Apr 19
It’s McGovern Day
By Denise Ross
These days, we tend to think of the historic 1972 presidential campaign when George McGovern is the topic of conversation. Long before that, he built up the SD Democratic Party from 2 state legislators in the early 1950s to more than 10 times that many lawmakers, himself in the Congress, Ralph Herseth as governor and nail-biting Senate races, although the GOP held on there.
Here are some images to remember the 1950s and South Dakota’s Democrats from that time.
There’s George, Ralph and presumably a US Senate House candidate named Clarkson. Anybody have the history on Clarkson? (UPDATE: A commenter named Gatsby reports some details on Clarkson; click on the comments section to read them.)
This business card from McGovern’s days in the US House is on display at the McGovern Center on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell.
2 Comments so far
Leave a Reply
Actually, Clarkson was the House candidate. In 1962, McGovern ran for the US Senate, defeating Joe Bottum (who had been appointed to replace late Francis Case). McGovern was a former House member - he had failed in a challenge to Karl Mundt two years prior. McG beat Bottum by less than 1000 votes.
Morris Clarkson was the unsuccessful House candidate against incumbent EY Berry.
Ralph Herseth lost that year too. He was upset for reelection by Republican Archie Gubbrud. Interstingly, Ralph Herseth ran for governor four consecutive times, winning only once. In 1958, he lost in a challenge to incumbent Gov. Foss. In 1960, he won the open seat. He lost reelection in 1962 to Gov. Gubbrud, and lost again to Gubbrud in a 1964 rematch.
Excellent history, Gatsby. I’m sure you’re right about Clarkson. However, I’ve got an Aberdeen American News clipping from Jan. 5, 1959, reporting on Herseth’s inauguration, and I’ve heard McGovern talk before about Herseth winning in 1958. Did Herseth beat Foss in 1958 and then get beat by Gubbrud? (I think Stan Adelstein worked on that Gubbrud campaign. I’ll e-mail him.) -Denise
Denise - Herseth lost to Foss 158,819 to 133,198 in the 1956 race. In 1958 Foss ran against McGovern in the 1st District COngressional race and lost 107,202 to 93,388. In the 1958 Governor’s race, Herseth beat the sitting Attorney General, Phil Saunders, of Milbank by a margin of 132,761 to 125,520. Gubbrud took out Herseth by 4,000 votes in 1960 and beat him again by over 40,000 votes two years later.
Thanks, Lee. I think we need a flow chart for Gen Xers like me. -Denise