1940 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

1940 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

November 5, 1940

Nominee Robert La Follette Jr. Fred H. Clausen James E. Finnegan Party Progressive Republican Democratic Popular vote 605,609 553,692 176,688 Percentage 45.26% 41.38% 13.20%

County results La Follete Jr.:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Clausen:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Robert La Follette Jr. Progressive Elected U.S. Senator Robert La Follette Jr. Progressive

The 1940 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held on November 5, 1940.

Incumbent Progressive U.S. Senator Robert La Follette Jr. was elected to a third term in office over Republican Fred H. Clausen and Democrat James E. Finnegan.

Progressive primary

Candidates

• Robert M. La Follette Jr., incumbent Senator since 1925

Results

1940 Progressive U.S. Senate primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Robert M. La Follette Jr. (incumbent)	144,692	100.00%
Total votes			144,692	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• James E. Finnegan, former Wisconsin Attorney General (1933–1937)

Eliminated in primary

• William D. Carroll, former State Senator (1933–1937)
• John Cudahy, former U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Irish Free State (write-in)
• James J. Kerwin

Results

1940 Democratic U.S. Senate primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James E. Finnegan	55,145	42.79%
	Democratic	William D. Carroll	36,306	28.17%
	Democratic	James J. Kerwin	22,642	17.57%
	Democratic	John Cudahy (write-in)	14,773	11.46%
Total votes			128,866	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Fred H. Clausen, farming equipment manufacturer

Eliminated in primary

• Walter B. Chilsen, former State Assemblyman (1919–1921) and editor of the Merrill Daily Herald
• Michael G. Eberlein
• Glenn Frank, former President of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (deceased, remained on ballot)
• John P. Koehler, Health Commissioner of Milwaukee
• William C. Maas
• Reuben W. Peterson, former State Assemblyman (1937–1939)

Declined

• Frank Bateman Keefe, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 6th congressional district (1939–1951)

Results

1940 Republican U.S. Senate primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Fred H. Clausen	109,293	31.23%
	Republican	John P. Koehler	64,774	18.51%
	Republican	Glenn Frank (deceased)	47,885	13.68%
	Republican	Michael G. Eberlein	43,784	12.51%