United States Senate elections, 1950

United States Senate elections, 1950

November 7, 1950

36 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats were needed for a majority   Majority party Minority party   Leader Ernest McFarland Ken Wherry Party Democratic Republican Leader's seat Arizona Nebraska Last election 54 seats 42 seats Seats won 49 47 Seat change 5 5 Popular vote 15,297,854 16,166,439 Percentage 47.2% 49.9% Swing 9.0% 7.3%

Republican holds   Republican gains   Democratic holds   Democratic gains

Majority Leader before election Scott Lucas Democratic Elected Majority Leader Ernest McFarland Democratic

The United States Senate elections of 1950 occurred in the middle of Harry S. Truman's second term as President. As with most 20th-century second-term mid-terms, the party out of the Presidency made significant gains. The Republican opposition made a net gain of five seats, taking advantage of the Democratic administration's declining popularity during the Cold War and the aftermath of the Recession of 1949. The Democrats held a narrow 49 to 47 seat majority after the election. This became the first time since 1932 that the Senate Majority Leader lost his seat.

Gains and losses

The Republicans defeated four incumbent Democrats:

1. Illinois: Democrat Scott W. Lucas (the incumbent Majority Leader), lost to Everett Dirksen (R).
2. Maryland: Millard Tydings (D) lost to John M. Butler (R).
3. Pennsylvania: Francis J. Myers (D) lost to James H. Duff (R).
4. Utah: Elbert B. Thomas (D) lost to Wallace F. Bennett (R).

Ticket to a victory dinner for Richard Nixon at the Wm. Penn Hotel.

Republicans also won two open seats:

1. Idaho: Glen H. Taylor (D) lost renomination to David Worth Clark, who ended up losing the general election to Herman Welker (R).
2. California: Sheridan Downey (D) retired, citing ill health and facing a tough renomination fight against Helen Gahagan Douglas, who ended up losing the general election to Richard Nixon (R).

Democrats defeated one incumbent Republican:

1. Missouri: Forrest C. Donnell (R) lost to Thomas C. Hennings, Jr. (D)

Change in Senate composition

Senate composition before the elections

D8	D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1
D9	D10	D11	D12	D13	D14	D15	D16	D17	D18
D28	D27	D26	D25	D24	D23	D22	D21	D20	D19
D29	D30	D31	D32	D33	D34	D35	D36	D37	D38
D48	D47	D46	D45	D44	D43	D42	D41	D40	D39
D49	← Majority
D50	D51	D52	D53	D54	R42	R41	R40	R39
R29	R30	R31	R32	R33	R34	R35	R36	R37	R38
R28	R27	R26	R25	R24	R23	R22	R21	R20	R19
R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17	R18
R8	R7	R6	R5	R4	R3	R2	R1

Senate composition as a result of the elections

D8	D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1
D9	D10	D11	D12	D13	D14	D15	D16	D17	D18
D28	D27	D26	D25	D24	D23	D22	D21	D20	D19
D29	D30	D31	D32√	D33√	D34√	D35√	D36√	D37√	D38√
D48O	D47O	D46O	D45O	D44O	D43√	D42√	D41√	D40√	D39√
D49+	← Majority
R47+	R46+	R45+	R44+	R43+	R42+	R41O	R40O	R39√
R29	R30√	R31√	R32√	R33√	R34√	R35√	R36√	R37√	R38√
R28	R27	R26	R25	R24	R23	R22	R21	R20	R19
R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17	R18
R8	R7	R6	R5	R4	R3	R2	R1

Key:	D Democratic R Republican		√ Incumbent re-elected or appointee elected to finish term O Party hold: New senator elected from same party + Party gain: New senator elected from different party

Subsequent changes

During the next Congress, three states would have party changes to deaths and appointments.

1. Kentucky: Virgil Chapman (D) died March 8, 1951.
   • Thomas R. Underwood (D) was appointed March 19, 1951 to continue his term.
   • John S. Cooper (R), then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Republican gain.
2. Michigan: Arthur H. Vandenberg (R) died April 18, 1951.
   • Blair Moody (D) was appointed April 23, 1951 to continue his term.
   • Charles E. Potter (R) then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Democratic gain, then Republican gain: overall Republican hold.
3. Connecticut: Brien McMahon (D) died July 28, 1952.
   • William A. Purtell (R) was appointed August 29, 1952 to continue his term.
   • Prescott Bush (R), who had lost in this (1950) special election, then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Republican gain.

Race summaries

Special elections during the 81st Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1950 or before January 3, 1951; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Connecticut (Class 1)	William Benton	Democratic	1949 (Appointed)	Appointee elected November 7, 1950.	√ William Benton (Democratic) 49.2% Prescott S. Bush (Republican) 49.1%
Idaho (Class 2)	Henry C. Dworshak	Republican	1949 (Appointed)	Appointee elected November 7, 1950.	√ Henry C. Dworshak (Republican) 51.9% Claude J. Burtenshaw (Democratic) 48.1%
Rhode Island (Class 1)	Edward L. Leahy	Democratic	1949 (Appointed)	Appointee retired. Winner elected November 7, 1950. Democratic hold.	√ John O. Pastore (Democratic) 61.6% Austin T. Levy (Republican) 38.4%
North Carolina (Class 2)	Frank Porter Graham	Democratic	1949 (Appointed)	Appointee lost nomination to finish term. Winner elected November 7, 1950. Democratic hold.	√ Willis Smith (Democratic) 67.0% E. L. Gavin (Republican) 32.6%
Kentucky (Class 3)	Garrett L. Withers	Democratic	1949 (Appointed)	Interim appointee resigned to trigger special election. Successor elected November 7, 1950. Democratic hold.	√ Earle C. Clements (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Kansas (Class 3)	Harry Darby	Republican	1949 (Appointed)	Interim appointee retired November 28, 1950 when successor elected. Successor elected November 29, 1950. Republican hold.	√ Frank Carlson (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]

Races leading to the 82nd Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on January 3, 1951; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Alabama	Lister Hill	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Lister Hill (Democratic) 76.5% John G. Crommelin, Jr. (Independent) 23.5%
Arizona	Carl Hayden	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Carl Hayden (Democratic) 62.8% Bruce Brockett (Republican) 37.2%
Arkansas	J. William Fulbright	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ J. William Fulbright (Democratic) Unopposed
California	Sheridan Downey	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Richard M. Nixon (Republican) 59.2% Helen Gahagan Douglas (Democratic) 40.8%
Colorado	Eugene D. Millikin	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Eugene D. Millikin (Republican) 53.3% John A. Carroll (Democratic) 46.8%
Connecticut	Brien McMahon	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Brien McMahon (Democratic) 51.7% Joseph E. Talbot (Republican) 46.6%
Florida	Claude Pepper	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Democratic hold.[1]	√ George A. Smathers (Democratic) 76.2% John P. Booth (Republican) 23.7%
Georgia	Walter F. George	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Walter F. George (Democratic) Unopposed
Idaho	Glen H. Taylor	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Herman Welker (Republican) 61.7% D. Worth Clark (Democratic) 38.3%
Illinois	Scott W. Lucas	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Everett M. Dirksen (Republican) 53.9% Scott W. Lucas (Democratic) 45.8%
Indiana	Homer E. Capehart	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Homer E. Capehart (Republican) 52.8% Alex M. Campbell (Democratic) 46.4%
Iowa	Bourke B. Hickenlooper	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Bourke B. Hickenlooper (Republican) 54.8% Albert J. Loveland (Democratic) 44.7%
Kansas	Frank Carlson	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Frank Carlson (Republican) 54.3% Paul Aiken (Democratic) 43.8%
Kentucky	Earle C. Clements	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Earle C. Clements (Democratic) 54.2% Charles I. Dawson (Republican) 45.1%
Louisiana	Russell B. Long	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Russell B. Long (Democratic) 87.7% Charles S. Gerth (Republican) 12.3%
Maryland	Millard E. Tydings	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ John M. Butler (Republican) 53.0% Millard E. Tydings (Democratic) 46.0%
Missouri	Forrest C. Donnell	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain.	√ Thomas C. Hennings, Jr. (Democratic) 53.6% Forrest C. Donnell (Republican) 46.4%
Nevada	Patrick A. McCarran	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Patrick A. McCarran (Democratic) 58.0% George E. Marshall (Republican) 42.0%
New Hampshire	Charles W. Tobey	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Charles W. Tobey (Republican) 55.7% Emmet J. Kelley (Democratic) 38.0% Wesley Powell (Independent) 6.3%
New York	Herbert H. Lehman	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Herbert H. Lehman (Democratic) 50.3% Joe R. Hanley (Republican) 45.3%
North Carolina	Clyde R. Hoey	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Clyde R. Hoey (Democratic) 68.7% Halsey B. Leavitt (Republican) 31.3%
North Dakota	Milton R. Young	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Milton R. Young (Republican) 67.6% Harry O'Brien (Democratic) 32.4%
Ohio	Robert A. Taft	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Robert A. Taft (Republican) 57.5% Joseph T. Ferguson (Democratic) 42.5%
Oklahoma	Elmer Thomas	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Democratic hold.	√ A. S. Mike Monroney (Democratic) 54.8% W. H. Bill Alexander (Republican) 45.2%
Oregon	Wayne Morse	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Wayne Morse (Republican) 74.8% Howard Latourette (Democratic) 23.2%
Pennsylvania	Francis J. Myers	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ James H. Duff (Republican) 51.3% Francis J. Myers (Democratic) 47.7%
South Carolina	Olin B. Johnston	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Olin B. Johnston (Democratic) Unopposed
South Dakota	Chandler Gurney	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Republican hold.	√ Francis Case (Republican) 63.9% John A. Engel (Democratic) 36.1%
Utah	Elbert D. Thomas	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Wallace F. Bennett (Republican) 53.9% Elbert D. Thomas (Democratic) 45.8%
Vermont	George D. Aiken	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ George D. Aiken (Republican) 78.0% James E. Bigelow (Democratic) 22.0%
Washington	Warren G. Magnuson	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Warren G. Magnuson (Democratic) 53.4% Walter Williams (Republican) 46.0%
Wisconsin	Alexander Wiley	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Alexander Wiley (Republican) 53.3% Thomas E. Fairchild (Democratic) 46.2% Edwin Knappe (Socialist) 0.4%

Special elections during the 82nd Congress

There were no elections in 1951 to the 82nd Congress.

Complete list of races

Florida

Democratic incumbent Senator Claude Pepper lost renomination May 2, 1950 to George A. Smathers, who easily won the general election.^[1]

See also

• United States elections, 1950
  • United States House of Representatives elections, 1950
• 81st United States Congress
• 82nd United States Congress

References

1. "FL US Senate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 18, 2013.