1936 United States Senate election in Minnesota

← 1936 (special) November 3, 1936 1942 (special) →

Nominee Ernest Lundeen Theodore Christianson Party Farmer–Labor Republican Popular vote 663,363 402,404 Percentage 62.24% 37.76%

County results Lundeen:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Christianson:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Elmer A. Benson Farmer–Labor Elected U.S. Senator Ernest Lundeen Farmer–Labor

Elections in Minnesota
General elections 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Federal elections Presidential elections 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 Dem 2004 Dem 2008 Dem Rep 2012 2016 Dem Rep 2020 Dem Rep 2024 Dem Rep LMN Senate elections Class 1 1858 1863 1869 1875 1881 1886 1892 1899 1901 (sp) 1905 1911 1916 1922 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 1964 1970 1976 1978 (sp) 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018 2024 Class 2 1858 1865 1871 (sp) 1871 1877 1881 (sp) 1883 1888 1895 1901 1907 1913 1918 1923 (sp) 1924 1930 1936 (sp) 1936 1942 (sp) 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2018 (sp) 2020 2026 House of Representatives 1849 (Terr) 1850 (Terr) 1852 (Terr) 1854 (Terr) 1856 (Terr) 1857 1859 1860 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1929 5th sp 7th sp 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1977 7th sp 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 5th 6th 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 1st sp 2024
State executive elections Gubernatorial elections 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1883 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1966 1970 Secretary of State elections 2010 2014 2018 2022 State Auditor elections 1934 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Attorney General elections 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
State legislative elections Senate elections 1890 1894 1898 1902 1906 1910 1976 1980 1982 1986 1990 1992 1996 2000 2002 2006 2010 2012 2016 2020 2022 2026 House of Representatives elections 1910 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Special elections Senate House of Representatives
Ballot questions 2012 Amendment 1 Amendment 2
Minneapolis General elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 City Council elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2023 City ballot questions Question 2 (2021)
Saint Paul Mayoral elections 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021
v t e

The 1936 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 3, 1936. Incumbent Farmer–Laborite Elmer A. Benson, who had been temporarily appointed by Governor Floyd B. Olson in 1935 to fill the seat of the deceased Republican U.S. Senator Thomas D. Schall, opted to run for Governor rather than seek election to a full term or to fill the remainder of the unexpired term. Governor Olson won the Farmer–Labor primary for nomination to the full Senate term, but died of stomach cancer prior to the general election. In Olson's place, the Farmer–Labor Party ran U.S. Representative Ernest Lundeen, who went on to defeat former Governor Theodore Christianson of the Republican Party of Minnesota in the general election. A special election held on the same date elected Republican nominee Guy V. Howard to serve the remainder of Schall's unexpired term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Patrick J. Delaney
• Beldin H. Loftsgaarden, Conservative State Senator from the 37th district since 1931

Results

Following the death of Floyd B. Olson, the Minnesota Democratic Party opted not to field its nominees in the 1936 senatorial and gubernatorial elections. Consequently, regardless of the fact that the Minnesota Democratic Party had held a primary election and Delaney had won the Democratic nomination in that primary election, Delaney did not appear on the general election ballot.

Farmer–Labor primary

Candidates

Declared

• Floyd B. Olson, 22nd Governor of Minnesota since 1931
• Carl E. Taylor

Results

Olson's death

Two months after winning the primary, Olson died of stomach cancer at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The state central committee of the Farmer–Labor Party selected Ernest Lundeen, who had served in the United States House of Representatives as a Farmer–Laborite since 1933, had previously served as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1917 to 1919, and had been a member of the nonpartisan Minnesota House of Representatives from 1911 to 1914, to fill the vacancy in the party's nomination.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Theodore Christianson, U.S. Representative since 1933 and 21st Governor of Minnesota (1925-1931)
• Margaret H. Schall (named on the ballot as "Mrs. Thomas D. Schall"), widow of Thomas D. Schall

Results

General election

Results