Senator Arthur Emanuel Nelson

Arthur Emanuel Nelson (May 10, 1892 – April 11, 1955) was an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as a United States Senator from Minnesota from November 18, 1942, to January 3, 1943. During his brief tenure in the Senate, he contributed to the legislative process at a critical moment in American history, representing the interests of his Minnesota constituents during the midst of World War II.

Nelson was born on May 10, 1892, in Browns Valley, Minnesota. He pursued higher education in the state, graduating from Macalester College in St. Paul in 1912. He then studied law at the St. Paul College of Law, later known as William Mitchell College of Law, from which he graduated in 1915. Following his admission to the bar, he began practicing law, establishing the legal foundation for his subsequent career in public service.

During World War I, Nelson briefly served in the United States Army. His military service extended from August to November 1918, coinciding with the final months of the conflict. Although short in duration, this period of service reflected his participation in national affairs at a time of global upheaval and contributed to his understanding of public duty and national policy.

Nelson’s political career advanced rapidly at the local level. In 1922 he was elected Mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, a significant urban center in the state. He served two consecutive two-year terms as mayor, overseeing municipal governance and gaining experience in executive leadership and public administration. His tenure as mayor helped establish his reputation as a prominent Republican figure in Minnesota politics.

Seeking higher office, Nelson ran for the United States Senate in 1928 as a Republican candidate. In that election he challenged incumbent Senator Henrik Shipstead but was unsuccessful, receiving 33.4 percent of the vote. Although he did not prevail, this campaign marked his emergence on the statewide political stage and demonstrated his continuing interest in federal legislative service.

Nelson ultimately entered the United States Senate more than a decade later under unusual circumstances. Following the death of Senator Ernest Lundeen, the seat was temporarily filled by appointee Joseph H. Ball. In the November 1942 special election to complete Lundeen’s unexpired term, Nelson was elected as a Republican to serve the remainder of that term. Ball, in the same election, won the full six-year term beginning in 1943. Nelson’s service in Congress thus ran from November 18, 1942, to January 3, 1943, encompassing the closing weeks of the 77th Congress. During this single, short term in office, he participated in the democratic process and contributed to the work of the Senate at a time when the United States was fully engaged in World War II. He did not seek re-election after this brief period of service.

After leaving the Senate, Nelson returned to private life and the practice of law. Although he no longer held elective office, his earlier roles as mayor and senator left a record of service at both local and national levels. He died in Chicago, Illinois, on April 11, 1955, closing a career that had spanned municipal leadership, military service, and membership in the United States Senate.