1920 Minnesota gubernatorial election

The 1920 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1920. Republican Party of Minnesota candidate J. A. O. Preus defeated Independent challenger's Henrik Shipstead and the Mayor of St. Paul, Laurence C. Hodgson. Shipstead narrowly lost to Preus in the Republican primary of that year and challenged him in the general, beating the Democratic nominee but coming far short of winning the general.

Shipstead would soon join the Farmer–Labor Party, which did not officially participate in this election, and would become the first party member to win statewide under that banner as Senator in 1922. The Farmer–Laborites would also become the main opposition party to the Democrats, displacing them until their political union in the 1940s.

Nominated

 * Laurence C. Hodgson, Mayor of St. Paul

Eliminated in primary

 * Charles M. Andrist, businessman, former Chief of Staff to Governor Hammond, former University of Minnesota professor, Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1914
 * Robert W. Hargadine, former State Fire Marshal, former Campaign Manager for Governor John A. Johnson
 * Edward Indrehus, former State Representative, Democratic nominee for Secretary of State in 1918
 * Alfred Jaques, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota
 * Oliver J. Quane, editor of the St. Peter Herald, Army Lieutenant Colonel in World War I, veteran of the Spanish-American War
 * Julius Thorson, Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1918, former State Representative

Declined

 * C. W. Stanton, district judge

Results
[[File:MNGubernatorialDemocraticPrimary1920.svg|thumb|Results by county: Hodgson

Hodgson and Thorson tied at 20% apiece in Roseau County Hargadine

Quane

Thorson

Jaques

Andrist

Indrehus


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Nominated

 * J. A. O. Preus, State Auditor, former State Commissioner of Insurance

Eliminated in primary

 * Franklin F. Ellsworth, U.S. Representative, former County Attorney of Watonwan County
 * Thomas Frankson, Lieutenant Governor, former State Representative
 * Samuel G. Iverson, former State Auditor, former State Representative
 * Thomas Keefe, businessman, attorney
 * Henrik Shipstead, former State Representative, former Mayor of Glenwood

Withdrawn

 * Michael J. Dowling, former Speaker of the Minnesota House, former Mayor of Olivia (endorsed Preus )
 * Dr. L. A. Fritsche, Mayor of New Ulm
 * Fred E. Hadley, editor of the Winnebago Enterprise, member of the Republican State Committee (endorsed Preus )
 * Dr. Frank Nelson, president of Minnesota College, former Kansas Superintendent (endorsed Preus )
 * W. F. Schilling, farmer
 * Julius A. Schmahl, Secretary of State

Declined

 * Ernest Lundeen, former U.S. Representative, former State Representative

Results
[[File:MNGubernatorialRepublicanPrimary1920.svg|right|thumb|Results by county:Preus

Shipstead

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