John E. Regan, Sr.

John E. Regan Sr. (October 18, 1883 – August 3, 1946) was a United States politician from the state of Minnesota. He was the last leading figure of the Democratic Party of Minnesota from 1930 to 1944.

Regan was born in Mendota, Minnesota on October 18, 1883. He attended the St. Paul College of Law, and became an attorney. Regan moved to Balaton in 1908 and then to Mankato in 1910.

Regan entered politics by being elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, for District 8 in 1930, serving from 1931 to 1933.

Regan ran for Governor of Minnesota against incumbent Floyd B. Olson twice. First in 1932, and again in 1934. Despite much of his party being favorable to the Farmer-Labor Party, Regan was much more of an economic conservative, and found himself at odds with the Farmer-Laborites and the progressives in his own party. Regan was the 'angry man' of the campaign, regularly attacking his opponents on the ballot and his enemies within his party. Regan was bitterly against Fusion.

Amid calls for him to drop out in 1932, Regan focused his campaign in defending his legitimacy as a serious candidate. He attacked Democrats who supported Olson, and referred specifically to the very pro-Olson Democrats of St. Paul as 'Soup Irish'. Regan also berated Democratic politicians Edward Murphy and Tom E. Davis for a speech on the radio denouncing him as a serious candidate and endorsing Olson. Regan argued that if he truly was not a serious candidate, then the Olson campaign would not spend so much time and money trying to convince the public he wasn't.

In 1940, Regan ran for senate against incumbent Republican Henrik Shipstead and Farmer-Laborite Elmer Benson. Regan placed third.

Regan died on August 3, 1946, in Mankato, Minnesota.

Electoral History