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1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

← 1954 November 6, 1956 1958 →
 
Nominee Vernon W. Thomson William Proxmire
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 808,273 749,421
Percentage 51.89% 48.11%

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

Governor before election

Walter J. Kohler Jr.
Republican

Elected Governor

Vernon Wallace Thomson
Republican

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

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The primary election was held on September 11, 1956. Both major party candidates were unopposed in their respective primaries.

Republican party

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vernon W. Thomson 400,442 100.00%
Total votes 400,442 100.00%

Democratic party

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Proxmire 265,475 100.00%
Total votes 265,475 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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  • William Proxmire, Democrat
  • Vernon W. Thomson, Republican

Results

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1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Vernon W. Thomson 808,273 51.89% +0.43%
Democratic William Proxmire 749,421 48.11% −0.29%
Scattering[a] 94 0.01%
Majority 58,852 3.78%
Total votes 1,557,788 100.00%
Republican hold Swing +0.72%

Results by county

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After this election, Taylor County would not vote Republican again until 1978.

County[3][4] Vernon W. Thomson
Republican
William Proxmire
Democratic
Scattering
Write-in
Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Adams 1,652 52.98% 1,466 47.02% 0 0.00% 186 5.97% 3,118
Ashland 3,584 46.55% 4,115 53.45% 0 0.00% -531 -6.90% 7,699
Barron 7,584 54.38% 6,362 45.62% 0 0.00% 1,222 8.76% 13,946
Bayfield 2,730 48.38% 2,913 51.62% 0 0.00% -183 -3.24% 5,643
Brown 26,181 56.45% 20,192 43.54% 2 0.00% 5,989 12.91% 46,375
Buffalo 3,030 55.20% 2,459 44.80% 0 0.00% 571 10.40% 5,489
Burnett 2,109 51.70% 1,970 48.30% 0 0.00% 139 3.41% 4,079
Calumet 5,370 64.88% 2,905 35.10% 2 0.02% 2,465 29.78% 8,277
Chippewa 8,228 49.95% 8,246 50.05% 0 0.00% -18 -0.11% 16,474
Clark 6,926 54.06% 5,886 45.94% 0 0.00% 1,040 8.12% 12,812
Columbia 9,265 59.74% 6,243 40.26% 0 0.00% 3,022 19.49% 15,508
Crawford 3,593 53.70% 3,098 46.30% 0 0.00% 495 7.40% 6,691
Dane 34,496 43.47% 44,851 56.52% 9 0.01% -10,355 -13.05% 79,356
Dodge 15,244 61.23% 9,652 38.77% 0 0.00% 5,592 22.46% 24,896
Door 5,929 69.50% 2,602 30.50% 0 0.00% 3,327 39.00% 8,531
Douglas 8,283 41.16% 11,841 58.84% 1 0.00% -3,558 -17.68% 20,125
Dunn 5,838 55.80% 4,624 44.20% 0 0.00% 1,214 11.60% 10,462
Eau Claire 11,631 50.32% 11,485 49.68% 0 0.00% 146 0.63% 23,116
Florence 841 50.06% 839 49.94% 0 0.00% 2 0.12% 1,680
Fond du Lac 18,424 61.19% 11,685 38.81% 1 0.00% 6,739 22.38% 30,110
Forest 1,502 42.26% 2,052 57.74% 0 0.00% -550 -15.48% 3,554
Grant 10,929 65.72% 5,699 34.27% 1 0.01% 5,230 31.45% 16,629
Green 6,090 56.97% 4,599 43.03% 0 0.00% 1,491 13.95% 10,689
Green Lake 4,944 69.90% 2,128 30.09% 1 0.01% 2,816 39.81% 7,073
Iowa 4,762 56.99% 3,594 43.01% 0 0.00% 1,168 13.98% 8,356
Iron 1,367 34.57% 2,587 65.43% 0 0.00% -1,220 -30.85% 3,954
Jackson 3,033 48.47% 3,224 51.52% 1 0.02% -191 -3.05% 6,258
Jefferson 11,511 57.26% 8,591 42.73% 1 0.00% 2,920 14.53% 20,103
Juneau 4,660 62.16% 2,837 37.84% 0 0.00% 1,823 24.32% 7,497
Kenosha 16,273 41.98% 22,494 58.02% 1 0.00% -6,221 -16.05% 38,768
Kewaunee 4,127 55.78% 3,272 44.22% 0 0.00% 855 11.56% 7,399
La Crosse 15,498 51.79% 14,427 48.21% 0 0.00% 1,071 3.58% 29,925
Lafayette 4,381 55.10% 3,570 44.90% 0 0.00% 811 10.20% 7,951
Langlade 4,261 54.64% 3,537 45.36% 0 0.00% 724 9.28% 7,798
Lincoln 5,664 60.42% 3,711 39.58% 0 0.00% 1,953 20.83% 9,375
Manitowoc 14,224 48.64% 15,017 51.35% 1 0.00% -793 -2.71% 29,242
Marathon 17,802 46.42% 20,545 53.58% 0 0.00% -2,743 -7.15% 38,347
Marinette 8,054 56.54% 6,190 43.46% 0 0.00% 1,864 13.09% 14,244
Marquette 2,528 66.65% 1,264 33.32% 1 0.03% 1,264 33.32% 3,793
Milwaukee 180,462 44.02% 229,443 55.97% 27 0.01% -48,981 -11.95% 409,932
Monroe 6,712 56.99% 5,065 43.00% 1 0.01% 1,647 13.98% 11,778
Oconto 6,109 58.61% 4,314 41.39% 0 0.00% 1,795 17.22% 10,423
Oneida 5,177 53.68% 4,467 46.31% 1 0.01% 710 7.36% 9,645
Outagamie 23,037 66.33% 11,694 33.67% 0 0.00% 11,343 32.66% 34,731
Ozaukee 8,066 57.90% 5,864 42.10% 0 0.00% 2,202 15.81% 13,930
Pepin 1,689 58.54% 1,196 41.46% 0 0.00% 493 17.09% 2,885
Pierce 5,343 57.78% 3,904 42.22% 0 0.00% 1,439 15.56% 9,247
Polk 5,279 49.64% 5,356 50.36% 0 0.00% -77 -0.72% 10,635
Portage 6,357 41.42% 8,991 58.58% 1 0.01% -2,634 -17.16% 15,349
Price 3,430 51.37% 3,247 48.63% 0 0.00% 183 2.74% 6,677
Racine 25,987 46.85% 29,453 53.10% 26 0.05% -3,466 -6.25% 55,466
Richland 4,747 59.72% 3,200 40.26% 2 0.03% 1,547 19.46% 7,949
Rock 25,495 59.25% 17,531 40.75% 0 0.00% 7,964 18.51% 43,026
Rusk 3,112 49.19% 3,215 50.81% 0 0.00% -103 -1.63% 6,327
Sauk 9,715 60.12% 6,443 39.87% 1 0.01% 3,272 20.25% 16,159
Sawyer 2,474 58.09% 1,785 41.91% 0 0.00% 689 16.18% 4,259
Shawano 8,698 65.95% 4,489 34.04% 1 0.01% 4,209 31.92% 13,188
Sheboygan 20,359 52.97% 18,078 47.03% 0 0.00% 2,281 5.93% 38,437
St. Croix 6,256 51.72% 5,840 48.28% 0 0.00% 416 3.44% 12,096
Taylor 3,388 51.07% 3,245 48.91% 1 0.02% 143 2.16% 6,634
Trempealeau 4,766 48.66% 5,029 51.34% 0 0.00% -263 -2.69% 9,795
Vernon 5,438 48.45% 5,787 51.55% 0 0.00% -349 -3.11% 11,225
Vilas 3,109 53.50% 1,787 36.50% 0 0.00% 1,322 27.00% 4,896
Walworth 14,895 69.01% 6,688 30.98% 2 0.01% 8,207 38.02% 21,585
Washburn 2,573 55.14% 2,093 44.86% 0 0.00% 480 10.29% 4,666
Washington 10,004 60.09% 6,645 39.91% 0 0.00% 3,359 20.18% 16,649
Waukesha 29,573 57.94% 21,465 42.05% 6 0.01% 8,108 15.88% 51,044
Waupaca 11,060 73.08% 4,074 26.92% 0 0.00% 6,986 46.16% 15,134
Waushara 4,377 71.19% 1,771 28.81% 0 0.00% 2,606 42.39% 6,148
Winnebago 25,638 62.93% 15,101 37.06% 3 0.01% 10,537 25.86% 40,742
Wood 12,400 56.91% 9,389 43.09% 0 0.00% 3,011 13.82% 21,789
Total 808,273 51.89% 749,421 48.11% 94 0.01% 58,852 3.78% 1,557,788

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

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Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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Notes

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  1. ^ These are not listed in the Blue Book but are listed in the Board of Canvassers report.

References

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  1. ^ "THOMSON, Vernon Wallace 1905–1988". House.gov. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  2. ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1958). "Vote For State Officers, Primary Election". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1958. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 663.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for State Officers - General Election - 1956
  4. ^ a b The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library (1958). "Vote For State Officers By Counties, General Election, November 6, 1956". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1958. Madison, Wisconsin. pp. 769–770.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)