1948 Minnesota gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1948 Minnesota gubernatorial election Minnesota 1893 presidential no 1946 Minnesota gubernatorial election 1946 1950 Minnesota gubernatorial election 1950 November 2, 1948 File:Luther Youngdahl 1949 (cropped).jpg 150x150px Luther Youngdahl Republican Party (United States) 643,572 53.15% File:Charles Halstead 1946.jpg Charles Halsted Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party 545,766 45.07% 1948 Minnesota gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 280px County resultsYoungdahl: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Halsted: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Governor Luther Youngdahl Republican Party of Minnesota Luther Youngdahl Republican Party of Minnesota The 1948 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1948. Republican Luther Youngdahl was elected to a second term, defeating Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party challenger Charles Halsted. Republican primary Luther Youngdahl was renominated. Stafford King was Youngdahl's main opposition. King accused Youngdahl of ruling the Republican Party by dictation.Parlin L.D. King Raps Youngdahl Drive Tactics St. Paul Pioneer Press August 15, 1948 https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp19480815.1.46&srpos=1&e=------194-en-20--1--img-txIN-youngdahl----1948------- King waited until the final hours of the campaign registration window to file. His campaign came as a surprise, despite the known opposition between Youngdahl and King. King had previously changed his mind multiple times as to whether he would run. King's campaign was centered around deregulation of certain industries, notably a campaign to attempt to legalize gambling. King called the ban an "insidious encroachment of centralized authority upon local, county and state's rights."Parlin L.D. Auditor's Surprise Move Sets Stage For Hot Campaign St. Paul Pioneer Press August 6, 1948 https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp19480806.1.1&srpos=6&e=------194-en-20--1--img-txIN-youngdahl----1948------- Former governor Harold Stassen put his support behind Youngdahl. Stassen did not criticize King, or even mention him, in his endorsement letter.Parlin L.D. STASSEN BACKS YOUNGDAHL St. Paul Pioneer Press August 8, 1948 https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp19480808.1.17&srpos=14&e=------194-en-20--1--img-txIN-youngdahl----1948------- Candidates Nominated Luther Youngdahl, incumbent Eliminated in primary W. Eugene Cooper, plumber William Daley, attorney Golden Davis, farmhand Stafford King, Minnesota state auditor Walt Werner, salesman Results Republican Party of Minnesota primary results Republican Party (United States) Luther Youngdahl 215,754 57.84% Republican Party (United States) Stafford King 148,636 39.84% Republican Party (United States) William Daley 2,646 0.71% Republican Party (United States) Walt Werner 2,344 0.63% Republican Party (United States) W. Eugene Cooper 1,939 0.52% Republican Party (United States) Golden Davis 1,722 0.46% 373,041 100.00% Governor, 1948 Election Minnesota Historical Election Archive https://mnelectionarchive.datamade.us/election/2319484015020600/ Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary The Republican party had held the governor's office since 1939. In 1944, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) was founded as the main opposition against the Republicans. That year, Byron G. Allen, a member of the liberal wing of the DFL, was nominated. Following his defeat, Harold H. Barker, a member of the leftist wing of the party, was nominated. His campaign was also unsuccessful. With both wings of the party having been defeated electorally, the DFL soon found itself internally divided. Charles Halsted was nominated, supported by the right-wing faction of the party, then led by Hubert Humphrey.Nordin Gustaf A. The DFL Civil War St. Paul Pioneer Press August 2, 1948 https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp19480802.1.14&srpos=21&e=------194-en-20--21--img-txIN-Halsted----1948------- Candidates Nominated Charles Halsted, former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives Eliminated in primary Edgar Bernard, farmer, Republican primary candidate in 1934; Farmer-Labor primary candidate in 1936, 1940, 1942; and DFL primary candidate in 1946 Walter Johnson, state chair of the Progressive Party Ray G. Moonan, attorney Francis L. Murphy, painter and 1944 nominee for lieutenant governor John Leo Nolan, small business owner Results Republican Party of Minnesota primary results Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Charles Halsted 80,901 35.96% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Ray G. Moonan 48,795 21.69% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Walter Johnson 37,004 16.45% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Francis L. Murphy 33,113 14.72% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party John Leo Nolan 14,117 6.28% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Edgar Bernard 11,022 4.90% 224,952 100.00% Governor, 1948 Election Minnesota Historical Election Archive https://mnelectionarchive.datamade.us/election/2319484010120600/ Candidates Rudolph Gustafson, plumber (Industrial Government) Charles Halsted, member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (DFL) Orville Olson, head of Independent Voters of Minnesota (Prohibition) Luther Youngdahl, incumbent (Republican) Campaigns Youngdahl intended to desegregate the Minnesota National Guard. He considered segregation a "shame and disgrace" and a suitable cause to drive people towards communism. He was supported in the law by Minnesota Attorney General and former governor Joseph A. A. Burnquist.Weinberg Jack Youngdahl Demands Negro Entry In National Guard St. Paul Pioneer Press June 29, 1948 https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp19480629.1.3&srpos=8&e=------194-en-20--1--img-txIN-youngdahl----1948------- Halsted campaigned on a platform that the two biggest issues of the day were healthcare access and housing. He noted the scarcity in access to medical care in rural regions, with some medical buildings being nothing more than a single room. In the far north of the state, distances to the nearest hospital became as great as 100 miles. Halsted stated that the funds to build new hospitals were available, but no action had been taken to use the funds.Halsted Attacks State GOP Rule St. Paul Pioneer Press September 12, 1948 https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp19480912.1.34&srpos=2&e=------194-en-20--1--img-txIN-Halsted----1948------- Results 1948 gubernatorial election, Minnesota Republican Party (United States) Luther Youngdahl (incumbent) 643,572 53.15% -5.81% Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Charles Halsted 545,766 45.07% +5.36% Prohibition Party (United States) Orville Olson 14,950 1.23% n/a Industrial Government Party (United States) Rudolph Gustafson 6,598 0.54% -0.79% 97,806 8.08% 1,210,886 Republican Party (United States) See also List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections References External links Minnesota Historical Election Archive Gubernatorial 1948 Minnesota Category:November 1948 in the United States