The 1923 United States Senate special election in Minnesota took place on July 16, 1923. The election was held to fill, for the remainder of the unexpired term, the seat in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

left vacant by Republican

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

Knute Nelson, who died in office on April 28, 1923.

State Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

Magnus Johnson Magnus Johnson (September 19, 1871September 13, 1936) was an American farmer and politician. He served in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives from Minnesota as a member of the Farmer–Labor Party. Johnson is the on ...

of the Farmer–Labor Party of Minnesota defeated

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

J. A. O. Preus Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus (; August 28, 1883May 24, 1961) was an American politician. He served as the 8th state auditor of Minnesota from January 5, 1915, to January 5, 1921, and as the 20th Governor of Minnesota from January 5, 1921, to January ...

of the Republican Party of Minnesota, and State Senator James A. Carley of the Minnesota Democratic Party, which, together with Henrik Shipstead's victory in

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...

, brought both of Minnesota's seats in the United States Senate into the hands of the Farmer–Labor Party for the first time in history. Johnson's victory marked the first time, since Morton S. Wilkinson took office in 1859, that neither of Minnesota's seats in the United States Senate were held by a Republican. It also marked the first time, since Wilkinson's assumption of the office, that the person holding Minnesota's Class 2 U.S. Senate seat was not a Republican, and Johnson became just the second non-Republican to ever hold that seat (the first being the Democrat James Shields, whose term of office ended when Wilkinson's began).

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

J.A.O. Preus Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus (; August 28, 1883May 24, 1961) was an American politician. He served as the 8th state auditor of Minnesota from January 5, 1915, to January 5, 1921, and as the 20th Governor of Minnesota from January 5, 1921, to Januar ...

, Governor (1921-1925), former state Insurance Commissioner (1911-1915), former state Auditor (1915-1921), Minneapolis attorney

Eliminated in Primary

Sydney Anderson Sydney Anderson (September 18, 1881 – October 8, 1948) was a Representative from Minnesota; born in Zumbrota, Minnesota. After attending primary schools he served as a private in Company D, Fourteenth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, ...

, Lanesboro attorney, U.S. Representative from the 1st CD (1911-1925) * Joseph A. A. Burnquist, Former state Representative from the 33rd HD (1909-1913), former Lieutenant Governor (1913-1915), former Governor (1915-1921) *

Oscar Hallam Oscar Hallam (October 19, 1865 – September 23, 1945) was an American lawyer, judge, and academic from Minnesota. He served as a justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1912 to 1924, and served as a Minnesota state Second District Court ju ...

, St. Paul attorney, former Second Judicial District Judge, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (1913-1923) *

Ernest Lundeen Ernest Lundeen (August 4, 1878August 31, 1940) was an American lawyer and politician. Family and education Lundeen was born and raised on his father's homestead in Brooklyn Township of Lincoln County near Beresford in the Dakota Territory. H ...

, former state Representative from the 42nd HD (1911-1915), former U.S. Representative from the 5th CD (1917-1919), candidate for U.S. Senate in 1922, Minneapolis attorney * John J. Martin, Minneapolis attorney * Victor L. Power, Attorney and Mayor of Hibbing (1913-1922, 1923–1924) *

Thomas D. Schall Thomas David Schall (June 4, 1878December 22, 1935) was an American lawyer and politician. He served in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate from Minnesota. He was initially elected and then re-elected as ...

, Excelsior attorney, Progressive-turned-Republican U.S. Representative from the 10th CD (1915-1925) *

Halvor Steenerson Halvor Steenerson (June 30, 1852 – November 22, 1926) was an American Republican politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota's 9th congressional district from 1903 to 1923. Background Halv ...

, Former Polk County prosecuting attorney (1881-1883), former city attorney of Crookson, former state Senator from the 45th SD (1883-1887), former U.S. Representative from the 9th CD (1903-1923), resident of Crookson

Results

Farmer-Labor Primary

Candidates

Nominated

, State Senator from the 26th SD (1919-1923), former state Representative from the 26th House District (1915-1919)

Eliminated in Primary

* L.A. Fritsche, Mayor of New Ulm, physician * Charles A. Lindbergh, Former prosecuting attorney of Morrison County (1891-1893), former Republican U.S. Representative (CD 06, 1907–1917), candidate for U.S. Senate in 1916, candidate for Governor in 1918, resident of Little Falls

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

* James A. Carley, State Senator from the 3rd SD (1915-), former Democratic state Representative from the 3rd HD (1909-1911), Plainview attorney

Eliminated in Primary

* Francis C. Cary, Lecturer and former attorney from Minneapolis

Results

Special election

Candidates

Republican

J.A.O. Preus Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus (; August 28, 1883May 24, 1961) was an American politician. He served as the 8th state auditor of Minnesota from January 5, 1915, to January 5, 1921, and as the 20th Governor of Minnesota from January 5, 1921, to Januar ...

, Governor (1921-1925), former state Insurance Commissioner (1911-1915), former state Auditor (1915-1921), Minneapolis attorney

Farmer-Labor

, State Senator from the 26th SD (1919-1923), former state Representative from the 26th House District (1915-1919)

Democratic

* James A. Carley, State Senator from the 3rd SD (1915-), former Democratic state Representative from the 3rd HD (1909-1911), Plainview attorney

Results

References

{{United States Senate elections

1923 Events January–February * January 9 – Lithuania begins the Klaipėda Revolt to annex the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory). * January 11 – Despite strong British protests, troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area, t ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

Minnesota 1923 Minnesota 1923 United States Senate 1923

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in Primary

Results

Farmer-Labor Primary

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in Primary

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in Primary

Results

Special election

Candidates

Republican

Farmer-Labor

Democratic

Results

See also

References