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1912 United States presidential election in Wisconsin

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1912 United States presidential election in Wisconsin

← 1908 November 5, 1912 1916 →
 
Nominee Woodrow Wilson William Howard Taft
Party Democratic Republican
Home state New Jersey Ohio
Running mate Thomas R. Marshall Nicholas Murray Butler
Electoral vote 13 0
Popular vote 164,228 130,695
Percentage 41.05% 32.67%

 
Nominee Theodore Roosevelt Eugene V. Debs
Party Progressive Independent Socialist
Home state New York Indiana
Running mate Hiram Johnson Emil Seidel
Electoral vote 0 0
Popular vote 62,460 33,481
Percentage 15.61% 8.37%

County Results

President before election

William Howard Taft
Republican

Elected President

Woodrow Wilson
Democratic

The 1912 United States presidential election in Wisconsin was held on November 5, 1912 as part of the 1912 United States presidential election. State voters chose 13 electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Ever since the decline of the Populist movement, Wisconsin had become almost a one-party state dominated by the Republican Party.[1] The Democratic Party became entirely uncompetitive outside certain German Catholic counties adjoining Lake Michigan as the upper classes, along with the majority of workers who followed them, completely fled from William Jennings Bryan’s agrarian and free silver sympathies.[2] As Democratic strength weakened severely after 1894 – although the state did develop a strong Socialist Party to provide opposition to the GOP – Wisconsin developed the direct Republican primary in 1903 and this ultimately created competition between the “League” under Robert M. La Follette, and the conservative “Regular” faction.[3]

At the turn of the decade, the Democratic Party underwent a brief revival, as it made significant gains upon its small share of state legislative seats and many people in the state saw in New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson the possibility of the party returning to the progressive ideals it was felt to have deserted with Bryan fifteen years beforehand.[4] Wilson campaigned in the state as early as 1911 – long before he was the official Democratic nominee – and was soon able to get many Republicans who had supported La Follette onto his bandwagon, and retained them despite former President Theodore Roosevelt running his own “Bull Moose” campaign as a result of the ongoing national split in the Republican Party.[4] Once regular nominee and incumbent Present William Howard Taft ceased campaigning in August, La Follette’s ability to hold Progressive GOP support for Wilson – outside the Scandinavian Lake Superior Lowland where Roosevelt controlled this group – meant that Democratic Party candidate Woodrow Wilson won Wisconsin's thirteen electoral votes with 41.07 percent of the popular vote.[5]

La Follette won the Republican primary while Wilson won the Democratic primary. Francis E. McGovern and Andrew H. Dahl were elected to serve as delegates for La Follette in the Republican primary while William D. Hoard ran as a Taft delegate. James William Murphy and George Wilbur Peck ran as delegates for Champ Clark while William F. Wolfe ran as a delegate for Wilson.[6]

With his win, Wilson became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Wisconsin since Grover Cleveland in 1892. Another Democrat would not carry the state again until Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. Many counties that Wilson carried had not voted Democratic since Cleveland in 1892. However, Wilson was additionally the first Democrat to ever win Monroe County, Sawyer County, and Vilas County. Wilson was also the first Democrat since Franklin Pierce in 1852 to win Columbia County, Grant County, Green County, Racine County, Sauk County, Sauk County, and St. Croix County and the first since George B. McClellan in 1864 to carry Lafayette County.

This election was only the second time (after 1892) in which Adams County voted for the statewide loser; this would not occur again until 2020. This was also the first election in which Juneau County, Marinette County, and Oconto County did not back the statewide winner. By voting for Wilson, Portage County maintained its unbroken streak from 1848 of backing the state's eventual winner; however, this streak would end in the next election.

As of 2020, this is the only election in which Walworth County has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate.[7]

Results

[edit]
General Election Results[8][a]
Party Pledged to Elector Votes
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson Wendell A. Anderson 164,228
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson Louis G. Bohmrich 163,983
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson Ernest Merton 163,958
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson Rollib B. Mallory 163,929
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson O. F. Roessler 163,925
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson George Crawford 163,918
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson Ernest C. Zommermann 163,891
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson Charles H. Lambert 163,887
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson Joshua Eric Dodge 163,884
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson Edward Luckow 163,863
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson John A. Kuypers 163,855
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson George D. Cline 163,844
Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson John A. Hobe 163,782
Republican Party William Howard Taft Sol Levitan 130,695
Republican Party William Howard Taft Dwight T. Parker 130,618
Republican Party William Howard Taft Aaron M. Brayton 130,604
Republican Party William Howard Taft Aholph J. Weidner 130,583
Republican Party William Howard Taft M. V. Dewire 130,582
Republican Party William Howard Taft Ray C. Twining 130,574
Republican Party William Howard Taft Albert L. Fontaine 130,567
Republican Party William Howard Taft Charles A. Leicht 130,547
Republican Party William Howard Taft Theodore M. Thomas 130,538
Republican Party William Howard Taft Bernard C. Wolter 130,537
Republican Party William Howard Taft Geore C. Wetherby 130,532
Republican Party William Howard Taft Nathaniel Greene 130,459
Republican Party Unpledged Otto Zander[b][9] 97,967
Progressive Party[c] Theodore Roosevelt John Hicks 62,460
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Florian Lampert 62,224
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt F. Lee Norton 62,220
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Wheeler P. Bloodgood 62,215
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Otto B. Bock 62,196
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt E. J. Baskerville 62,154
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Fred C. Thwaits 62,150
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Charles F. Stitt 62,138
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt George H. Fuller 62,122
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Will H. McFetridge 62,120
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Henry C. Schultz Jr. 62,109
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Al C. Anderson 62,099
Progressive Party Theodore Roosevelt Peter Anderson 61,677
Social Democratic Party[d] Eugene V. Debs James Sheehan 33,481
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Robert Seidel 33,438
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Nels P. Nielsen 33,415
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Daniel Devroey 33,403
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Paul Gauer 33,400
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs August Harder 33,396
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Alfred Schneider 33,394
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Charles Johnson 33,390
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Robert R. Schuttler 33,377
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Charles N. Fuller 33,373
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs G. C. Kischel 33,368
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs Curtis A. Borrman 33,364
Social Democratic Party Eugene V. Debs C. J. Hanson 33,342
Republican Party William Howard Taft Lewis Reed[e] 32,203
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin William P. Massuere 8,586
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin W. J. Perry 8,541
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin Lucius H. Park 8,536
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin O. S. Ballinger 8,531
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin Charles Wendt Jr. 8,531
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin Pater T. James 8,530
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin W. T. Johnson 8,529
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin Joseph Volk 8,529
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin Augustus C. Forster 8,527
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin William R. Nethercut 8,526
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin V. M. Weeks 8,522
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin Waldemar Ager 8,471
Prohibition Party Eugene W. Chafin T. B. Harmon 8,462
Socialist Labor Party[f] Arthur E. Reimer Christopher Brandt 527
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer S. Orsikowsky 523
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer Carl Doescher 522
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer A. M. Manspeaker 520
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer F. Farchmin 519
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer F. Hentschel 518
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer Carl Pietsch 516
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer John W. Carl 514
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer Carl Schultz 512
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer O. T. Rosaas 509
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer Albert Wang 508
Socialist Labor Party Arthur E. Reimer Otto Gundermann 505
Write-in Scattering 83
Votes cast[g] 400,060

Results by county

[edit]
County[8] Woodrow Wilson
Democratic
William Howard Taft
Republican
Theodore Roosevelt
Progressive
Eugene V. Debs
Socialist
Eugene W. Chafin
Prohibition
Arthur E. Reimer
Socialist Labor
Margin Total votes cast[h]
# % # % # % # % # % # % # %
Adams 462 30.90% 689 46.09% 204 13.65% 66 4.41% 52 3.48% 22 1.47% -227 -15.18% 1,495
Ashland 1,451 41.55% 937 26.83% 677 19.39% 315 9.02% 109 3.12% 3 0.09% 514 14.72% 3,492
Barron 1,065 26.83% 1,414 35.62% 968 24.38% 265 6.68% 253 6.37% 5 0.13% -349 -8.79% 3,970
Bayfield 666 29.87% 514 23.05% 671 30.09% 306 13.72% 68 3.05% 5 0.22% -5 -0.22% 2,230
Brown 3,557 42.16% 2,764 32.76% 1,396 16.55% 569 6.74% 141 1.67% 9 0.11% 793 9.40% 8,436
Buffalo 848 33.28% 1,239 48.63% 373 14.64% 45 1.77% 40 1.57% 3 0.12% -391 -15.35% 2,548
Burnett 305 20.24% 403 26.74% 570 37.82% 172 11.41% 50 3.32% 7 0.46% -167[i] -11.08% 1,507
Calumet 1,366 47.76% 931 32.55% 454 15.87% 85 2.97% 17 0.59% 7 0.24% 435 15.21% 2,860
Chippewa 2,028 39.63% 1,736 33.93% 1,132 22.12% 102 1.99% 113 2.21% 6 0.12% 292 5.71% 5,117
Clark 1,528 34.22% 2,035 45.58% 648 14.51% 145 3.25% 109 2.44% 0 0.00% -507 -11.35% 4,465
Columbia 2,473 42.71% 2,463 42.54% 585 10.10% 121 2.09% 148 2.56% 0 0.00% 10 0.17% 5,790
Crawford 1,515 44.84% 1,407 41.64% 323 9.56% 69 2.04% 64 1.89% 1 0.03% 108 3.20% 3,379
Dane 9,017 55.49% 5,244 32.27% 1,292 7.95% 298 1.83% 391 2.41% 8 0.05% 3,773 23.22% 16,251[j]
Dodge 5,246 59.97% 2,559 29.26% 705 8.06% 118 1.35% 119 1.36% 0 0.00% 2,687 30.72% 8,747
Door 769 27.07% 1,167 41.08% 690 24.29% 77 2.71% 135 4.75% 3 0.11% -398 -14.01% 2,841
Douglas 1,181 22.99% 730 14.21% 2,285 44.49% 752 14.64% 117 2.28% 71 1.38% -1,104 -21.50% 5,136
Dunn 833 22.23% 1,403 37.44% 1,174 31.33% 235 6.27% 94 2.51% 8 0.21% -229[k] -6.11% 3,747
Eau Claire 1,728 34.59% 2,012 40.28% 895 17.92% 239 4.78% 116 2.32% 5 0.10% -284 -5.69% 4,995
Florence 131 21.83% 262 43.67% 182 30.33% 15 2.50% 9 1.50% 1 0.17% -80[k] -13.34% 600
Fond du Lac 4,838 50.32% 3,014 31.35% 1,236 12.85% 349 3.63% 174 1.81% 4 0.04% 1,824 18.97% 9,615
Forest 567 42.00% 518 38.37% 212 15.70% 30 2.22% 22 1.63% 1 0.07% 49 3.63% 1,350
Grant 3,615 45.84% 3,283 41.63% 667 8.46% 99 1.26% 221 2.80% 1 0.01% 332 4.21% 7,886
Green 1,716 40.88% 1,601 38.14% 516 12.29% 83 1.98% 201 4.79% 7 0.17% 115 2.74% 4,198[l]
Green Lake 1,407 47.15% 1,269 42.53% 195 6.53% 39 1.31% 74 2.48% 0 0.00% 138 4.62% 2,984
Iowa 2,103 44.90% 1,886 40.26% 438 9.35% 32 0.68% 224 4.78% 1 0.02% 217 4.63% 4,684
Iron 347 29.33% 473 39.98% 254 21.47% 72 6.09% 34 2.87% 3 0.25% -126 -10.65% 1,183
Jackson 606 22.88% 1,398 52.77% 477 18.01% 78 2.94% 86 3.25% 4 0.15% -792 -29.90% 2,649
Jefferson 4,381 62.38% 1,926 27.42% 490 6.98% 100 1.42% 122 1.74% 4 0.06% 2,455 34.96% 7,023
Juneau 1,236 38.78% 1,322 41.48% 435 13.65% 135 4.24% 59 1.85% 0 0.00% -86 -2.70% 3,187
Kenosha 2,216 36.10% 1,671 27.22% 1,649 26.86% 492 8.01% 104 1.69% 7 0.11% 545 8.88% 6,139
Kewaunee 1,696 54.32% 1,115 35.71% 263 8.42% 22 0.70% 19 0.61% 7 0.22% 581 18.61% 3,122
La Crosse 4,263 53.07% 2,272 28.28% 999 12.44% 337 4.20% 148 1.84% 14 0.17% 1,991 24.79% 8,033
Lafayette 1,852 40.59% 1,847 40.48% 756 16.57% 28 0.61% 77 1.69% 3 0.07% 5 0.11% 4,563
Langlade 1,387 45.69% 710 23.39% 810 26.68% 91 3.00% 36 1.19% 2 0.07% 577[m] 19.01% 3,036
Lincoln 1,760 52.41% 712 21.20% 627 18.67% 212 6.31% 45 1.34% 2 0.06% 1,048 31.21% 3,358
Manitowoc 3,436 44.73% 2,389 31.10% 919 11.96% 890 11.59% 44 0.57% 3 0.04% 1,047 13.63% 7,681
Marathon 4,043 44.26% 3,033 33.20% 1,274 13.95% 597 6.54% 164 1.80% 24 0.26% 1,010 11.06% 9,135
Marinette 1,558 33.28% 1,618 34.56% 1,125 24.03% 276 5.89% 95 2.03% 10 0.21% -60 -1.28% 4,682
Marquette 923 41.30% 881 39.42% 365 16.33% 22 0.98% 42 1.88% 2 0.09% 42 1.88% 2,235
Milwaukee 27,628 38.74% 17,877 25.07% 5,939 8.33% 19,243 26.98% 536 0.75% 93 0.13% 8,385[n] 11.76% 71,316
Monroe 2,084 43.16% 1,841 38.13% 628 13.01% 125 2.59% 150 3.11% 0 0.00% 2.43 5.03% 4,828
Oconto 1,523 35.70% 1,988 46.60% 554 12.99% 139 3.26% 54 1.27% 0 0.00% -465 -10.90% 4,266[o]
Oneida 717 33.85% 773 36.50% 431 20.35% 175 8.26% 20 0.94% 2 0.09% -56 -2.64% 2,118
Outagamie 4,139 50.00% 2,384 28.80% 1,401 16.92% 192 2.32% 155 1.87% 7 0.08% 1,755 21.20% 8,278
Ozaukee 1,878 63.27% 749 25.24% 241 8.12% 76 2.56% 24 0.81% 0 0.00% 1,129 38.04% 2,968
Pepin 410 31.06% 528 40.00% 329 24.92% 27 2.05% 24 1.82% 2 0.15% -118 -8.94% 1,320
Pierce 985 29.10% 986 29.13% 1,204 35.57% 102 3.01% 103 3.04% 5 0.15% -218[i] -6.44% 3,385
Polk 830 26.51% 848 27.08% 1,075 34.33% 270 8.62% 99 3.16% 9 0.29% -227[i] -7.25% 3,131
Portage 2,300 43.31% 1,932 36.38% 890 16.76% 101 1.90% 85 1.60% 2 0.04% 368 6.93% 5,310
Price 662 27.58% 708 29.50% 662 27.58% 290 12.08% 75 3.13% 3 0.13% -46 -1.92% 2,400
Racine 3,909 44.12% 2,606 29.42% 1,440 16.25% 612 6.91% 286 3.23% 6 0.07% 1,303 14.71% 8,859
Richland 1,493 37.72% 1,623 41.01% 367 9.27% 127 3.21% 345 8.72% 3 0.08% -130 -3.28% 3,958
Rock 3,032 30.64% 4,276 43.21% 2,002 20.23% 261 2.64% 313 3.16% 11 0.11% -1,244 -12.57% 9,895
Rusk 522 30.67% 575 33.78% 344 20.21% 204 11.99% 54 3.17% 3 0.18% -53 -3.11% 1,702
Sauk 2,464 43.03% 2,171 37.91% 720 12.57% 67 1.17% 302 5.27% 2 0.03% 293 5.12% 5,726
Sawyer 432 47.52% 295 32.45% 144 15.84% 15 1.65% 22 2.42% 1 0.11% 137 15.07% 909
Shawano 1,660 36.71% 1,535 33.95% 1,103 24.39% 99 2.19% 112 2.48% 13 0.29% 125 2.76% 4,522
Sheboygan 3,968 41.80% 2,692 28.36% 1,628 17.15% 1,084 11.42% 109 1.15% 11 0.12% 1,276 13.44% 9,492
St. Croix 1,806 38.88% 1,728 37.20% 823 17.72% 188 4.05% 99 2.13% 1 0.02% 78 1.68% 4,645
Taylor 821 35.93% 773 33.83% 379 16.59% 271 11.86% 35 1.53% 6 0.26% 48 2.10% 2,285
Trempealeau 1,235 31.28% 1,763 44.66% 795 20.14% 50 1.27% 102 2.58% 3 0.08% -528 -13.37% 3,948
Vernon 1,253 27.12% 2,664 57.66% 463 10.02% 74 1.60% 164 3.55% 2 0.04% -1,411 -30.54% 4,620
Vilas 327 35.28% 304 32.79% 212 22.87% 71 7.66% 9 0.97% 4 0.43% 23 2.48% 927
Walworth 2,125 36.38% 2,096 35.88% 1,237 21.18% 78 1.34% 305 5.22% 0 0.00% 29 0.50% 5,841
Washburn 398 26.78% 409 27.52% 488 32.84% 148 9.96% 43 2.89% 0 0.00% -79[i] -5.32% 1,486
Washington 2,425 51.57% 1,799 38.26% 302 6.42% 150 3.19% 26 0.55% 0 0.00% 626 13.31% 4,702
Waukesha 3,594 48.81% 2,714 36.86% 597 8.11% 196 2.66% 261 3.54% 1 0.01% 880 11.95% 7,363
Waupaca 1,563 26.70% 2,204 37.66% 1,767 30.19% 131 2.24% 178 3.04% 10 0.17% -437[k] -7.47% 5,853
Waushara 772 25.49% 1,343 44.34% 741 24.46% 92 3.04% 75 2.48% 6 0.20% -571 -18.85% 3,029
Winnebago 4,631 41.00% 1,922 17.02% 4,098 36.28% 478 4.23% 146 1.29% 20 0.18% 333[m] 4.72% 11,295
Wood 2,523 47.30% 1,742 32.66% 525 9.84% 367 6.88% 139 2.61% 38 0.71% 781 14.64% 5,334
Total 164,228 41.05% 130,695 32.67% 62,460 15.61% 33,481 8.37% 8,586 2.15% 527 0.13% 33,533 8.38% 400,060

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

[edit]

Counties that flipped from Republican to Progressive

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The 1913 Blue Book gives the totals as Wilson 164,230; Taft 130,596; Roosevelt 62,448; Debs 33,476; Chafin 8,584; Reimer 632; Scattering 9. Based on the Board of Canvassers report, these numbers are simply incorrect. No elector on any ticket received those numbers of votes. Indeed, the Blue Book is an unreliable source for Wisconsin election data from about 1890 to 1920 and its figures frequently differ from the figures listed in the Board of Canvassers reports.
  2. ^ Resigned from the Republican ticket, saying he could not support Taft. However, his name was not replaced on all Republican ballots.
  3. ^ Roosevelt's Progressive Party was listed as "Independent Progressive" in Wisconsin
  4. ^ In Wisconsin, the Socialist Party was still referred to as the Social Democratic Party in 1912
  5. ^ Replaced Zander on some but not all Republican ballots
  6. ^ The Socialist Labor Party was listed as "Independent Socialist Labor" in Wisconsin
  7. ^ Based on totals for highest elector on each ticket
  8. ^ Based on highest elector on each ticket
  9. ^ a b c d Roosevelt's margin over Taft
  10. ^ Includes 1 Scattering vote
  11. ^ a b c Taft's margin over Roosevelt
  12. ^ Includes 74 Scattering votes
  13. ^ a b Wilson's margin over Roosevelt
  14. ^ Debs ran ahead of both Taft and Roosevelt in this county, so this is Wilson's margin over Debs
  15. ^ Includes 8 Scattering votes

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Burnham, Walter Dean; 'The System of 1896: An Analysis'; in The Evolution of American Electoral Systems, pp. 178-179 ISBN 0313213798
  2. ^ Sundquist, James; Politics and Policy: The Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson Years, p. 526 ISBN 0815719094
  3. ^ Hansen, John Mark; Shigeo Hirano, and Snyder, James M. Jr.; ‘Parties within Parties: Parties, Factions, and Coordinated Politics, 1900-1980’; in Gerber, Alan S. and Schickler, Eric; Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America, pp. 165-168 ISBN 978-1-107-09509-0
  4. ^ a b Crews, Kenneth D.; ‘Woodrow Wilson, Wisconsin, and the Election of 1912’; Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 3: ‘Presidents, Vice Presidents and Political Parties: Performance and Prospects’ (Summer, 1982), pp. 369-376
  5. ^ "1912 Presidential General Election Results – Wisconsin". Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  6. ^ The Primary Election of 1910 And The Presidential Primary of 1912. Industrial Commission of Wisconsin. 1912.
  7. ^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  8. ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of Canvassers of the State of Wisconsin for General Election held November 5, 1912
  9. ^ "News Notes of Wisconsin". Chronicling America. The Manitowoc Pilot. October 24, 1912. Retrieved August 18, 2024.