Wikipedia

1964 United States presidential election in Wisconsin

(Redirected from United States presidential election in Wisconsin, 1964)

Main article: 1964 United States presidential election

The 1964 United States presidential election in Wisconsin was held on November 3, 1964, as part of 1964 United States presidential election. State voters chose 12 electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

1964 United States presidential election in Wisconsin
← 1960 November 3, 1964 1968 →
 
Nominee Lyndon B. Johnson Barry Goldwater
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Texas Arizona
Running mate Hubert Humphrey William E. Miller
Electoral vote 12 0
Popular vote 1,050,424 638,495
Percentage 62.09% 37.74%
President before election

Lyndon B. Johnson
Democratic

Elected President

Lyndon B. Johnson
Democratic

Politics in Wisconsin since the Populist movement had been dominated by the Republican Party,[1] as the upper classes, along with the majority of workers who followed them, fled from William Jennings Bryan's agrarian and free silver sympathies.[2] Competition between the "League" under Robert M. La Follette, and the conservative "Regular" faction[3] would develop into the Wisconsin Progressive Party in the late 1930s, which was opposed to the conservative German Democrats and to the national Republican Party, and allied with Franklin D. Roosevelt at the federal level. During the two wartime elections, the formerly Democratic German counties in the east of the state – which had been powerfully opposed to the Civil War because they saw it as a "Yankee" war and opposed the military draft instituted during it[4] – viewed Communism as a much greater threat to America than Nazism and consequently opposed President Roosevelt's war effort.[5] Consequently, these historically Democratic counties became virtually the most Republican in the entire state, and became a major support base for populist conservative Senator Joe McCarthy, who became notorious for his investigations into Communists inside the American government. The state's populace's opposition to Communism and the Korean War turned Wisconsin strongly to Republican nominee Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections.

The 1958 midterm elections, however, saw a major change in Wisconsin politics, as Gaylord A. Nelson became only the state's second Democratic Governor since 1895, and the state also elected Democrats to the position of treasurer and Senator, besides that party gaining a majority in the State Assembly for only the second time since the middle 1890s. They maintained a close balance in the early 1960s, signaling the state's transition to a swing state. During the Republican primaries, Wisconsin supported favorite son John W. Byrnes but no other state joined him. Ultimate Republican nominee Barry Goldwater considered Wisconsin a useful state to combine with his Southern and Western strategy for winning the presidency and directing the GOP away from the declining Yankee Northeast.[6] The Republican would campaign in Wisconsin late in September, but met with severe hostility at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.[7] Signs saying "Bring the Bomb—Back Barry" were common in Madison.

Background

edit

In the 1958 election, Gaylord A. Nelson was elected as Wisconsin's second Democratic governor since 1895, and the state also elected Democrats to the position of treasurer and U.S. Senator, besides that party gaining a majority in the State Assembly for only the second time since the middle 1890s. They maintained a close balance in the early 1960s, signaling the state's transition to a swing state.[8] The Republican would campaign in Wisconsin late in September, but met with severe hostility at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[9]

Campaign

edit

George Wallace ran in the Democratic primary, but was defeated by Governor John W. Reynolds Jr., who served as a surrogate for Johnson.[10]

Results

edit
1964 United States presidential election in Wisconsin[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Democratic Lyndon B. Johnson (incumbent) 1,050,424 62.09% 12
Republican Barry Goldwater 638,495 37.74% 0
Socialist Workers[a] Clifton DeBerry 1,692 0.10% 0
Socialist Labor[b] Eric Hass 1,204 0.07% 0
Totals 1,691,815 100.00% 12

Results by county

edit
County[11][12] Lyndon B. Johnson
Democratic 		Barry Goldwater
Republican 		Clifton DeBerry
Socialist Workers 		Eric Hass
Socialist Labor 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # %
Adams 2,262 64.83% 1,219 34.94% 3 0.09% 5 0.14% 1,043 29.89% 3,489
Ashland 5,383 70.91% 2,198 28.96% 6 0.08% 4 0.05% 3,185 41.95% 7,591
Barron 8,332 59.28% 5,701 40.56% 17 0.12% 6 0.04% 2,631 18.72% 14,056
Bayfield 3,875 67.08% 1,886 32.65% 14 0.24% 2 0.03% 1,989 34.43% 5,777
Brown 30,851 59.26% 21,134 40.59% 61 0.12% 18 0.03% 9,717 18.67% 52,064
Buffalo 3,663 63.60% 2,091 36.31% 5 0.09% 0 0.00% 1,572 27.29% 5,759
Burnett 2,921 65.45% 1,536 34.42% 5 0.11% 1 0.02% 1,385 31.03% 4,463
Calumet 5,356 57.75% 3,905 42.11% 10 0.11% 3 0.03% 1,451 15.64% 9,274
Chippewa 10,911 63.38% 6,277 36.46% 18 0.10% 8 0.05% 4,634 26.92% 17,214
Clark 7,781 61.25% 4,897 38.55% 16 0.13% 10 0.08% 2,884 22.70% 12,704
Columbia 10,093 61.66% 6,253 38.20% 17 0.10% 7 0.04% 3,840 23.46% 16,370
Crawford 3,930 58.98% 2,726 40.91% 4 0.06% 3 0.05% 1,204 18.07% 6,663
Dane 68,118 71.38% 27,124 28.42% 83 0.09% 101 0.11% 40,994 42.96% 95,426
Dodge 15,497 58.91% 10,772 40.95% 30 0.11% 9 0.03% 4,725 17.96% 26,308
Door 4,416 50.68% 4,289 49.22% 8 0.09% 1 0.01% 127 1.46% 8,714
Douglas 15,237 76.80% 4,579 23.08% 12 0.06% 11 0.06% 10,658 53.72% 19,839
Dunn 6,475 61.91% 3,964 37.90% 14 0.13% 5 0.05% 2,511 24.01% 10,458
Eau Claire 15,775 64.33% 8,700 35.48% 34 0.14% 12 0.05% 7,075 28.85% 24,521
Florence 1,029 63.25% 596 36.63% 1 0.06% 1 0.06% 433 26.62% 1,627
Fond du Lac 18,040 58.61% 12,708 41.29% 26 0.08% 4 0.01% 5,332 17.32% 30,778
Forest 2,479 69.79% 1,069 30.10% 3 0.08% 1 0.03% 1,410 39.69% 3,552
Grant 9,309 54.09% 7,872 45.74% 16 0.09% 14 0.08% 1,437 8.35% 17,211
Green 5,548 50.76% 5,364 49.08% 14 0.13% 3 0.03% 184 1.68% 10,929
Green Lake 3,893 50.12% 3,871 49.83% 2 0.03% 2 0.03% 22 0.29% 7,768
Iowa 4,620 58.43% 3,275 41.42% 9 0.11% 3 0.04% 1,345 17.01% 7,907
Iron 2,514 72.24% 963 27.67% 2 0.06% 1 0.03% 1,551 44.57% 3,480
Jackson 3,818 60.06% 2,532 39.83% 6 0.09% 1 0.02% 1,286 20.23% 6,357
Jefferson 13,295 60.20% 8,741 39.58% 28 0.13% 20 0.09% 4,554 20.62% 22,084
Juneau 4,583 60.57% 2,976 39.33% 5 0.07% 3 0.04% 1,607 21.24% 7,567
Kenosha 30,522 67.29% 14,764 32.55% 40 0.09% 30 0.07% 15,758 34.74% 45,356
Kewaunee 4,792 61.59% 2,980 38.30% 6 0.08% 2 0.03% 1,812 23.29% 7,780
La Crosse 16,625 55.78% 13,135 44.07% 26 0.09% 17 0.06% 3,490 11.71% 29,803
Lafayette 4,471 58.28% 3,194 41.64% 4 0.05% 2 0.03% 1,277 16.64% 7,671
Langlade 5,077 62.83% 2,994 37.05% 8 0.10% 2 0.02% 2,083 25.78% 8,081
Lincoln 5,883 60.06% 3,894 39.75% 10 0.10% 9 0.09% 1,989 20.31% 9,796
Manitowoc 21,927 68.92% 9,849 30.96% 24 0.08% 15 0.05% 12,078 37.96% 31,815
Marathon 24,603 65.74% 12,766 34.11% 38 0.10% 19 0.05% 11,837 31.63% 37,426
Marinette 9,657 64.32% 5,332 35.52% 12 0.08% 12 0.08% 4,325 28.80% 15,013
Marquette 1,927 50.50% 1,881 49.29% 8 0.21% 0 0.00% 46 1.21% 3,816
Menominee 647 89.12% 78 10.74% 1 0.14% 0 0.00% 569 78.38% 726
Milwaukee 288,577 65.67% 149,962 34.12% 401 0.09% 519 0.12% 138,615 31.55% 439,459
Monroe 6,385 55.41% 5,126 44.48% 7 0.06% 6 0.05% 1,259 10.93% 11,524
Oconto 6,360 58.92% 4,420 40.94% 11 0.10% 4 0.04% 1,940 17.98% 10,795
Oneida 6,431 62.11% 3,909 37.75% 10 0.10% 5 0.05% 2,522 24.36% 10,355
Outagamie 21,556 53.62% 18,595 46.26% 35 0.09% 12 0.03% 2,961 7.36% 40,198
Ozaukee 9,517 52.51% 8,581 47.35% 15 0.08% 10 0.06% 936 5.16% 18,123
Pepin 2,154 66.71% 1,069 33.11% 4 0.12% 2 0.06% 1,085 33.60% 3,229
Pierce 6,351 65.70% 3,291 34.05% 14 0.14% 10 0.10% 3,060 31.65% 9,666
Polk 7,215 65.57% 3,754 34.12% 18 0.16% 16 0.15% 3,461 31.45% 11,003
Portage 11,887 72.05% 4,579 27.75% 21 0.13% 11 0.07% 7,308 44.30% 16,498
Price 4,289 63.97% 2,406 35.88% 7 0.10% 3 0.04% 1,883 28.09% 6,705
Racine 37,785 63.71% 21,434 36.14% 52 0.09% 35 0.06% 16,351 27.57% 59,306
Richland 4,315 57.17% 3,224 42.71% 6 0.08% 3 0.04% 1,091 14.46% 7,548
Rock 28,257 58.04% 20,372 41.85% 44 0.09% 11 0.02% 7,885 16.19% 48,684
Rusk 4,176 65.20% 2,214 34.57% 7 0.11% 8 0.12% 1,962 30.63% 6,405
Sauk 9,288 59.33% 6,345 40.53% 12 0.08% 11 0.07% 2,943 18.80% 15,656
Sawyer 2,591 56.17% 2,012 43.62% 7 0.15% 3 0.07% 579 12.55% 4,613
Shawano 6,560 50.06% 6,519 49.74% 18 0.14% 8 0.06% 41 0.32% 13,105
Sheboygan 26,410 66.95% 12,968 32.88% 48 0.12% 19 0.05% 13,442 34.07% 39,445
St. Croix 8,864 65.86% 4,565 33.92% 16 0.12% 13 0.10% 4,299 31.94% 13,458
Taylor 4,624 67.03% 2,261 32.78% 10 0.14% 3 0.04% 2,363 34.25% 6,898
Trempealeau 6,320 65.91% 3,264 34.04% 3 0.03% 2 0.02% 3,056 31.87% 9,589
Vernon 6,242 57.28% 4,640 42.58% 11 0.10% 5 0.05% 1,602 14.70% 10,898
Vilas 2,841 50.03% 2,827 49.78% 3 0.05% 8 0.14% 14 0.25% 5,679
Walworth 11,746 48.92% 12,225 50.92% 30 0.12% 8 0.03% −479 −2.00% 24,009
Washburn 3,181 62.84% 1,865 36.84% 8 0.16% 8 0.16% 1,316 26.00% 5,062
Washington 11,563 55.62% 9,191 44.21% 27 0.13% 10 0.05% 2,372 11.41% 20,791
Waukesha 39,796 52.76% 35,502 47.07% 85 0.11% 46 0.06% 4,294 5.69% 75,429
Waupaca 6,990 45.42% 8,381 54.46% 15 0.10% 3 0.02% −1,391 −9.04% 15,389
Waushara 3,004 46.64% 3,437 53.36% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% −433 −6.72% 6,441
Winnebago 23,636 52.72% 21,084 47.03% 85 0.19% 30 0.07% 2,552 5.69% 44,835
Wood 15,378 64.65% 8,388 35.26% 16 0.07% 5 0.02% 6,990 29.39% 23,787
Totals 1,050,424 62.09% 638,495 37.74% 1,692 0.10% 1,204 0.07% 411,929 24.35% 1,691,815

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

edit

Analysis

edit

Early polls nevertheless showed incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson leading Goldwater comfortably,[13] despite predictions of a severe backlash to the Civil Rights Act from Wisconsin's anti-black German-American and Polish-American populations.[14] Extreme fears of financial loss for farmers accounted for a 66–28 lead for Johnson in September,[15] while fear of Goldwater's policy of strategic use of nuclear weapons,[16] rather than enthusiasm for the domestic and foreign policies of President Johnson, was cited as the cause of the President's continuing strong lead one month later.[17]

Johnson won Wisconsin by a margin of 24.35 percent. Goldwater held up slightly better in the German areas where conservative Republicanism had been established by anti-World War II sentiment, whilst he lost heavily in the Yankee counties of the south.[16] As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last election in which Dodge County, Fond du Lac County, Green Lake County, Ozaukee County, Vilas County, Washington County, and Waukesha County (and by that extension, any of the WOW counties) voted for a Democratic presidential candidate.[18]

Electors

edit

These were the names of the electors on each ticket.[11]

Lyndon B. Johnson
& Hubert Humphrey
Democratic Party 		Barry Goldwater
& William E. Miller
Republican Party 		Clifton DeBerry
& Ed Shaw
Socialist Workers Party 		Eric Hass
& Henning A. Blomen
Socialist Labor Party
  • George Molinaro
  • Fred A. Risser
  • Theodore J. Griswold
  • Kenneth Dunlap
  • Robert Ertl
  • Kenneth Kunde
  • Thomas Martin
  • John C. Moore
  • Edward Mertz
  • Arthur DeBardeleben
  • J. Louis Hanson
  • Patrick L. Lucey
  • Warren P. Knowles
  • Jack B. Olson
  • William R. Merriam
  • Frank E. Panzer
  • George Thompson
  • Ervin King
  • Robert Heckel
  • Lucius Chase
  • Clifford W. Krueger
  • John W. Byrnes
  • Jerris Leonard
  • Willis J. Hutnik
  • James E. Boulton
  • Wayne Leverenz
  • Albert Stergar
  • Ted Odell
  • Myrtle C. Kastner
  • Betsy Stergar
  • Florence Kirkland
  • Earl Plaster
  • Elaine Goodreau
  • James Eyman
  • Duane Witkowski
  • Lorraine Fons
  • Pauline Adolphe
  • Artemio Cozzini
  • Georgia Cozzini
  • Marko Golubich
  • Samuel Munek
  • Henry A. Ochsner
  • William Schlingman
  • Stella Semrau
  • Walter Semrau
  • Thomas Vidakovich
  • Arthur Wepfer
  • Agnes Wiggert

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ "Independent Socialist Workers"
  2. ^ "Independent Socialist Labor"

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. ^ Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 381-382, 414 ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6
  5. ^ Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 387-388
  6. ^ Kelley, Stanley junior; 'The Goldwater Strategy'; The Princeton Review; pp. 8-11
  7. ^ Yerxa, Fendall W.; 'Goldwater Takes Campaign North: Senator Meets Opposition on Leaving the South'; Special to The New York Times, September 25, 1964, p. 61
  8. ^ Kelley, Stanley junior; 'The Goldwater Strategy'; The Princeton Review; pp. 8–11.
  9. ^ Yerxa, Fendall W.; 'Goldwater Takes Campaign North: Senator Meets Opposition on Leaving the South'; Special to The New York Times, September 25, 1964, p. 61.
  10. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 160.
  11. ^ a b c Wisconsin Historical Society, Statement of Board of State Canvassers for President, Vice President and Presidential Electors - General Election - 1964
  12. ^ a b Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. "Vote For President And Vice President By County". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1966. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 748.
  13. ^ 'President Scans Favorable Polls: Surveys in 7 States Show Him Leading Goldwater'; Special to The New York Times, August 22, 1964, p. 9.
  14. ^ Pomfrets, John D.; 'Milwaukee Poles in Johnson Camp: While Openly Anti-Negro, They Oppose Goldwater'; Special to The New York Times, August 22, 1964, p. 22.
  15. ^ Janson, Donald; 'Johnson Gaining Corn Belt Vote: Farmers Voice Wariness of Goldwater's Philosophy'; Special to The New York Times, September 13, 1964, p. 72.
  16. ^ a b Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 396.
  17. ^ 'Goldwater Lacks in Wisconsin Poll: Fear of His Nuclear Policy Is Cited in Survey'; Special to The New York Times, October 11, 1964, p. 61.
  18. ^ Sullivan, Robert David; 'How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century'; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016.

Works cited

edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1964_United_States_presidential_election_in_Wisconsin&oldid=1254235050"