Arthur Emanuel Nelson (May 10, 1892 – April 11, 1955) was an American lawyer and politician who served briefly as a U.S.

Senator from Minnesota during the end of 1942 and beginning of 1943 Born in Browns Valley, Minnesota, Arthur Nelson graduated from Macalester College in 1912 and William Mitchell College of Law (then the St. Paul College of Law) in 1915.

Nelson was elected Mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1922.

Nelson unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate as a Republican in 1928 against Henrik Shipstead (receiving 33.4% of the vote).

He was elected to the Senate fourteen years later, in November 1942 to finish out the term of deceased Senator Ernest Lundeen, which had temporarily been filled by appointee Joseph H. Ball (who won the November 1942 election for the full six-year term from 1943 to 1949).