Elmer Austin Benson
From Free net encyclopedia
| Revision as of 13:43, 20 April 2006 Graham87 (Talk | contribs) See also - rm section, link is not necessary ← Previous diff |
Current revision Graham87 (Talk | contribs) See also - rm section, link is not necessary |
Current revision
Image:ElmerBenson.jpg Elmer Austin Benson (September 22, 1895–March 13, 1985) was an American politician from Minnesota. Born in 1895 in Appleton, Minnesota, he was appointed to the United States Senate on December 27, 1935 after the death of Thomas D. Schall and served until November 3, 1936.
He was elected the 24th Governor of Minnesota in 1936, by the largest margin in Minnesota history. He served as governor from January 4, 1937 to January 2, 1939. He lost his bid for reelection in 1938. He was a member of the Farmer-Labor Party. His defeat by a record margin in 1938 is seen as the end of the Farmer-Labor Party, and progressive politics in Minnesota.
Before ill health drove him from the public arena, Benson became a force within the short-lived Progressive Party, managing the 1948 presidential campaign of its candidate, Henry Wallace. This was the last hurrah of an outspoken statesman who lived to see many of his once-radical ideas enacted into law. He died in 1985 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is buried at the Appleton Cemetery in the town of his birth, Appleton, Minnesota.
Template:Start box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:End box