1958 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

Election

1958 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

← 1956 November 4, 1958 1960 →
 
Nominee Gaylord Nelson Vernon W. Thomson
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 644,296 556,391
Percentage 53.59% 46.28%

County results
Nelson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Thomson:      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Vernon Wallace Thomson
Republican

Elected Governor

Gaylord Nelson
Democratic

The 1958 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1958. The Democratic nominee, state senator Gaylord Nelson, defeated the Republican incumbent governor, Vernon W. Thomson, receiving 53.59% of the vote.

This was the first Democratic victory in a Wisconsin gubernatorial election since 1932, and only the second since 1892. As of 2024[update], this marks the last occasion that Vilas County has voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election.[1]

General election

Elections in Wisconsin
Presidential elections
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
U.S. House of Representatives elections
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections
Secretary of State elections
Attorney General elections
Treasurer elections
Superintendent elections
State Senate elections
State Assembly elections
Supreme Court elections
  • v
  • t
  • e

Candidates

Results

1958 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Gaylord Nelson 644,296 53.59%
Republican Vernon Wallace Thomson (incumbent) 556,391 46.28%
Socialist Workers Wayne Leverenz 1,485 0.12%
Independent Write-ins 47 0.00%
Majority 87,905 7.31%
Turnout 1,202,219
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

References

  • flagWisconsin portal
  • iconPolitics portal
  1. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  2. ^ "THOMSON, Vernon Wallace 1905–1988". House.gov. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  3. ^ "WI Governor (1956)". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  4. ^ "Nelson, Gaylord A." Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  5. ^ "Leverenz, Wayne". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  6. ^ "WI Governor (1958)". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  • v
  • t
  • e
U.S.
Senate
U.S.
House
State
governors
State
legislatures
Mayors
  • New Orleans, LA
States and
territories
  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • American Samoa
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Guam
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Puerto Rico
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • Washington, D.C.
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming