1873 Election Cycle

Democrats finally broke through in a statewide race for the first time since 1857 with appointed Treasurer Edwin Dyke retaining his seat running on the Democratic-Anti-Monopoly ticket. Republican Secretary of State Samuel Jennison nearly lost his reelection bid with a 0.7-point win over Democratic-Anti-Monopoly nominee and former state legislator John Stevens. Republicans won the remaining races for Governor (Cushman Davis), Lieutenant Governor (Alphonso Barto), and Attorney General (George P. Wilson) by six to seven points.

The GOP held 28 of 41 state Senate seats entering the 16th Legislature and 58 of 106 state House seats.

Elections

Date Office Stage Winners Details
11/04/1873 State House, District 15 General James G. (J.G.) Lawrence (Republican) won with 259 votes (42.88%) and a winning margin of +1.16
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
James G. (J.G.) Lawrence Man Republican 259 42.88
Micah (M.R.) Merrell Man Farmers and Laborers 252 41.72
Oliver Gibbs Man Independent 93 15.40

Lawrence was a resident of Chester.

Merrell and Gibbs were residents of Lake City. Gibbs was initially selected as the Farmers and Laborers nominee.

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11/04/1873 State House, District 15 General Edward Drury (Farmers and Laborers) won with 403 votes (53.17%) and a winning margin of +6.33
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Edward Drury Man Farmers and Laborers 403 53.17
Theodore (T.S.) Van Dyke Man Republican 355 46.83

Drury and Van Dyke were residents of Wabasha.

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11/04/1873 State House, District 15 General James K. Smith (Republican) won with 396 votes (65.56%) and a winning margin of +31.13
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
James K. Smith Man Republican 396 65.56
Edwin (E.N.) Dodge Man Farmers and Laborers 208 34.44

Smith was a resident of Oakwood.

Dodge was a resident of Elgin.

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11/04/1873 State House, District 15 General Patrick H. (P.H.) Rahilly (Farmers and Laborers) won with 205 votes (52.70%) and a winning margin of +5.40
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Patrick H. (P.H.) Rahilly Man Farmers and Laborers 205 52.70
John A. Jackson Man Republican 184 47.30

Rahilly and Jackson were residents of Mount Pleasant.

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11/04/1873 Attorney General General George P. Wilson (Republican) won with 40,751 votes (53.05%) and a winning margin of +6.50
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
George P. Wilson Man Republican 40,751 53.05
William Clough Man Democrat-Anti-Monopoly 35,757 46.55

Wilson, an attorney from Winona, was a state Representative (HD 08, 1873-1874) who much later in his career served several terms in the state Senate (SD 41, 1899-1915).

Clough was an attorney from St. Paul.

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