The 1934 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1934. Primary elections were held on September 18, 1934. Incumbent Democratic Governor Albert G. Schmedeman was defeated by Progressive nominee Philip La Follette.
As of 2022, this is the last time Green Lake County has voted for the Democratic nominee for governor. This is also the only gubernatorial election in which Waushara County did not vote for the Republican candidate.
Background
With the onset of the Great Depression, Wisconsin's Republican factionalism had reached a breaking point, as Stalwarts and Progressives had grown increasingly estranged due to a growingly divergent outlook on the world. In 1928 the stalwarts had won the primary and nominated wealthy business leader Walter Kohler over Joseph Beck, defeating Madison mayor Albert Schmedemann. Two years later progressive scion Philip La Follette became governor, once again reasserting control of the party on the part of progressives. Despite taking several actions to curb the economic crisis, La Follette was unable to effectively articulate the achievements of his administration to primary voters, and with the factor of being outspent by the wealthy Kohler, went down in defeat in the primary, as Stalwarts once again retook control of the party. This time, in 1932, the Republicans went down in defeat against Schmedemann, who was propelled to victory by the election of New York governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
With this defeat, La Follette returned to his private life, but various factions within and beyond the Republican party began stirring for the formation of a new third party. This third party eventually culminated in the founding of the Wisconsin Progressive Party in 1934. After successfully suing the Secretary of State, La Follette and his supporters were able to hold a third party primary, and run under that label in the general election. Despite this, La Follette held reservations about running on the same ticket as his brother, Robert La Follette Jr., as he feared voters would reject "too much La Follette." In spite of this concern, he eventually threw his hat into the ring with tacit support from the Roosevelt administration.
Democratic party
Candidates
Nominee
- Albert G. Schmedeman, incumbent Governor
Eliminated in primary
- Richard F. Lehmann
- William B. Rubin, attorney and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for governor in 1932
Republican party
Candidates
Nominee
- Howard T. Greene, dairy farmer
Eliminated in primary
- James N. Tittemore, U.S. Marshal and unsuccessful candidate for Republican nomination for governor in 1918 and 1920 and Independent candidate for U.S. Senate in 1926
- Fred R. Zimmerman, former Governor (1927–1929)
Progressive party
Candidates
Nominee
- Philip La Follette, former Governor (1931–1933)
Eliminated in primary
- Henry O. Meisel, policeman
Declined
- Thomas Ryum Amlie, former congressman (1931–1933) (ran for congress)
- Harold Groves, state representative (Republican, ran for state senate as a progressive)
Candidates
- George A. Nelson, farmer and former Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly (1926–1927)
Other party nominations
- Morris Childs, Independent Communist, Communist Party district organizer
- Joseph Ehrhardt, Independent Socialist Labor, Socialist Labor nominee for governor in 1928 and 1932
- Thomas W. North, Independent Prohibition, Prohibition nominee for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district in 1902
The Communist, Prohibition and Socialist Labor parties were forced to run candidates as independents, as they were not recognized as legal parties due to failing to poll the required number of votes in past primary elections.
General election
Results by county
This was the only election between 1892 and 1966 in which Marinette County voted for the Democratic candidate. After this election, Marquette County would not vote Democratic again until 2002 and Fond du Lac County and Winnebago County would not do the same until 1982.
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Progressive
- Adams
- Ashland
- Barron
- Bayfield
- Buffalo
- Burnett
- Chippewa
- Clark
- Columbia
- Dane
- Forest
- Grant
- Green
- Iowa
- Iron
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Juneau
- Kenosha
- Lafayette
- Lincoln
- Manitowoc
- Marathon
- Monroe
- Oconto
- Oneida
- Pepin
- Polk
- Price
- Rusk
- Sauk
- Shawano
- St. Croix
- Taylor
- Trempealeau
- Vernon
- Washburn
- Washington
- Waupaca
- Wood
Counties that flipped from Republican to Progressive
- Door
- Douglas
- Dunn
- Eau Claire
- Florence
- La Crosse
- Pierce
- Waushara
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Marinette
- Rock
- Sheboygan
- Vilas
- Waukesha
- Winnebago