United States Senate elections, 1952

United States Senate elections, 1952

November 4, 1952[1]

36 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority   Majority party Minority party   Leader Robert Taft Ernest McFarland Party Republican Democratic Leader's seat Ohio Arizona (defeated) Last election 47 seats 49 seats Seats before 46(+1 Ind.) 49 Seats won 48(+1 Ind.) 47 Seat change 2 2 Popular vote 23,241,687 20,028,738 Percentage 51.9% 44.7% Swing 2.0% 2.5%

Republican hold   Republican gain   Democratic hold   Democratic gain

Majority Leader before election Ernest McFarland Democratic Elected Majority Leader Robert Taft Republican

The United States Senate elections of 1952 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower to the presidency by a large margin. The Republicans managed to make a net gain of two seats, which was reduced to one when Wayne Morse (R-OR) became an independent. The Republicans held a 49 to 47 seat majority after Morse's switch. This election was the second time in history (after 1932) that the party in power lost their majority and the Senate Majority Leader lost his own re-election bid. (In addition, this was the second consecutive election in which a sitting Senate leader lost his seat.)

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
R47	R46	R45	R44	R43	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

D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1	I1@
D8	D9	D10	D11	D12	D13	D14	D15	D16	D17
D27	D26	D25	D24	D23	D22	D21	D20	D19	D18
D28	D29	D30	D31	D32	D33	D34	D35	D36√	D37√
D47+	D46+	D45+	D44+	D43O	D42O	D41√	D40√	D39√	D38√
↓ Plurality (+ Vice President's tie-breaking vote)
R48+	R47+	R46+	R45+	R44+	R43+	R42O	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

*I₁@: Wayne Morse of Oregon, who was not up for election this year, changed parties from Republican to Independent in the next Congress.

Key:	D Democratic R Republican I Independent		√ 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 @ Party gain: Incumbent senator changed parties

Retirements

Democrat who was replaced by a Republican

1. Maryland: Herbert O'Conor was replaced by James Glenn Beall

Democratic hold

1. Texas: Tom Connally was replaced by Price Daniel

Republican holds

1. Connecticut: Appointee William A. Purtell (to run for the Class 1 seat), was replaced by Prescott Bush.
2. Nebraska: Appointee Fred Andrew Seaton was replaced by Dwight Griswold.

Incumbent losses

Renomination

Democratic hold

1. Tennessee: Kenneth D. McKellar lost to Albert Gore, Sr., who later won the general election.

Republican hold

1. Maine: Ralph O. Brewster lost to Frederick G. Payne, who later won the general election.

Re-election

Democrats who lost to Republicans

1. Arizona: Ernest W. McFarland, the Majority Leader, lost to Barry Goldwater
2. Connecticut: William Benton lost to William A. Purtell
3. Kentucky: Appointee Thomas R. Underwood lost to John S. Cooper
4. Michigan: Blair Moody lost to Charles E. Potter
5. Wyoming: Joseph C. O'Mahoney lost to Frank A. Barrett

Republicans who lost to Democrats

1. Massachusetts: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. lost to John F. Kennedy
2. Missouri: James P. Kem lost to Stuart Symington
3. Montana: Zales N. Ecton lost to Mike Mansfield
4. Washington: Harry P. Cain lost to Henry M. Jackson

Complete summary of results

All elections are for the Class 1 seats, unless otherwise indicated.

State	Incumbent	Party	Result	Opposing Candidates
Arizona	Ernest W. McFarland	Democratic	Lost re-election Republican gain	Barry Goldwater (Republican) 51.3% Ernest W. McFarland (Democratic) 48.7%
California	William F. Knowland	Republican	Re-elected	William F. Knowland (Republican) 87.7% Reuben W. Borough (Independent Progressive) 11.9%
Connecticut	William Benton	Democratic	Lost re-election Republican gain	William A. Purtell (Republican) 52.5% William Benton (Democratic) 44.4%
Connecticut Special (class 3)	William A. Purtell	Republican	Appointee retired to run for the Class 1 seat Winner elected to finish the term ending January 3, 1957 Republican hold	Prescott Bush (Republican) 51.2% Abraham A. Ribicoff (Democratic) 48.5%
Delaware	John J. Williams	Republican	Re-elected	John J. Williams (Republican) 54.5% A. I. du Pont Bayard (Democratic) 45.5%
Florida	Spessard Holland	Democratic	Re-elected	Spessard Holland (Democratic) 99.8%
Indiana	William E. Jenner	Republican	Re-elected	William E. Jenner (Republican) 52.4% Henry F. Schricker (Democratic) 46.8%
Kentucky Special (class 2)	Thomas R. Underwood	Democratic	Appointee lost election to finish the term ending January 3, 1955 Republican gain	John S. Cooper (Republican) 51.5% Thomas R. Underwood (Democratic) 48.5%
Maine	Ralph O. Brewster	Republican	Lost renomination Republican hold	Frederick G. Payne (Republican) 58.7% Roger P. Dube (Democratic) 34.9% Earl S. Grant (Independent) 6.4%
Maryland	Herbert O'Conor	Democratic	Retired Republican gain	James Glenn Beall (Republican) 52.5% George P. Mahoney (Democratic) 47.5%
Massachusetts	Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.	Republican	Lost re-election Democratic gain	John F. Kennedy (Democratic) 51.4% Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (Republican) 48.4%
Michigan	Blair Moody	Democratic	Lost re-election Republican gain	Charles E. Potter (Republican) 50.6% Blair Moody (Democratic) 49.0%
Minnesota	Edward John Thye	Republican	Re-elected	Edward John Thye (Republican) 56.6% William E. Carlson (Democratic) 42.5%
Mississippi	John C. Stennis	Democratic	Re-elected	John C. Stennis (Democratic) Unopposed
Missouri	James P. Kem	Republican	Lost re-election Democratic gain	Stuart Symington (Democratic) 54.0% James P. Kem (Republican) 45.9%
Montana	Zales N. Ecton	Republican	Lost re-election Democratic gain	Mike Mansfield (Democratic) 50.8% Zales N. Ecton (Republican) 48.6%
Nebraska	Hugh Butler	Republican	Re-elected	Hugh Butler (Republican) 69.1% Stanley D. Long (Democratic) 27.8%
Nebraska Special (class 2)	Fred Andrew Seaton	Republican	Appointee retired Winner elected to finish the term ending January 3, 1955 Republican hold	Dwight Griswold (Republican) 63.6% William Ritchie (Democratic) 36.4%
Nevada	George W. Malone	Republican	Re-elected	George W. Malone (Republican) 51.7% Thomas B. Mechling (Democratic) 48.3%
New Jersey	H. Alexander Smith	Republican	Re-elected	H. Alexander Smith (Republican) 55.5% Archibald S. Alexander (Democratic) 43.6%
New Mexico	Dennis Chavez	Democratic	Re-elected	Dennis Chavez (Democratic) 51.1% Patrick J. Hurley (Republican) 48.9%
New York	Irving M. Ives	Republican	Re-elected	Irving M. Ives (Republican) 55.2% John Cashmore (Democratic) 36.1% George Counts (Liberal) 7.0%
North Dakota	William Langer	Republican	Re-elected	William Langer (Republican) 66.4% Harold A. Morrison (Democratic) 23.3% Fred G. Aandahl (Independent) 10.4%
Ohio	John W. Bricker	Republican	Re-elected	John W. Bricker(Republican) 54.6% Michael V. DiSalle (Democratic) 45.4%
Pennsylvania	Edward Martin	Republican	Re-elected	Edward Martin (Republican) 51.6% Guy K. Bard (Democratic) 48.0%
Rhode Island	John O. Pastore	Democratic	Re-elected	John O. Pastore (Democratic) 54.8% Bayard Ewing (Republican) 45.2%
Tennessee	Kenneth D. McKellar	Democratic	Lost renomination Democratic hold	Albert Gore, Sr. (Democratic) 74.2% Hobart F. Atkins (Republican) 20.9%
Texas	Tom Connally	Democratic	Retired Democratic hold	Price Daniel (Democratic) Unopposed
Utah	Arthur V. Watkins	Republican	Re-elected	Arthur V. Watkins (Republican) 54.3% Walter K. Granger (Democratic) 45.7%
Vermont	Ralph E. Flanders	Republican	Re-elected	Ralph E. Flanders (Republican) 72.3% Allan R. Johnston (Democratic) 27.7%
Virginia	Harry F. Byrd	Democratic	Re-elected	Harry F. Byrd (Democratic) 73.4% H. M. Vise, Sr. (Independent) 12.7% Clarke T. Robb (Independent) 12.4%
Washington	Harry P. Cain	Republican	Lost re-election Democratic gain	Henry M. Jackson (Democratic) 56.2% Harry P. Cain (Republican) 43.5%
West Virginia	Harley M. Kilgore	Democratic	Re-elected	Harley M. Kilgore (Democratic) 53.6% Chapman Revercomb (Republican) 46.4%
Wisconsin	Joseph R. McCarthy	Republican	Re-elected	Joseph R. McCarthy (Republican) 54.2% Thomas E. Fairchild (Democratic) 45.6%
Wyoming	Joseph C. O'Mahoney	Democratic	Lost re-election Republican gain	Frank A. Barrett (Republican) 51.6% Joseph C. O'Mahoney (Democratic) 48.4%

See also

• United States elections, 1952
  • United States presidential election, 1952
  • United States House of Representatives elections, 1952
• 82nd United States Congress
• 83rd United States Congress

References

1. September 8, 1952 in Maine