The 1932 United States House of Representatives election in Minnesota was held on November 8, 1932, to elect nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state's at-large seats.
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
.jpg)
Background
editMinnesota's representation in the United States House of Representatives fell from ten to nine seats after the Reapportionment Act of 1929. The Minnesota Legislature, controlled by the Republican Party, passed legislation redistricting these seats in April 1931. However, Governor Floyd B. Olson, a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party, vetoed it on April 20, stating that it was a gerrymander. The 7th congressional district stretched over 175 miles across the state and Henepin County was divided between three districts.[1]
The legislature was unable to overturn Olson's veto. Proponents of the legislation argued that the Constitution of the United States gives redistricting power solely to the legislature and Olson, as governor, had no power over it. The Minnesota Secretary of State started accepting nominations from the new districts and rejected at-large nominations.[2]
W. Yale Smiley filed a writ of mandamus to force the secretary of state to accept his at-large nomination. He was rejected and appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Smiley's favor on April 11, 1932. Minnesota had to use an at-large district as the legislature was not set to convene until January 1933, and Olson refused to call a special session.[3][4] Minnesota previously used an at-large seat during the 1912 election, which was won by James Manahan.[5]
Primary
edit88 candidates were on the primary ballots for the Democrats, Farmer–Laborers, and Republicans. This long ballot resulted in long lines at polling locations and slow counting.[6][7] This was the first time in Minnesota history that women ran for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, with Laura Emelia Naplin and Susie Stageberg seeking the Farmer–Labor nomination and Anna Dickie Olesen and Mary Brainerd seeking the Democratic nomination.[8]
Farmer–Labor
editFarmer–Labor vice chair Albert G. Bastis, state senator Lynn Thompson, and Andrew Olaf Devold reached an agreement with the Socialist Party of Minnesota. It agreed to not run candidates in all but one statewide race and endorsed the Farmer–Labor campaign under the condition that it would not do fusion with the Democrats.[9][10]
Republican
editRepresentative Frank Clague declined to seek reelection.[11] Milo B. Price initially filed to run against Victor Christgau in the 1st congressional district.[12]
Representatives Melvin Maas and Christgau, liberal Republicans who had conflicts with Herbert Hoover, announced that they would seek reelection, but not seek the endorsement of their district conventions.[13][14] The Republican Party of Minnesota voted to endorse August H. Andresen, Harold Knutson, William Alvin Pittenger, Conrad Selvig, J.V. Weber, and Theodore Christianson at its state convention, but not Maas and Christgau.[11]
Endorsements
editOrganizations
Organizations
Organizations
Organizations
Organizations
Organizations
Organizations
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Theodore Christianson | 139,680 | 8.08% | ||
| Republican | Ray P. Chase | 123,376 | 7.14% | ||
| Republican | William I. Nolan (incumbent) | 103,902 | 6.01% | ||
| Republican | Joseph A. A. Burnquist | 95,719 | 5.54% | ||
| Republican | Harold Knutson (incumbent) | 94,553 | 5.47% | ||
| Republican | N. J. Holmberg | 77,619 | 4.49% | ||
| Republican | William Alvin Pittenger (incumbent) | 76,665 | 4.43% | ||
| Republican | Conrad Selvig (incumbent) | 73,083 | 4.23% | ||
| Republican | August H. Andresen (incumbent) | 71,766 | 4.15% | ||
| Republican | Henry Rines | 70,203 | 4.06% | ||
| Republican | Victor Christgau (incumbent) | 68,583 | 3.97% | ||
| Republican | Melvin Maas (incumbent) | 68,121 | 3.94% | ||
| Republican | Godfrey G. Goodwin (incumbent) | 63,846 | 3.69% | ||
| Republican | Elmer Adams | 57,782 | 3.34% | ||
| Republican | Milo B. Price | 52,644 | 3.04% | ||
| Republican | John H. Hougen | 51,727 | 2.99% | ||
| Republican | Charles A. Lund | 47,618 | 2.75% | ||
| Republican | Knute Knutson | 44,684 | 2.58% | ||
| Republican | J.V. Weber | 43,168 | 2.50% | ||
| Republican | Samuel A. Rask | 39,121 | 2.26% | ||
| Republican | Martin F. Falk | 33,918 | 1.96% | ||
| Republican | Louis P. Johnson | 32,682 | 1.89% | ||
| Republican | Hilding Alfred Swanson | 32,046 | 1.85% | ||
| Republican | E.F. Jacobson | 30,666 | 1.77% | ||
| Republican | Ed C. Cole | 26,325 | 1.52% | ||
| Republican | John W. Johnson | 26,282 | 1.52% | ||
| Republican | Orville Nelson | 24,289 | 1.40% | ||
| Republican | Charles J. Andre | 24,040 | 1.39% | ||
| Republican | Hans Yugve | 22,283 | 1.29% | ||
| Republican | George Reimers | 17,691 | 1.02% | ||
| Republican | Roy Dalfred Modeen | 14,123 | 0.82% | ||
| Republican | Kleve J. Flake | 12,807 | 0.74% | ||
| Total votes | 1,728,976 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic
editThe Democratic Party faced internal division between the Catholic and conservative Al Smith supporters and Protestant and liberal Franklin D. Roosevelt supporters. The liberal faction supported electoral fusion with the Farmer–Laborers while the conservatives opposed it.[17][18]
Einar Hoidale, Joseph Wolf, J. J. Farrell, Adolph Bremer, and Z. H. Austin led the liberal faction. John E. Regan, Ruth Haynes Carpenter, and Ray Moonan led the conservative faction.[17][18]
Two state conventions were held. The conservatives held a rival convention on April 14. They opposed any fusion between the Democrats and Farmer–Laborers. This faction controlled all of the party's activities except for the delegates to the 1932 Democratic National Convention, which the liberal faction controlled.[18]
General
editSupporters of Christgau sought to draft him as a write-in candidate after losing in the Republican primary.[19][20] He formally announced his write-in candidacy on September 28,[21] and his supporters requested one million ballot stickers.[22] He was accused of being a spoiler candidate and causing Republicans to lose.[23]
Eight incumbents sought reelection, eight Republicans and one Farmer-Laborer. The Farmer-Laborer won reelection, but only one Republican did so.[24] The Farmer-Labor Party won a majority of the seats and the top four recipients of vote were Farmer-Laborers.[25]
Franklin D. Roosevelt won the state in the concurrent presidential election, the first Democrat to do so.[1] Olson won reelection in the concurrent gubernatorial election with more votes than his party received in the U.S. House elections.[26]
Endorsements
editIndividuals
- William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor[27]
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmer–Labor | Magnus Johnson | 388,616 | 5.00% | ||
| Farmer–Labor | Paul J. Kvale | 380,444 | 4.90% | ||
| Farmer–Labor | Henry M. Arens | 361,724 | 4.65% | ||
| Farmer–Labor | Ernest Lundeen | 350,455 | 4.51% | ||
| Republican | Theodore Christianson | 337,110 | 4.34% | ||
| Democratic | Einar Hoidale | 321,949 | 4.14% | ||
| Republican | Ray P. Chase | 321,102 | 4.13% | ||
| Farmer–Labor | Francis Shoemaker | 317,109 | 4.08% | ||
| Republican | Harold Knutson (incumbent) | 313,221 | 4.03% | ||
| Republican | August H. Andresen (incumbent) | 312,198 | 4.02% | ||
| Republican | William I. Nolan (incumbent) | 306,266 | 3.94% | ||
| Republican | Conrad Selvig (incumbent) | 304,846 | 3.92% | ||
| Republican | Joseph A. A. Burnquist | 302,356 | 3.89% | ||
| Farmer–Labor | J. L. Peterson | 298,331 | 3.84% | ||
| Farmer–Labor | Henry Teigan | 291,837 | 3.75% | ||
| Farmer–Labor | C.F. Gaarenstroom | 291,687 | 3.75% | ||
| Republican | William Alvin Pittenger (incumbent) | 291,478 | 3.75% | ||
| Republican | N. J. Holmberg | 287,381 | 3.70% | ||
| Farmer–Labor | Arthur C. Townley | 261,120 | 3.36% | ||
| Democratic | Robert C. Bell | 237,881 | 3.06% | ||
| Democratic | John P. Coughlin | 214,462 | 2.76% | ||
| Democratic | Silas M. Bryan | 207,419 | 2.67% | ||
| Democratic | Emil E. Holmes | 205,673 | 2.65% | ||
| Democratic | James R. Bennett | 198,421 | 2.55% | ||
| Democratic | Donald A. Chapman | 190,530 | 2.45% | ||
| Democratic | Hugh T. Kennedy | 186,466 | 2.40% | ||
| Democratic | John Bowe | 184,587 | 2.37% | ||
| Write-In | Victor Christgau (incumbent) | 82,826 | 1.07% | ||
| Communist | J.W. Anderson | 16,299 | 0.21% | ||
| Communist | M. Karson | 9,573 | 0.12% | ||
| Communist | Fred Lequier | 8,927 | 0.11% | ||
| Write-In | Melvin Maas (incumbent) | 784 | 0.01% | ||
| Total votes | 7,783,078 | 100.00% | |||
References
edit- ^ a b Shumate 1933, p. 58.
- ^ Shumate 1933, p. 59.
- ^ Shumate 1933, p. 59-60.
- ^ "Smiley v. Holm, 285 U.S. 355 (1932)". Justia. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024.
- ^ "Decision Hits Congressmen". Star Tribune. April 12, 1932. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Long Ballot In 3 Parties Slows Count". Star Tribune. June 21, 1932. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Earle Brown Is Nominated". Star Tribune. June 21, 1932. p. 7. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State To Vote On Record Size Ballot In June". Star Tribune. May 12, 1932. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Gieske 1979, p. 159.
- ^ "Pact With F.-L, Party Favored". Star Tribune. March 29, 1932. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "G.O.P. Of State Committed To Vote On Repeal". Star Tribune. May 2, 1932. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Milo Price". St. Cloud Times. January 2, 1932. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Maas, Christgau Ask No Favor". Star Tribune. April 19, 1932. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Put Christgau And Maas Out, Coleman Says". Albert Lea Tribune. April 27, 1932. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Christgau Is Indorsed At W.C.T.U. Parley". Austin Daily Herald. June 10, 1932. p. 12. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Primary 1933, pp. 188–191.
- ^ a b Gieske 1979, p. 156-157.
- ^ a b c Gieske 1979, p. 162-163.
- ^ "Christgau to Open 'Sticker' Campaign". St. Cloud Times. September 3, 1932. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cong. Christgau Is Urged To Make Race On Stickers". Blooming Prairie Times. September 8, 1932. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sticker Drive For Christgau". Star Tribune. September 28, 1932. p. 6. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Christgau Forces Place Order For A Million Stickers". Austin Daily Herald. September 21, 1932. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Minnesota Politics". Minneapolis Journal. November 26, 1932. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Shumate 1933, p. 61-62.
- ^ Gieske 1979, p. 169.
- ^ Shumate 1933, p. 61.
- ^ "Wm. Green, Labor Head In America, Lauds Christgau". Blooming Prairie Times. November 3, 1932. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Moore, Preimesberger & Tarr 2001, pp. 1053.
Works cited
edit- Gieske, Millard (1979). Minnesota Farmer-Laborism: The Third Party Alternative. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0816608903.
- Moore, John; Preimesberger, Jon; Tarr, David, eds. (2001). Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections. Congressional Quarterly. ISBN 1-56802-602-1.
- Shumate, Roger (1933). "Minnesota's Congressional Election at Large". American Political Science Review. 27 (1). American Political Science Association: 58–63. doi:10.2307/1947345. JSTOR 1947345.
- Primary Election Returns of Election Held June 20th, 1932 (PDF). Minnesota Legislature. 1933.
Further reading
edit- Schweigert, Benedict (2008). ""Now for a Clean Sweep!": Smiley v. Holm, Partisan Gerrymandering, and At-Large Congressional Elections". Michigan Law Review. 107 (1). Michigan Law Review Association: 133–64. JSTOR 40041659.