The 1954 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1954.

Incumbent Republican Governor Walter J. Kohler Jr. defeated Democratic nominee William Proxmire in a rematch of the 1952 election with 51.45% of the vote.

Primary election Primary elections were held on September 14, 1954.

Republican party Candidates Walter J. Kohler Jr., incumbent governor

Results

Democratic party Candidates James E. Doyle, former chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party William Proxmire, Democratic nominee for governor in 1952

Results

General election Candidates William Proxmire, Democratic Walter J. Kohler Jr., Republican Arthur Wepfer, Socialist Labor

Results

Results by county Proxmire was the first Democrat since George W. Peck in 1904 to win Florence County. By voting for Proxmire, Rusk County backed the losing candidate for the first time since its establishment in 1901. County Walter J. Kohler Jr.Republican William ProxmireDemocratic Arthur WepferSocialist Labor Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Adams1,44051.01%1,38048.88%30.11%602.13%2,823Ashland2,73044.40%3,41455.52%50.08%-684-11.12%6,149Barron5,87452.81%5,24547.15%40.04%6295.65%11,123Bayfield1,97845.82%2,32753.90%00.00%-349-8.08%4,317Brown18,83254.00%16,00945.91%320.09%2,8238.09%34,874Buffalo2,29054.32%1,92645.68%00.00%3648.63%4,216Burnett1,60250.60%1,55949.24%30.09%431.36%3,166Calumet4,24465.47%2,23534.48%20.03%2,00930.99%6,482Chippewa6,21249.01%6,45250.90%110.09%-240-1.89%12,675Clark5,59352.10%5,14247.90%00.00%4514.20%10,735Columbia6,43159.35%4,39040.51%150.14%2,04118.84%10,836Crawford3,38856.83%2,56943.09%50.08%81913.74%5,962Dane25,22042.78%33,63457.05%980.17%-8,414-14.27%58,955Dodge11,42961.42%7,16838.52%110.06%4,26122.90%18,608Door4,39964.28%2,44435.72%00.00%1,95528.57%6,843Douglas6,39337.48%10,65562.47%90.05%-4,262-24.99%17,057Dunn4,36754.17%3,69245.80%10.01%6758.37%8,062Eau Claire8,22847.36%9,11152.44%340.20%-883-5.08%17,374Florence74148.15%78651.07%120.78%-45-2.92%1,539Fond du Lac14,43663.08%8,42336.80%270.12%6,01326.27%22,886Forest1,32039.04%2,05560.78%60.18%-735-21.74%3,381Grant8,54570.27%3,59529.56%200.16%4,95040.70%12,161Green4,98665.25%2,64834.66%70.09%2,33830.60%7,641Green Lake3,83872.57%1,44327.28%80.15%2,39545.28%5,289Iowa3,23356.41%2,49343.50%50.09%74012.91%5,731Iron1,25833.74%2,46466.08%70.19%-1,206-32.34%3,729Jackson2,55245.27%3,07754.59%80.14%-525-9.31%5,637Jefferson8,50356.37%6,57343.58%80.05%1,93012.80%15,084Juneau3,46660.66%2,23139.04%170.30%1,23521.61%5,714Kenosha12,75941.29%18,12058.64%210.07%-5,361-17.35%30,900Kewaunee3,55854.35%2,98245.55%60.09%5768.80%6,546La Crosse12,02353.24%10,49746.48%640.28%1,5266.76%22,584Lafayette2,97658.57%2,10441.41%10.02%87217.16%5,081Langlade3,46048.62%3,64951.28%70.10%-189-2.66%7,116Lincoln4,16656.99%3,14142.97%30.04%1,02514.02%7,310Manitowoc11,11848.96%11,55750.89%350.15%-439-1.93%22,710Marathon11,77144.75%14,48855.08%450.17%-2,717-10.33%26,304Marinette5,67151.27%5,38748.70%40.04%2842.57%11,062Marquette2,22567.61%1,06232.27%40.12%1,16335.34%3,291Milwaukee129,31844.16%162,85855.62%6310.22%-33,540-11.45%292,815Monroe4,60356.58%3,53043.39%30.04%1,07313.19%8,136Oconto4,60654.91%3,77645.01%70.08%8309.89%8,389Oneida3,76653.52%3,26646.42%40.06%5007.11%7,036Outagamie16,56565.12%8,82634.70%450.18%7,73930.43%25,436Ozaukee5,55758.50%3,93041.37%120.13%1,62717.13%9,499Pepin1,14157.66%83542.19%20.10%30615.46%1,979Pierce4,36360.61%2,82739.27%90.13%1,53621.34%7,199Polk3,90151.84%3,61648.05%80.11%2853.79%7,525Portage5,16840.42%7,60559.48%110.09%-2,437-19.06%12,785Price2,69247.12%3,00252.55%190.33%-310-5.43%5,713Racine19,15845.80%22,63454.11%340.08%-3,476-8.31%41,826Richland3,94960.20%2,60339.68%60.09%1,34620.52%6,560Rock16,63358.27%11,85241.52%600.21%4,78116.75%28,545Rusk2,44749.86%2,44849.88%110.22%-1-0.02%4,908Sauk7,06559.40%4,81640.49%120.10%2,24918.91%11,893Sawyer2,07859.05%1,43940.89%20.06%63918.16%3,519Shawano6,56664.32%3,63435.60%80.08%2,93228.72%10,208Sheboygan18,51255.28%14,82144.26%1530.46%3,69111.02%33,486St. Croix4,70053.10%4,14846.86%40.05%5526.24%8,852Taylor2,39946.83%2,71352.96%110.21%-314-6.13%5,123Trempealeau3,68047.30%4,09552.63%50.06%-415-5.33%7,780Vernon4,09948.57%4,33751.39%30.04%-238-2.82%8,439Vilas2,56463.70%1,45736.20%40.10%1,10727.50%4,025Walworth9,62268.86%4,33931.05%130.09%5,28337.81%13,974Washburn1,94852.39%1,76847.55%20.05%1804.84%3,718Washington6,92464.54%3,80435.46%00.00%3,12029.08%10,728Waukesha20,35857.53%15,00142.39%260.07%5,35715.14%35,386Waupaca8,18571.44%3,26628.51%50.04%4,91942.93%11,457Waushara3,38672.03%1,30527.76%100.21%2,08144.27%4,701Winnebago18,42862.21%11,17037.71%260.09%7,25824.50%29,624Wood8,52255.16%6,89944.66%280.18%1,62310.51%15,449Total596,15851.45%560,74748.40%1,7220.15%35,4113.06%1,158,666

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Ashland Bayfield Chippewa Dane Douglas Eau Claire Florence Forest Jackson Kenosha Langlade Manitowoc Marathon Portage Price Racine Rusk Taylor Trempealeau Vernon

Notes

References

Bibliography