The 1958 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1958. The Democratic nominee, state senator Gaylord Nelson, defeated the Republican incumbent governor, Vernon W. Thomson, receiving 53.59% of the vote.
This was the first Democratic victory in a Wisconsin gubernatorial election since 1932, and only the second since 1892. As of 2022, this marks the last occasion that Vilas County has voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election.[1]
General election
| Elections in Wisconsin |
|---|
 |
Candidates
- Vernon Wallace Thomson (Republican), Attorney General of Wisconsin from 1951 to 1953, Governor of Wisconsin since 1953.[2][3]
- Gaylord Nelson (Democrat), member of the Wisconsin State Senate since 1948.[4]
- Wayne Leverenz (Socialist Workers Party)[5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gaylord Nelson | 644,296 | 53.59% | ||
| Republican | Vernon Wallace Thomson (incumbent) | 556,391 | 46.28% | ||
| Socialist Workers | Wayne Leverenz | 1,485 | 0.12% | ||
| Independent | Write-ins | 47 | 0.00% | ||
| Majority | 87,905 | 7.31% | |||
| Turnout | 1,202,219 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
References
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
- ^ "THOMSON, Vernon Wallace 1905–1988". House.gov. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ "WI Governor (1956)". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ "Nelson, Gaylord A." Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ "Leverenz, Wayne". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ "WI Governor (1958)". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2020.