Gardner Robert Withrow (October 5, 1892 – September 23, 1964) was an American union representative and Progressive Republican politician from La Crosse, Wisconsin.

After graduating from high school, he briefly studied law under his brother, Frank E. Withrow, but ultimately went to work for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad as a fireman and conductor.

[3] In early 1926, Withrow was charged with assault for allegedly punching the operator of a streetcar which collided with his car.

[8] In 1928, U.S. representative Joseph D. Beck announced he would run for Governor of Wisconsin rather than seeking another term in Congress.

Withrow chose to abandon his Assembly re-election to enter the Republican primary to succeed Beck as representative of Wisconsin's 7th congressional district.

The progressive Republicans of the district quickly rallied around Withrow, but several other prominent politicians joined the race anyway, including Merlin Hull, a former secretary of state who ran in the primary two previous times, and Otto Bosshard and Alexander Frederick, who had both served several terms in the Assembly.

[12] He faced only a Prohibition Party opponent in the general election, but Hull received a large number of write-in votes.

Under the new plan, passed during a special session of the 1931 legislature, Withrow resided in Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district—roughly the southwest quadrant of the state.

Withrow did not attend the Progressive Party's organizing convention, but said he would poll his constituents and abide by their sentiment as to the split.

[21] In the 1934 election, Withrow easily won his third term in Congress, defeating Republican Levi H. Bancroft and Democrat Bart E.

The Recession of 1937–1938 and backlash against Roosevelt led to a Republican resurgence in 1938; Withrow lost re-election, along with five of the seven other progressives in Congress.

Despite the vacancy, there was no special election called by Governor Julius P. Heil and the seat remained empty for three quarters of the 76th Congress.

[24] Throughout the 1942 campaign, he made significant efforts to distance himself from past isolationist positions and criticized his Republican rival for his votes against pre-war preparedness policies.

He ran for sheriff of La Crosse County that fall,[28] but lost the primary to Vernon H. Lamp.

Undeterred by four straight election losses, Withrow announced in 1948 that he would launch a primary challenge against William H. Stevenson to reclaim the 3rd congressional district seat he had previously represented.

Withrow was counted among Trujillo's defenders in Congress at a time when he was receiving American aide and his political enemies were dying mysterious deaths in the United States, but no illicit relationship was ever alleged or proved.