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
The primary election was held on September 11, 1956. Both major party candidates were unopposed in their respective primaries.
Republican party
Candidates
- Vernon W. Thomson, Attorney General of Wisconsin since 1951.
Democratic party
Candidates
- William Proxmire, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly 1951–53 and Democratic nominee for Governor in 1952 and 1954
General election
Candidates
- William Proxmire, Democrat
- Vernon W. Thomson, Republican
Results by county
After this election, Taylor County would not vote Republican again until 1978.
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Eau Claire
- Florence
- Langlade
- Price
- Taylor
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic