The 1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1932. Incumbent Republican Governor Philip La Follette was defeated in the Republican primary, and in the midst of the Great Depression and nationwide voter dissatisfaction with the Republican Party, Democratic nominee Albert G. Schmedeman defeated Republican nominee Walter J. Kohler Sr. and Socialist nominee Frank Metcalfe with 52.48% of the vote. Schmedeman became the first Democrat to win a gubernatorial election in Wisconsin since George Wilbur Peck in 1892. Two years later, in 1934, La Follette would run for governor again and defeated Schmedeman, this time running with the Progressive Party.
This was the only Democratic victory in a Wisconsin gubernatorial election between 1892 and 1958. As of 2022, this is the most recent gubernatorial election in which Juneau, Shawano, and Waupaca have voted for a Democratic candidate.
Primary elections were held on September 20, 1932.
Republican party
Candidates
Nominee Walter J. Kohler Sr., former Governor
Eliminated in primary Philip La Follette, incumbent Governor
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Albert G. Schmedeman, mayor of Madison and Democratic nominee for governor in 1928
Eliminated in primary Leo P. Fox, Democratic nominee for Wisconsin's 6th congressional district in 1920 and for lieutenant governor in 1928 William B. Rubin, attorney
Results
Socialist party
Nominee Frank Metcalfe, nominee for governor in 1930
Results
Prohibition party
Candidates
Nominee
William C. Dean, Prohibition nominee for governor in 1918
Eliminated in primary Adolph R. Bucknam, Prohibition nominee for U.S. Senate in 1922 and for governor in 1924 and 1928
Results
General election
Candidates Major party candidates Albert G. Schmedeman, Democratic Walter J. Kohler Sr., Republican
Other candidates Fred B. Blair, Communist, nominee for governor in 1930 William C. Dean, Prohibition Frank Metcalfe, Socialist Joseph Ehrhardt, Socialist Labor, nominee for governor in 1928
Results
Results by county Schmedeman's victory ended many long streaks of Republican victories in counties throughout the state. In particular, Schmedeman was the first Democrat to ever win Barron County, Burnett County, Grant County, Iron County, Rusk County, and Trempealeau County. He was also the first Democrat since William A. Barstow in 1853 to win Adams County and Vernon County along with the first since Barstow in 1855 to win Waupaca County. Additionally, Clark County, Jackson County, and Lafayette County voted Democratic for the first time since 1873. This election saw Marinette County back the losing the candidate for the first time ever.
Columbia County, Grant County, Green County, Iowa County, Lafayette County, and Sauk County would not vote Democratic again until 2002, nor would Monroe County until 2006. County Albert G. SchmedemanDemocratic Walter J. Kohler Sr.Republican Frank MetcalfeSocialist All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # %Adams1,60155.96%1,21142.33%260.91%230.80%39013.63%2,861Ashland5,04458.88%3,34239.01%830.97%971.13%1,70219.87%8,566Barron6,85858.79%4,53638.88%1471.26%1251.07%2,32219.90%11,666Bayfield2,60048.84%2,47846.55%1142.14%1312.46%1222.29%5,323Brown15,20654.91%12,04643.50%3671.33%760.27%3,16011.41%27,695Buffalo2,82757.17%2,07942.04%160.32%230.47%74815.13%4,945Burnett2,12757.02%1,49640.11%531.42%541.45%63116.92%3,730Calumet4,99271.76%1,87927.01%610.88%250.36%3,11344.75%6,957Chippewa7,38354.27%6,08444.73%810.60%550.40%1,2999.55%13,603Clark7,27961.05%4,25135.65%2301.93%1631.37%3,02825.40%11,923Columbia7,87356.91%5,86142.36%540.39%470.34%2,01214.54%13,835Crawford4,33364.61%2,32534.67%140.21%340.51%2,00829.94%6,706Dane24,53651.33%22,28046.61%8311.74%1550.32%2,2564.72%47,802Dodge14,33366.84%6,84631.93%2141.00%500.23%7,48734.92%21,443Door3,00945.65%3,49352.99%370.56%530.80%-484-7.34%6,592Douglas8,34144.94%9,45250.92%5102.75%2591.40%-1,111-5.99%18,562Dunn4,20347.42%4,52251.02%810.91%570.64%-319-3.60%8,863Eau Claire6,35941.48%8,81057.46%860.56%770.50%-2,451-15.99%15,332Florence78946.44%84949.97%382.24%231.35%-60-3.53%1,699Fond du Lac13,93554.90%11,12743.84%2140.84%1050.41%2,80811.06%25,381Forest2,24366.28%1,09632.39%220.65%230.68%1,14733.89%3,384Grant8,65654.19%7,16844.88%590.37%890.56%1,4889.32%15,972Green4,86255.21%3,82443.42%620.70%580.66%1,03811.79%8,806Green Lake3,78255.78%2,94843.48%290.43%210.31%83412.30%6,780Iowa4,52055.69%3,52343.41%200.25%530.65%99712.28%8,116Iron1,55446.58%1,55046.46%591.77%1735.19%40.12%3,336Jackson3,28256.61%2,40541.48%550.95%560.97%87715.13%5,798Jefferson10,28361.15%6,43738.28%770.46%200.12%3,84622.87%16,817Juneau3,72255.97%2,82442.47%530.80%510.77%89813.50%6,650Kenosha11,52648.12%10,30543.02%1,8837.86%2401.00%1,2215.10%23,954Kewaunee4,27870.43%1,76229.01%190.31%150.25%2,51641.42%6,074La Crosse10,19448.34%10,76651.06%650.31%610.29%-572-2.71%21,086Lafayette4,67756.22%3,59343.19%220.26%270.32%1,08413.03%8,319Langlade5,25659.06%3,49839.30%1101.24%360.40%1,75819.75%8,900Lincoln4,54453.57%3,81644.98%690.81%540.64%7288.58%8,483Manitowoc13,81665.25%7,02933.20%2761.30%520.25%6,78732.05%21,173Marathon15,46262.22%8,85035.61%4931.98%470.19%6,61226.61%24,852Marinette5,03640.80%7,00956.79%2522.04%460.37%-1,973-15.98%12,343Marquette2,20754.67%1,80144.61%160.40%130.32%40610.06%4,037Milwaukee131,15849.86%87,91133.42%42,40416.12%1,5700.60%43,24716.44%263,043Monroe6,14760.90%3,80737.72%550.54%850.84%2,34023.18%10,094Oconto5,65157.93%4,00841.09%570.58%390.40%1,64316.84%9,755Oneida3,84656.42%2,72940.03%2133.12%290.43%1,11716.39%6,817Outagamie13,35352.33%11,86646.50%2360.92%640.25%1,4875.83%25,519Ozaukee5,00469.33%2,07128.69%1321.83%110.15%2,93340.63%7,218Pepin1,60652.90%1,40146.15%170.56%120.40%2056.75%3,036Pierce3,65047.35%3,71748.22%2543.29%881.14%-67-0.87%7,709Polk5,14254.85%3,99942.66%1311.40%1021.09%1,14312.19%9,374Portage7,20555.92%5,55243.09%850.66%430.33%1,65312.83%12,885Price3,62055.74%2,60640.13%1291.99%1392.14%1,01415.61%6,494Racine15,95647.24%15,34445.43%2,1766.44%2990.89%6121.81%33,775Richland3,44845.42%4,04253.24%310.41%710.94%-594-7.82%7,592Rock10,73435.17%19,36763.45%2850.93%1360.45%-8,633-28.28%30,522Rusk2,63649.24%2,48546.42%1663.10%661.23%1512.82%5,353Sauk7,00054.30%5,76144.69%500.39%810.63%1,2399.61%12,892Sawyer1,95253.61%1,59943.92%671.84%230.63%3539.70%3,641Shawano6,91465.38%3,34931.67%2362.23%760.72%3,56533.71%10,575Sheboygan12,41945.89%13,66150.48%8603.18%1240.46%-1,242-4.59%27,064St. Croix6,31258.74%4,26339.67%940.87%770.72%2,04919.07%10,746Taylor3,66762.03%1,58026.73%62110.50%440.74%2,08735.30%5,912Trempealeau5,28660.78%3,30237.97%700.80%390.45%1,98422.81%8,697Vernon5,36558.93%3,63839.96%350.38%660.72%1,72718.97%9,104Vilas1,35141.40%1,78354.64%431.32%862.64%-432-13.24%3,263Walworth5,33835.46%9,58563.68%780.52%520.35%-4,247-28.21%15,053Washburn2,25653.83%1,78542.59%1042.48%461.10%47111.24%4,191Washington7,70768.67%3,35029.85%1461.30%210.19%4,35738.82%11,224Waukesha10,77247.10%11,61950.81%4231.85%550.24%-847-3.70%22,869Waupaca7,07951.17%6,50247.00%1881.36%660.48%5774.17%13,835Waushara2,80348.76%2,86649.85%350.61%450.78%-63-1.10%5,749Winnebago13,24146.72%14,50151.16%4831.70%1170.41%-1,260-4.45%28,342Wood7,96857.76%5,58540.49%1631.18%790.57%2,38317.27%13,795Total590,11452.48%470,80541.87%56,9655.07%6,6180.59%119,30910.61%1,124,502
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Adams Ashland Barron Bayfield Brown Buffalo Burnett Calumet Chippewa Clark Columbia Crawford Dane Dodge Fond du Lac Forest Grant Green Green Lake Iowa Iron Jackson Jefferson Juneau Kenosha Kewaunee Lafayette Langlade Lincoln Manitowoc Marathon Marquette Milwaukee Monroe Oconto Oneida Outagamie Ozaukee Pepin Polk Portage Price Racine Rusk Sauk Sawyer Shawano St. Croix Taylor Trempealeau Vernon Washburn Washington Waupaca Wood
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Sheboygan
Notes
References
Bibliography