The 1952 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1952.

Incumbent Republican Governor Walter J. Kohler Jr. defeated Democratic nominee William Proxmire with 62.50% of the vote. Kohler's share of the vote was the highest by a gubernatorial candidate since Philip La Follette in 1930; no candidate would match Kohler's share until Tommy Thompson in 1994.

Primary election Primary elections were held on September 9, 1952.

Republican party Candidates Walter J. Kohler Jr., incumbent Governor

Results

Democratic party Candidates William Proxmire, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Results

General election Candidates William Proxmire, Democratic Walter J. Kohler Jr., Republican M. Michael Essin, Independent

Results

Results by county After this election, Douglas County and Kenosha County would not vote Republican again until 1990. County Walter J. Kohler Jr.Republican William ProxmireDemocratic M. Michael EssinIndependent ScatteringWrite-in Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Adams2,43871.60%95528.05%120.35%00.00%1,48343.55%3,405Ashland4,73258.29%3,34041.14%460.57%00.00%1,39217.15%8,118Barron10,67372.64%3,95426.91%650.44%00.00%6,71945.73%14,692Bayfield3,80863.27%2,16335.94%480.80%00.00%1,64527.33%6,019Brown30,91369.66%13,42930.26%310.07%10.00%17,48439.40%44,374Buffalo4,39774.11%1,51825.59%180.30%00.00%2,87948.53%5,933Burnett2,86966.88%1,40932.84%120.28%00.00%1,46034.03%4,290Calumet7,19580.52%1,73019.36%110.12%00.00%5,46561.16%8,936Chippewa12,44369.69%5,38230.14%300.17%00.00%7,06139.55%17,855Clark10,09176.37%3,07423.26%480.36%00.00%7,01753.11%13,213Columbia11,79871.44%4,70628.50%100.06%00.00%7,09242.95%16,514Crawford5,45572.12%2,10527.83%40.05%00.00%3,35044.29%7,564Dane40,16750.81%38,69948.95%1820.23%90.01%1,4681.86%79,057Dodge19,69274.30%6,78825.61%220.08%20.01%12,90448.69%26,504Door7,96784.17%1,48415.68%140.15%00.00%6,48368.49%9,465Douglas10,78952.03%9,85447.52%920.44%00.00%9354.51%20,735Dunn8,02373.54%2,87326.34%130.12%00.00%5,15047.21%10,909Eau Claire14,96762.56%8,91637.27%400.17%00.00%6,05125.29%23,923Florence1,24767.51%59432.16%60.32%00.00%65335.35%1,847Fond du Lac23,78876.25%7,34323.54%670.21%00.00%16,44552.71%31,198Forest2,05055.66%1,62444.09%90.24%00.00%42611.57%3,683Grant14,97681.67%3,33918.21%220.12%00.00%11,63763.46%18,337Green8,64077.44%2,51222.52%50.04%00.00%6,12854.93%11,157Green Lake6,49782.54%1,36417.33%100.13%00.00%5,13365.21%7,871Iowa6,60374.12%2,29825.79%80.09%00.00%4,30548.32%8,909Iron1,80942.24%2,45657.34%180.42%00.00%-647-15.11%4,283Jackson4,23161.56%2,63338.31%50.07%40.06%1,59823.25%6,873Jefferson14,03167.60%6,71332.34%110.05%00.00%7,31835.26%20,755Juneau6,31477.26%1,85222.66%60.07%00.00%4,46254.60%8,172Kenosha20,19451.27%19,10048.49%920.23%00.00%1,0942.78%39,386Kewaunee6,76380.68%1,61019.21%90.11%00.00%5,15361.48%8,382La Crosse20,14763.80%11,36936.00%640.20%00.00%8,77827.80%31,580Lafayette6,14171.63%2,42728.31%40.05%10.01%3,71443.32%8,573Langlade6,54971.10%2,63628.62%260.28%00.00%3,91342.48%9,211Lincoln7,16571.88%2,78427.93%190.19%00.00%4,38143.95%9,968Manitowoc19,38362.56%11,56337.32%360.12%20.01%7,82025.24%30,984Marathon22,17861.97%13,31337.20%2950.82%30.01%8,86524.77%35,789Marinette10,26366.89%5,05832.96%230.15%00.00%5,20533.92%15,344Marquette3,48483.27%69516.61%50.12%00.00%2,78966.66%4,184Milwaukee209,88748.68%219,55050.92%1,2830.30%4490.10%-9,663-2.24%431,169Monroe9,44376.41%2,90623.51%80.06%20.02%6,53752.89%12,359Oconto8,20573.81%2,88325.94%280.25%00.00%5,32247.88%11,116Oneida6,50464.86%3,50834.99%150.15%00.00%2,99629.88%10,027Outagamie28,07477.30%8,17222.50%730.20%00.00%19,90254.80%36,319Ozaukee8,52266.03%4,37233.88%120.09%00.00%4,15032.16%12,906Pepin2,38376.13%74123.67%60.19%00.00%1,64252.46%3,130Pierce7,44676.44%2,27523.35%200.21%00.00%5,17153.08%9,741Polk7,76169.39%3,40630.45%180.16%00.00%4,35538.94%11,185Portage9,22057.79%6,71442.08%200.13%10.01%2,50615.71%15,955Price4,92867.24%2,35232.09%490.67%00.00%2,57635.15%7,329Racine31,45655.61%24,99944.20%1020.18%60.01%6,45711.42%56,563Richland6,90477.45%2,00622.50%40.04%00.00%4,89854.95%8,914Rock28,89166.93%14,23132.97%410.09%30.01%14,66033.96%43,166Rusk4,71868.21%2,17331.42%260.38%00.00%2,54536.79%6,917Sauk12,81173.16%4,67726.71%190.11%30.02%8,13446.45%17,510Sawyer3,36972.62%1,25727.10%120.26%10.02%2,11245.53%4,639Shawano11,80081.42%2,67018.42%220.15%00.00%9,13063.00%14,492Sheboygan24,17463.18%13,93636.42%1510.39%00.00%10,23826.76%38,261St. Croix8,29667.60%3,96232.28%140.11%00.00%4,33435.32%12,272Taylor5,44871.97%2,10027.74%190.25%30.04%3,34844.23%7,570Trempealeau6,89568.34%3,18931.61%50.05%00.00%3,70636.73%10,089Vernon8,18671.15%3,30228.70%180.16%00.00%4,88442.45%11,506Vilas3,89275.30%1,27024.57%70.14%00.00%2,62250.73%5,169Walworth17,61978.79%4,69821.01%450.20%00.00%12,92157.78%22,362Washburn3,49668.19%1,61931.58%120.23%00.00%1,87736.61%5,127Washington12,36171.82%4,83428.09%170.10%00.00%7,52743.73%17,212Waukesha29,77064.26%16,47235.55%870.19%10.00%13,29828.70%46,330Waupaca14,52485.36%2,47914.57%120.07%00.00%12,04570.79%17,015Waushara5,69683.30%1,12816.50%120.18%20.03%4,56866.80%6,838Winnebago29,80770.94%12,13728.88%750.18%00.00%17,67042.05%42,019Wood15,81571.84%6,16428.00%360.16%00.00%9,65143.84%22,015Total1,009,17162.48%601,84437.26%3,7060.23%4930.03%407,32725.22%1,615,214

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Burnett Dane Douglas Eau Claire Forest Jackson Kenosha La Crosse Portage Washburn

Notes

References

Bibliography