatorial election 1902 1906 Wisconsin gubernatorial election 1906 November 8, 1904 File:Congressman Robert La Follette.png 150x150px Robert M. La Follette Republican Party (United States) 227,253 50.55% File:George W Peck by Klein & Guttenstein (1).jpg George Wilbur Peck Democratic Party (United States) 176,301 39.22% 3x4.svg William A. Arnold Socialist Party of America 24,857 5.53% 1904 Wisconsin gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 250px County resultsLa Follette : #ffc8cdff 30–40% #ffb2b2ff 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% #c21b18ff 80–90%Peck : #a5b0ffff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Governor Robert M. La Follette Republican Party (United States) Robert M. La Follette Republican Party (United States) The 1904 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1904. Incumbent Republican Governor Robert M. La Follette defeated Democratic nominee George Wilbur Peck and Social-Democratic nominee William A. Arnold with 50.55% of the vote. Conventions In the aftermath of the 1902 election, the state legislature enacted the direct primary (subject to a statewide referendum) and La Follette's tax reform bill. The new tax law, which required railroads to pay taxes based on property owned rather than profits, resulted in railroads paying nearly double the amount of taxes they had paid before the enactment of the law.* Thelen David P. Robert M. La Follette and the Insurgent Spirit 1976 Boston Little, Brown 978-0-316-83927-3 5198113M none, pp. 29, 39. Having accomplished his first two major goals, La Follette next focused on regulating railroad rates, but the railroads prevented passage of his bill in 1903.Thelen (1976), pp. 39–40. During this period, La Follette became increasingly convinced of the need for a direct income tax in order to minimize tax avoidance by the wealthy.Thelen (1976), p. 47. During his governorship, La Follette appointed African-American William Miller for a position in his office.La Follette and the Negro; A Consistent Record of 35 Years, From 1889 to 1924 The Wisconsin Republican party split in the run up to the election due to the incumbent governor Robert La Follette's embrace of progressive ideas such as a state income tax and greater regulation of the railroads. There were two Republican conventions for the Republican nomination, one for La Follette's and one backed by more conservative elements of the Republican party. After the legislature adjourned in mid-1903, La Follette began lecturing on the Chautauqua circuit, delivering 57 speeches across the Midwest.Thelen (1976), p. 41. He also earned the attention of muckraker journalists like Ray Stannard Baker and Lincoln Steffens, many of whom supported La Follette's progressive agenda.Thelen (1976), pp. 43–44. La Follette's continued movement towards progressivism alienated many Republican Party leaders, and La Follette's followers and conservative party leaders held separate conventions in 1904; ultimately, the state Supreme Court declared that La Follette was the Republican Party's 1904 gubernatorial nominee.Thelen (1976), pp. 42–44. General election Candidates Major party candidates George Wilbur Peck, Democratic, former Governor Robert M. La Follette, Republican, incumbent Governor Other candidates Edward Scofield, National Republican, former Governor (replacing Samuel A. Cook) A Stunner https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85040749/1904-10-11/ed-1/seq-4/ Wausau pilot Wausau, Wis. October 11, 1904 4 6 August 2021 Doings in Wisconsin https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86086586/1904-10-28/ed-1/seq-6/ The Wisconsin tobacco reporter Edgerton, Wis. October 28, 1904 6 6 August 2021 William H. Clark, Prohibition, Prohibition nominee for Wisconsin's 6th congressional district in 1898 William A. Arnold, Socialist (Social-Democratic Party of Wisconsin), printer Arnold heads ticket https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033139/1904-09-08/ed-1/seq-2/ The Manitowoc pilot Manitowoc, Wis. September 8, 1904 2 6 August 2021 Charles M. Minkley, Socialist Labor, Socialist Labor nominee for Wisconsin's 5th congressional district in 1902 Results In the general election in Wisconsin that year, La Follette won 51 percent of the vote, but he ran far behind Republican President Theodore Roosevelt, who took 63 percent of the Wisconsin's vote in the national election by comparison. In that same election, Wisconsin voters approved the implementation of the direct primary.Thelen (1976), pp. 44–45. 1904 Wisconsin gubernatorial electionWisconsin Historical Society, Canvass for State Officers, 1904Erickson Halford 1905 The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin Population, 1900, Vote And Pluralities For Governor, 1904 336 Democrat Printing Co., State Printer Madison, Wisconsin https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ALVHJTC5U76EDH9D/full/A5WHUFZVNCZUBJ9BOne must exercise caution using the Blue Book as a source for Wisconsin election data for the period of 1890-1920 as it was unreliable during this period. However, the Blue Book's data for 1904 does match up with the Board of Canvassers reports. Republican Party (United States) Robert M. La Follette (incumbent) 227,253 50.55% -2.34% Democratic Party (United States) George W. Peck 176,301 39.22% -0.66% #FF3300 Social Democratic William A. Arnold 24,857 5.53% +1.16% #DA0041 National Republican Edward Scofield 12,136 2.70% Prohibition Party William H. Clark 8,764 1.95% -0.69% Socialist Labor Party of America Charles M. Minkley 249 0.06% -0.16% Scattering 10 0.00% 50,952 11.33% 449,570 100.00% Republican Party (United States) -1.68% Results by county This is one of only four gubernatorial elections in which Door County has voted for the Democratic candidate and the only one in the 20th century; Door County had last voted Democratic in 1859 and would not do so again until 2006. Florence County voted Democratic for the first time ever and would not do so again until 1954. County Robert M. La FolletteRepublican George W. PeckDemocratic William A. ArnoldSocial Democratic Edward ScofieldNational Republican William H. ClarkProhibition Charles M. MinkleySocialist Labor Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # % # % # %Adams1,31774.36%36020.33%241.36%301.69%402.26%00.00%95754.04%1,771Ashland2,92860.95%1,56132.49%1392.89%881.83%861.79%20.04%1,36728.46%4,804Barron3,11267.76%1,12424.47%681.48%811.76%2004.35%80.17%1,98843.28%4,593Bayfield2,51279.34%49915.76%270.85%501.58%742.34%40.13%2,01363.58%3,166Brown5,02754.46%3,69240.00%2112.29%1902.06%1071.16%30.03%1,33514.46%9,230Buffalo1,93361.21%1,12735.69%60.19%411.30%511.61%00.00%80625.52%3,158Burnett1,25688.02%936.52%171.19%191.33%412.87%10.07%1,16381.50%1,427Calumet1,43845.12%1,57149.29%782.45%702.20%300.94%00.00%-133-4.17%3,187Chippewa3,36259.17%2,06136.27%370.65%1011.78%1152.02%60.11%1,30122.90%5,682Clark2,85151.88%2,31542.13%400.73%1202.18%1673.04%20.04%5369.75%5,495Columbia3,58050.81%3,01142.73%1111.58%1692.40%1752.48%00.00%5698.08%7,046Crawford1,63843.71%1,99653.27%120.32%551.47%441.17%20.05%-358-9.55%3,747Dane9,38853.87%7,26841.71%1540.88%2771.59%3381.94%00.00%2,12012.17%17,426"one" Includes 1 Scattering voteDodge3,03531.50%6,16764.00%530.55%2482.57%1321.37%10.01%-3,132-32.50%9,636Door1,38341.73%1,71651.78%240.72%962.90%952.87%00.00%-333-10.05%3,314Douglas4,22166.98%1,42822.66%3866.13%1141.81%1231.95%300.48%2,79344.32%6,302Dunn2,88670.56%92522.62%571.39%1112.71%1112.71%00.00%1,96147.95%4,090Eau Claire3,23054.55%2,33739.47%1442.43%701.18%1372.31%30.05%89315.08%5,921Florence30245.35%34351.50%30.45%131.95%50.75%00.00%-41-6.16%666Fond du Lac5,27144.06%6,11551.12%820.69%3332.78%1611.35%10.01%-844-7.06%11,963Forest90673.06%25120.24%191.53%483.87%151.21%10.08%65552.82%1,240Gates1,20869.35%43625.03%191.09%362.07%432.47%00.00%77244.32%1,742Grant4,44049.27%4,17046.28%460.51%1932.14%1611.79%10.01%2703.00%9,011Green2,34648.07%2,17044.47%971.99%801.64%1873.83%00.00%1763.61%4,880Green Lake1,61044.95%1,77849.64%250.70%962.68%732.04%00.00%-168-4.69%3,582Iowa2,93156.52%2,06639.84%130.25%551.06%1212.33%00.00%86516.68%5,186Iron89957.63%60538.78%100.64%231.47%231.47%00.00%29418.85%1,560Jackson2,22866.23%96028.54%240.71%722.14%802.38%00.00%1,26837.69%3,364Jefferson2,98238.01%4,47757.07%780.99%1712.18%1361.73%00.00%-1,495-19.06%7,845"one"Juneau2,64256.89%1,80638.89%280.60%1022.20%661.42%00.00%83618.00%4,644Kenosha2,60847.74%2,27741.68%3786.92%1262.31%601.10%130.24%3316.06%5,463"one"Kewaunee1,47545.67%1,58649.10%993.07%351.08%351.08%00.00%-111-3.44%3,230La Crosse4,28748.07%4,23947.53%830.93%1201.35%1862.09%30.03%480.54%8,919"one"Lafayette2,52250.86%2,31046.58%90.18%561.13%611.23%10.02%2124.28%4,959Langlade1,71353.13%1,41043.73%160.50%511.58%331.02%10.03%3039.40%3,224Lincoln2,17553.56%1,67541.25%892.19%751.85%461.13%10.02%50012.31%4,061Manitowoc3,89844.57%3,97745.48%5576.37%2132.44%1001.14%00.00%-79-0.90%8,745Marathon4,78248.98%4,55646.66%1311.34%1601.64%1311.34%40.04%2262.31%9,764Marinette3,12560.27%1,51929.30%1863.59%2094.03%1432.76%30.06%1,60630.97%5,185Marquette1,16046.53%1,19247.81%70.28%582.33%753.01%10.04%-32-1.28%2,493Milwaukee28,18538.63%23,14331.72%17,39423.84%3,2284.42%9181.26%910.12%5,0426.91%72,959Monroe3,14653.22%2,48342.01%260.44%1081.83%1482.50%00.00%66311.22%5,911Oconto2,56356.92%1,70337.82%430.95%1383.06%541.20%20.04%86019.10%4,503Oneida1,42461.62%68929.81%1195.15%391.69%361.56%40.17%73531.80%2,311Outagamie5,04253.44%3,99642.36%740.78%2162.29%1051.11%10.01%1,04611.09%9,434Ozaukee1,25839.80%1,74655.24%932.94%371.17%260.82%10.03%-488-15.44%3,161Pepin84860.01%49635.10%10.07%433.04%241.70%10.07%35224.91%1,413Pierce2,90667.57%1,12426.13%210.49%1303.02%1202.79%00.00%1,78241.43%4,301Polk2,83280.45%44312.59%681.93%792.24%932.64%30.09%2,38967.87%3,520Includes 2 Scattering votesPortage2,93348.84%2,82547.04%300.50%1312.18%861.43%00.00%1081.80%6,005Price1,81765.57%80228.94%521.88%321.15%642.31%10.04%1,01536.63%2,771Includes 3 Scattering votesRacine4,63545.30%3,63935.56%1,23212.04%4644.53%2492.43%130.13%9969.73%10,232Richland2,07547.34%1,92343.87%240.55%992.26%2625.98%00.00%1523.47%4,383Rock5,24245.65%4,94043.02%3262.84%6355.53%3402.96%10.01%3022.63%11,484Sauk3,29746.08%3,28045.84%310.43%2283.19%3194.46%00.00%170.24%7,155Sawyer73969.72%26424.91%100.94%211.98%252.36%10.09%47544.81%1,060Shawano3,03359.54%1,83636.04%220.43%951.86%1062.08%20.04%1,19723.50%5,094Sheboygan4,93645.13%4,59842.04%7947.26%4233.87%1671.53%180.16%3383.09%10,937"one"St. Croix3,226The 1905 Blue Book mistakenly gives this figure as 3,32655.48%2,38941.08%611.05%470.81%911.56%10.02%83714.39%5,815Taylor1,45657.37%96638.06%311.22%491.93%351.38%10.04%49019.31%2,538Trempealeau3,20267.60%1,29727.38%60.13%851.79%1473.10%00.00%1,90540.22%4,737Vernon4,37875.73%1,12619.48%200.35%781.35%1783.08%10.02%3,25256.25%5,781Vilas1,21765.18%56630.32%301.61%351.87%180.96%10.05%65134.87%1,867Walworth3,24648.00%2,94843.60%1041.54%2193.24%2453.62%00.00%2984.41%6,762Washburn81262.65%39230.25%312.39%372.85%241.85%00.00%42032.41%1,296Washington1,99940.42%2,71754.94%501.01%1362.75%410.83%20.04%-718-14.52%4,945Waukesha4,17949.36%3,76744.49%1932.28%1471.74%1802.13%10.01%4124.87%8,467Waupaca4,69068.90%1,64324.14%500.73%1822.67%2403.53%20.03%3,04744.76%6,807Waushara2,66373.14%75120.63%180.49%1283.52%792.17%20.05%1,91252.51%3,641Winnebago5,42243.28%6,13448.96%1951.56%5034.01%2692.15%60.05%-712-5.68%12,529Wood3,24553.81%2,50641.56%1212.01%891.48%681.13%10.02%73912.26%6,030Total227,25350.55%176,30139.22%24,8575.53%12,1362.70%8,7641.95%2490.06%50,95211.33%449,570 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Langlade Taylor Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Crawford Door Florence Manitowoc Taylor Winnebago Aftermath During the 1904 campaign, La Follette pledged that he would not resign as governor during his term, but after winning re-election he directed state representative Irvine Lenroot, a close political ally, to secure his election to the United States Senate.Margulies Herbert F. Robert M. La Follette Goes to the Senate, 1905 The Wisconsin Magazine of History 1976 59 3 214–225 4635046 none, pp. 214–217. Shortly after La Follette delivered the inaugural message of his third term as governor, Lenroot began meeting with other legislators to assure that La Follette would be able to win election to the Senate; at that time, the state legislature elected senators.Margulies (1976), pp. 218–219. La Follette was formally nominated by the Republican caucus on January 23, 1905, and the state legislature chose him the following day.Margulies (1976), pp. 220–221. La Follette delayed accepting the nomination and continued to serve as governor until December 1905, when he announced his resignation.Margulies (1976), pp. 221–225.Encyclopædia Britannica (1922) Throughout 1905, La Follette continued to push his progressive policies, including the state regulation of railroad rates. The state legislature passed a relatively weak regulation bill that La Follette considered vetoing, but he ultimately signed the law.Thelen (1976), pp. 45–46. Lieutenant Governor James O. Davidson succeeded La Follette as governor and went on to win re-election in 1906.Margulies (1976), pp. 223–225. Notes References Bibliography Glashan Roy R. American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 Meckler Books 1979 0-930466-17-9 Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997 Washington, D.C. Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998 1-56802-396-0 Congressional Quarterly 1998 Erickson Halford 1905 The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1905 Democrat Printing Co. Madison Wisconsin Blue Book 1905 Margulies Herbert F. Robert M. La Follette Goes to the Senate, 1905 The Wisconsin Magazine of History 1976 59 3 214–225 4635046 none Thelen David P. Robert M. La Follette and the Insurgent Spirit 1976 Boston Little, Brown 978-0-316-83927-3 5198113M none 1904 Wisconsin Gubernatorial Category:Robert M. La Follette