The 1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1956. Republican nominee Vernon W. Thomson defeated Democratic nominee William Proxmire with 51.89% of the vote. Proxmire was defeated for the third consecutive gubernatorial election; he would subsequently win a special election for the United States Senate the following year after the death of Joseph McCarthy.
Primary election The primary election was held on September 11, 1956. Both major party candidates were unopposed in their respective primaries.
Republican party Candidates Vernon W. Thomson, Attorney General of Wisconsin since 1951.
Results
Democratic party Candidates William Proxmire, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly 1951–53 and Democratic nominee for Governor in 1952 and 1954
Results
General election Candidates William Proxmire, Democrat Vernon W. Thomson, Republican
Results
Results by county After this election, Taylor County would not vote Republican again until 1978. County Vernon W. ThomsonRepublican William ProxmireDemocratic ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Adams1,65252.98%1,46647.02%00.00%1865.97%3,118Ashland3,58446.55%4,11553.45%00.00%-531-6.90%7,699Barron7,58454.38%6,36245.62%00.00%1,2228.76%13,946Bayfield2,73048.38%2,91351.62%00.00%-183-3.24%5,643Brown26,18156.45%20,19243.54%20.00%5,98912.91%46,375Buffalo3,03055.20%2,45944.80%00.00%57110.40%5,489Burnett2,10951.70%1,97048.30%00.00%1393.41%4,079Calumet5,37064.88%2,90535.10%20.02%2,46529.78%8,277Chippewa8,22849.95%8,24650.05%00.00%-18-0.11%16,474Clark6,92654.06%5,88645.94%00.00%1,0408.12%12,812Columbia9,26559.74%6,24340.26%00.00%3,02219.49%15,508Crawford3,59353.70%3,09846.30%00.00%4957.40%6,691Dane34,49643.47%44,85156.52%90.01%-10,355-13.05%79,356Dodge15,24461.23%9,65238.77%00.00%5,59222.46%24,896Door5,92969.50%2,60230.50%00.00%3,32739.00%8,531Douglas8,28341.16%11,84158.84%10.00%-3,558-17.68%20,125Dunn5,83855.80%4,62444.20%00.00%1,21411.60%10,462Eau Claire11,63150.32%11,48549.68%00.00%1460.63%23,116Florence84150.06%83949.94%00.00%20.12%1,680Fond du Lac18,42461.19%11,68538.81%10.00%6,73922.38%30,110Forest1,50242.26%2,05257.74%00.00%-550-15.48%3,554Grant10,92965.72%5,69934.27%10.01%5,23031.45%16,629Green6,09056.97%4,59943.03%00.00%1,49113.95%10,689Green Lake4,94469.90%2,12830.09%10.01%2,81639.81%7,073Iowa4,76256.99%3,59443.01%00.00%1,16813.98%8,356Iron1,36734.57%2,58765.43%00.00%-1,220-30.85%3,954Jackson3,03348.47%3,22451.52%10.02%-191-3.05%6,258Jefferson11,51157.26%8,59142.73%10.00%2,92014.53%20,103Juneau4,66062.16%2,83737.84%00.00%1,82324.32%7,497Kenosha16,27341.98%22,49458.02%10.00%-6,221-16.05%38,768Kewaunee4,12755.78%3,27244.22%00.00%85511.56%7,399La Crosse15,49851.79%14,42748.21%00.00%1,0713.58%29,925Lafayette4,38155.10%3,57044.90%00.00%81110.20%7,951Langlade4,26154.64%3,53745.36%00.00%7249.28%7,798Lincoln5,66460.42%3,71139.58%00.00%1,95320.83%9,375Manitowoc14,22448.64%15,01751.35%10.00%-793-2.71%29,242Marathon17,80246.42%20,54553.58%00.00%-2,743-7.15%38,347Marinette8,05456.54%6,19043.46%00.00%1,86413.09%14,244Marquette2,52866.65%1,26433.32%10.03%1,26433.32%3,793Milwaukee180,46244.02%229,44355.97%270.01%-48,981-11.95%409,932Monroe6,71256.99%5,06543.00%10.01%1,64713.98%11,778Oconto6,10958.61%4,31441.39%00.00%1,79517.22%10,423Oneida5,17753.68%4,46746.31%10.01%7107.36%9,645Outagamie23,03766.33%11,69433.67%00.00%11,34332.66%34,731Ozaukee8,06657.90%5,86442.10%00.00%2,20215.81%13,930Pepin1,68958.54%1,19641.46%00.00%49317.09%2,885Pierce5,34357.78%3,90442.22%00.00%1,43915.56%9,247Polk5,27949.64%5,35650.36%00.00%-77-0.72%10,635Portage6,35741.42%8,99158.58%10.01%-2,634-17.16%15,349Price3,43051.37%3,24748.63%00.00%1832.74%6,677Racine25,98746.85%29,45353.10%260.05%-3,466-6.25%55,466Richland4,74759.72%3,20040.26%20.03%1,54719.46%7,949Rock25,49559.25%17,53140.75%00.00%7,96418.51%43,026Rusk3,11249.19%3,21550.81%00.00%-103-1.63%6,327Sauk9,71560.12%6,44339.87%10.01%3,27220.25%16,159Sawyer2,47458.09%1,78541.91%00.00%68916.18%4,259Shawano8,69865.95%4,48934.04%10.01%4,20931.92%13,188Sheboygan20,35952.97%18,07847.03%00.00%2,2815.93%38,437St. Croix6,25651.72%5,84048.28%00.00%4163.44%12,096Taylor3,38851.07%3,24548.91%10.02%1432.16%6,634Trempealeau4,76648.66%5,02951.34%00.00%-263-2.69%9,795Vernon5,43848.45%5,78751.55%00.00%-349-3.11%11,225Vilas3,10953.50%1,78736.50%00.00%1,32227.00%4,896Walworth14,89569.01%6,68830.98%20.01%8,20738.02%21,585Washburn2,57355.14%2,09344.86%00.00%48010.29%4,666Washington10,00460.09%6,64539.91%00.00%3,35920.18%16,649Waukesha29,57357.94%21,46542.05%60.01%8,10815.88%51,044Waupaca11,06073.08%4,07426.92%00.00%6,98646.16%15,134Waushara4,37771.19%1,77128.81%00.00%2,60642.39%6,148Winnebago25,63862.93%15,10137.06%30.01%10,53725.86%40,742Wood12,40056.91%9,38943.09%00.00%3,01113.82%21,789Total808,27351.89%749,42148.11%940.01%58,8523.78%1,557,788
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Eau Claire Florence Langlade Price Taylor
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Polk
Notes
References