1950 United States Senate elections

The 1950 United States Senate elections 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 and the only instance where the majority leader lost his seat while his party retained the majority.

1950 United States Senate elections
November 7, 1950
37 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate[lower-alpha 1]
49 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Scott Lucas
(lost re-election)		 Ken Wherry
Party Democratic Republican
Leader since January 3, 1949 January 3, 1949
Leader's seat Illinois Nebraska
Seats before 54 42
Seats after 49 47
Seat change 5 5
Popular vote 15,297,854 16,166,439
Percentage 47.2% 49.9%
Swing 9.0% 7.3%
Seats up 20 12
Races won 15 17
Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Republican gain      Republican hold
     No election
Majority Leader before election

Scott Lucas
Democratic

 Elected Majority Leader

Ernest McFarland
Democratic

For related races, see 1950 United States elections.

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

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 Marshall Butler (R).
  3. Pennsylvania: Francis J. Myers (D) lost to James H. Duff (R).
  4. Utah: Elbert D. Thomas (D) lost to Wallace F. Bennett (R).

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 composition

Before the elections
  D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8
D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12 D11 D10 D9
D19 D20 D21 D22 D23 D24 D25 D26 D27 D28
D38
Fla.
Ran		 D37
Conn. (sp)
Ran		 D36
Conn. (reg)
Ran		 D35
Calif.
Retired		 D34
Ark.
Ran		 D33
Ariz.
Ran		 D32
Ala.
Ran		 D31 D30 D29
D39
Ga.
Ran		 D40
Ky. (reg) &
Ky. (sp)
Resigned		 D41
Idaho
Ran		 D42
Ill.
Ran		 D43
La.
Ran		 D44
Md.
Ran		 D45
Nev.
Ran		 D46
N.Y.
Ran		 D47
N.C. (reg)
Ran		 D48
N.C. (sp)
Ran
Majority → D49
Okla.
Ran
R39
Ore.
Ran		 R40
S.D.
Ran		 R41
Vt.
Ran		 R42
Wisc.
Ran		 D54
Wash.
Ran		 D53
Utah
Ran		 D52
S.C.
Ran		 D51
R.I. (sp)
Retired		 D50
Pa.
Ran
R38
Ohio
Ran		 R37
N.D.
Ran		 R36
N.H.
Ran		 R35
Mo.
Ran		 R34
Kan. (sp)
Retired		 R33
Kan. (reg)
Retired		 R32
Iowa
Ran		 R31
Ind.
Ran		 R30
Idaho (sp)
Ran		 R29
Colo.
Ran
R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24 R25 R26 R27 R28
R18 R17 R16 R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8

Results of the elections
  D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8
D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12 D11 D10 D9
D19 D20 D21 D22 D23 D24 D25 D26 D27 D28
D38
La.
Re-elected		 D37
Ga.
Re-elected		 D36
Conn. (sp)
Elected[lower-alpha 2]		 D35
Conn. (reg)
Re-elected		 D34
Ark.
Re-elected		 D33
Ariz.
Re-elected		 D32
Ala.
Re-elected		 D31 D30 D29
D39
Nev.
Re-elected		 D40
N.Y.
Re-elected		 D41
N.C. (reg)
Re-elected		 D42
S.C.
Re-elected		 D43
Wash.
Re-elected		 D44
Fla.
Hold		 D45
Ky. (reg) &
Ky. (sp)
Hold		 D46
N.C. (sp)
Hold		 D47
Okla.
Hold		 D48
R.I. (sp)
Hold
Majority → D49
Mo.
Gain
R39
Kan. (reg)
Hold		 R40
Kan. (sp)
Hold		 R41
S.D.
Hold		 R42
Calif.
Gain		 R43
Idaho
Gain		 R44
Ill.
Gain		 R45
Md.
Gain		 R46
Pa.
Gain		 R47
Utah
Gain
R38
Wisc.
Re-elected		 R37
Vt.
Re-elected		 R36
Ore.
Re-elected		 R35
Ohio
Re-elected		 R34
N.D.
Re-elected		 R33
N.H.
Re-elected		 R32
Iowa
Re-elected		 R31
Ind.
Re-elected		 R30
Idaho (sp)
Elected[lower-alpha 2]		 R29
Colo.
Re-elected
R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24 R25 R26 R27 R28
R18 R17 R16 R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8
Key:
D# Democratic
R# Republican

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
(linked to summaries below)		 Incumbent Results
(linked to election articles)		 Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Connecticut
(Class 1)		 William Benton Democratic 1949 (Appointed) Interim appointee elected November 7, 1950.
Idaho
(Class 2)		 Henry Dworshak Republican 1946 (Special)
1948 (Lost)
1949 (Appointed)		 Interim appointee elected November 7, 1950.
  • Y Henry Dworshak (Republican) 51.9%
  • Claude J. Burtenshaw (Democratic) 48.1%
Kansas
(Class 3)		 Harry Darby Republican 1949 (Appointed) Interim appointee retired November 28, 1950 when successor's election was certified.
Successor elected November 7, 1950.
Republican hold.
Winner was also elected to finish the term, see below.
Kentucky
(Class 3)		 Garrett Withers Democratic 1949 (Appointed) Interim appointee resigned to trigger special election.
Successor elected November 7, 1950.
Democratic hold.
Winner was also elected to finish the term, see below.
North Carolina
(Class 2)		 Frank Porter Graham Democratic 1949 (Appointed) Interim appointee lost nomination to finish term.
Winner elected November 7, 1950.
Democratic hold.
  • Y Willis Smith (Democratic) 67.0%
  • E. L. Gavin (Republican) 32.6%
Rhode Island
(Class 1)		 Edward L. Leahy Democratic 1949 (Appointed) Interim appointee retired.
Winner elected November 7, 1950.
Democratic hold.
  • Y John Pastore (Democratic) 61.6%
  • Austin T. Levy (Republican) 38.4%

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
(linked to summaries below)		 Incumbent Results
(linked to election articles)		 Candidates
Senator Party Electoral
history
Alabama J. Lister Hill Democratic 1938 (Appointed)
1938 (Special)
1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
Arizona Carl Hayden Democratic 1926
1932
1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Carl Hayden (Democratic) 62.8%
  • Bruce Brockett (Republican) 37.2%
Arkansas J. William Fulbright Democratic 1944 Incumbent re-elected.
California Sheridan Downey Democratic 1938
1944		 Incumbent ran, but then retired due to ill health.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
Incumbent resigned November 30, 1950 due to ill health and the winner was appointed December 1, 1950 to finish the therm.
Colorado Eugene Millikin Republican 1941 (Appointed)
1942
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut Brien McMahon Democratic 1944 Incumbent re-elected.
Florida Claude Pepper Democratic 1936 (Special)
1938
1944		 Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.[1]
Georgia Walter F. George Democratic 1922 (Special)
1926
1932
1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
Idaho Glen H. Taylor Democratic 1944 Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
Illinois Scott W. Lucas Democratic 1938
1944		 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
Indiana Homer E. Capehart Republican 1944 Incumbent re-elected.
Iowa Bourke B. Hickenlooper Republican 1944 Incumbent re-elected.
Kansas Harry Darby Republican 1949 (Appointed) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Republican hold.
Winner was also elected to finish the current term, see above.
Kentucky Garrett Withers Democratic 1949 (Appointed) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.
Incumbent resigned to trigger special election and winner was also elected to finish the current term, see above.
Louisiana Russell B. Long Democratic 1948 (Special) Incumbent re-elected.
Maryland Millard Tydings Democratic 1944 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
Missouri Forrest C. Donnell Republican 1944 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Democratic gain.
Nevada Pat McCarran Democratic 1932
1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Pat McCarran (Democratic) 58.0%
  • George E. Marshall (Republican) 42.0%
New Hampshire Charles W. Tobey Republican 1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
New York Herbert H. Lehman Democratic 1926
1932
1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
North Carolina Clyde R. Hoey Democratic 1932
1932 (Special)
1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Clyde R. Hoey (Democratic) 68.7%
  • Halsey B. Leavitt (Republican) 31.3%
North Dakota Milton Young Republican 1945 (Appointed)
1946 (Special)		 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Milton Young (Republican) 67.6%
  • Harry O'Brien (Democratic) 32.4%
Ohio Robert A. Taft Republican 1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
Oklahoma Elmer Thomas Democratic 1926
1932
1938
1944		 Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.
  • Y Mike Monroney (Democratic) 54.8%
  • W. H. Bill Alexander (Republican) 45.2%
Oregon Wayne Morse Republican 1944 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Wayne Morse (Republican) 74.8%
  • Howard Latourette (Democratic) 23.2%
Pennsylvania Francis J. Myers Democratic 1944 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
South Carolina Olin D. Johnston Democratic 1944 Incumbent re-elected.
South Dakota John Chandler Gurney Republican 1938
1944		 Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected.
Republican hold.
Utah Elbert D. Thomas Democratic 1932
1938
1944		 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
Vermont George Aiken Republican 1940 (Special)
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y George Aiken (Republican) 78.0%
  • James E. Bigelow (Democratic) 22.0%
Washington Warren Magnuson Democratic 1944 (Appointed)
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.
Wisconsin Alexander Wiley Republican 1938
1944		 Incumbent re-elected.

Alabama
See also: List of United States senators from Alabama
Alabama election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lister Hill (Incumbent) 125,534 76.54%
Independent John G. Crommelin, Jr. 38,477 23.46%
Majority 87,057 53.08%
Turnout 164,011
Democratic hold

Arizona
Main article: 1950 United States Senate election in Arizona
See also: List of United States senators from Arizona

Incumbent Democratic U.S. senator Carl Hayden ran for re-election to a fifth term, defeating Republican nominee Bruce Brockett in the general election. Brockett was formerly the Republican nominee for governor in both 1946 and 1948. Hayden first defeated Cecil H. Miller and Robert E. Miller (of the Arizona Farm Bureau), for the Democratic nomination.

Democratic primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carl Hayden (Incumbent) 95,544 70.97%
Democratic Cecil H. Miller 24,340 18.08%
Democratic Robert E. Miller 14,752 10.96%
Total votes 134,636 100.00%
General election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carl Hayden (Incumbent) 116,246 62.80%
Republican Bruce Brockett 68,846 37.20%
Majority 47,400 25.60%
Turnout 185,092
Democratic gain from Republican

Arkansas
See also: List of United States senators from Arkansas
Arkansas election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John L. McClellan (Incumbent) 302,686 100.00%
Democratic hold

California
Main article: 1950 United States Senate election in California
See also: List of United States senators from California
California election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Nixon 2,183,454 59.23%
Democratic Helen Gahagan Douglas 1,502,507 40.76%
None Scattering 354 0.01%
Majority 680,947 18.47%
Turnout 3,686,315
Republican gain from Democratic

Colorado
See also: List of United States senators from Colorado
Colorado election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eugene D. Millikin (Incumbent) 239,724 53.25%
Democratic John A. Carroll 210,442 46.75%
Majority 29,282 6.50%
Turnout 450,166
Republican hold

Connecticut
See also: List of United States senators from Connecticut and 1950 United States House of Representatives elections in Connecticut

Connecticut (Regular)
Connecticut general election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brien McMahon (Incumbent) 453,646 52.58%
Republican Joseph E. Talbot 409,053 47.42%
Majority 44,593 5.16%
Turnout 862,699
Democratic hold

Connecticut (Special)
Connecticut special election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Benton 431,413 50.06%
Republican Prescott Bush 430,311 49.94%
Majority 1,102 0.08%
Turnout 861,724
Democratic hold

Florida
United States Senate election in Florida, 1950
November 7, 1950
 
Nominee George Smathers John P. Booth
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 238,987 74,228
Percentage 76.3% 23.7%
U.S. senator before election

Claude Pepper
Democratic

 Elected U.S. senator

George Smathers
Democratic

Main article: 1950 United States Senate election in Florida
See also: List of United States senators from Florida

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

Front cover of The Red Record of Senator Claude Pepper

The Democratic primary for the 1950 United States Senate election in Florida was described as the "most bitter and ugly campaigns in Florida political history." Ormund Powers, a Central Florida historian, noted that ABC and NBC commentator David Brinkley said that "the Peppers-Smathers campaign would always stand out in his mind as the dirtiest in the history of American politics". On January 12, 1950, U.S. Representative George A. Smathers declared his candidacy for the race in Orlando at Kemp's Coliseum, where about 3,000 supporters had gathered.[5] In his opening speech, Smathers accused Pepper of being "the leader of the radicals and extremists", an advocate of treason, and a person against the constitutional rights of Americans.[6] Ed Ball, a power in state politics who had broken with Claude Pepper, financed his opponent, Smathers.[7]

Prior to the entry of Smathers and Pepper, Orlando attorney James G. Horrell campaigned for the seat. Horrell researched Pepper's weaknesses and the state's voters. Horrell also compiled a list of communist-front groups that Pepper had communicated with. On the day that Pepper declared his candidacy, Horrell withdrew and endorsed Smathers. Horrell also sent his reports about Pepper to Smathers, which he used throughout the next few months. This would also prevent the chance of a run-off election. In late February and early March, the Jacksonville Journal conducted a poll in 11 counties important for the election. Smathers led by about 2-to-1 and dominated in Duval, Pinellas, and Volusia counties, while he was also statistically tied with Pepper in Dade, Escambia, and Hillsborough counties. However, Smathers did not trail in any of the 11 counties.[8]

Smathers repeatedly attacked "Red Pepper" for having communist sympathies, condemning both his support for universal health care and his alleged support for the Soviet Union. Pepper had traveled to the Soviet Union in 1945 and, after meeting Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, declared he was "a man Americans could trust."[7] Additionally, although Pepper supported universal health care, sometimes referred to as "socialized medicine", Smathers voted for "socialized medicine" in the senate when it was introduced as Medicare in 1965. In The Saturday Evening Post, even respected writer and notorious anti-segregation editor Ralph McGill labeled Pepper a "spell-binding pinko".[6] Beginning on March 28 and until the day of the primary, Smathers named one communist organization each day that Pepper addressed, starting with the American Slav Congress.[8]

Pepper's opponents circulated widely a 49-page booklet titled The Red Record of Senator Claude Pepper. It contained photographs and headlines from several communist publications such as the Daily Worker.[6] In April the Daily Worker endorsed Pepper, with Communist Party of Florida leader George Nelson warning that a Smathers victory would "strengthen the Dixiecrat-KKK forces in Florida as well as throughout the South."[8] The booklet also made it seem as if Pepper desired to give Russia nuclear bomb-making instructions, billions of dollars, and the United States' natural resources. There was also a double page montage of Pepper in 1946 at New York City's Madison Square Garden with progressive Henry A. Wallace and civil rights activist Paul Robeson, and quoted Pepper speaking favorably of both of them.[6] Throughout the campaign, Pepper denied sympathizing with communism.[9]

Simultaneous to this election, then-U.S. House Representative Richard Nixon was running for the senate seat in California. In a letter from Senator Karl E. Mundt of South Dakota, he told Nixon that "It occurs to me that if Helen is your opponent in the fall, something of a similar nature might well be produced", in reference to The Red Record of Senator Claude Pepper and a similar Democratic primary between Manchester Boddy and Helen Gahagan Douglas.[10]

Race also played a role in the election. Labor unions began a voter registration drive, which mostly added African Americans to the voter rolls. Smathers accused the "Northern labor bosses" of paying black people to register and vote for Pepper. Shortly after Smathers declared his candidacy, he indicated to the Florida Peace Officers Association that he would defend law enforcement officers for free if they were found guilty of civil rights violations.[6] With the election occurring during the era of racial segregation, Pepper was portrayed as favoring integration and interracial marriage. He was also labeled a "nigger lover" and accused by Orlando Sentinel publisher Martin Andersen of shaking hands with a black woman in Sanford. In Dade County, which had a significant black and Jewish population, doctored photographs depicting Smathers in a Ku Klux Klan hood were distributed.[11]

In the Groveland Case, four young African American men – Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd, and Ernest Thomas – known as the Groveland Four, were accused of raping a 17-year old white women in Groveland on July 16, 1949. Thomas fled the area but was later shot and killed by police. Greenlee, Irvin, and Shepherd were convicted by an all-white jury. After the St. Petersburg Times questioned the verdict in April 1950, Lake County State Attorney J. W. Hunter, a supporter of Pepper, demanded that Pepper repudiate the news articles. However, Pepper refused. Hunter then denounced Pepper and endorsed Smathers. In addition to the racial violence, cross burning was also common at the time, with five in Jacksonville, ten in Orlando and Winter Park, and seventeen in the Tallahassee area.[8]

With the accusation of "Northern labor bosses" sending "the carpetbaggers of 1950" to Florida on his behalf, Pepper reminded voters that Smathers was born in New Jersey and sometimes referred to him as a "damn Yankee intruder". In response, Smathers decorated speaking platform in the colors of his alma mater at the University of Florida, orange and blue, while informing his supporters that Pepper graduated from Harvard Law School.[6]

Powers noted that throughout the campaign, "scarcely a day passed" without Andersen writing a news story, column, or editorial that was very positive of Smathers or highly critical of Pepper.[5] Thirty-eight daily newspapers in Florida endorsed Smathers, while only the St. Petersburg Times and The Daytona Beach News-Journal endorsed Pepper. Among the newspapers that supported Smathers were the Miami Herald, owned by John S. Knight, and the Miami Daily News, published by James M. Cox, a former Governor of Ohio and the Democratic Party nominee for the 1920 presidential election. However, Pepper's aides compared this situation to when Alf Landon was endorsed by more editors and newspapers than Franklin Roosevelt in 1936, but received far fewer votes than him.[12]

Smathers performed generally well across many areas of the state, with the exception of Miami, Tampa, and the Florida Panhandle. On the morning after the election, Andersen wrote on the front-page headline of the Orlando Sentinel, "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow ... We Have Won from Hell to Breakfast And From Dan to Beersheba ... And Staved Off Socialism", which was inspired by a headline in The New York Times celebrating Lawerence of Arabia's victory over the Turks in 1917.[5]

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Smathers 387,315 54.78%
Democratic Claude Pepper 319,754 45.22%
Total votes 707,069 100%

Smathers defeated Booth in a landslide in the general election on November 7. Results indicated that Smathers received 76.3% of the vote compared to just 23.7% for Booth. In the popular vote, Smathers garnered 238,987 votes versus 74,228 for Booth.[13] Smathers fared well throughout the state and won all but Pinellas County.[14]

Florida election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George A. Smathers 238,987 76.30%
Republican John P. Booth 74,228 23.70%
Majority 164,759 52.60%
Turnout 313,215
Democratic hold

Georgia
See also: List of United States senators from Georgia
Georgia election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Walter F. George (Incumbent) 261,290 100.00%
Democratic hold

Idaho
See also: List of United States senators from Idaho

Idaho (Regular)
Idaho election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Herman Welker 124,237 61.68%
Democratic D. Worth Clark 77,180 38.32%
Majority 47,057 23.36%
Turnout 201,417
Republican gain from Democratic

Idaho (Special)
Idaho special election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Henry Dworshak (Incumbent) 104,608 51.86%
Democratic Claude j. Burtenshaw 97,092 48.14%
Majority 7,516 3.72%
Turnout 201,700
Republican hold

Illinois
Main article: 1950 United States Senate election in Illinois
See also: List of United States senators from Illinois
Illinois election[2][15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Everett Dirksen 1,951,984 53.88%
Democratic Scott W. Lucas (Incumbent) 1,657,630 45.76%
Prohibition Enoch A. Holtwick 13,050 0.36%
Write-in Others 9 0.00
Majority 294,354 8.12%
Turnout 3,622,673
Republican gain from Democratic

Indiana
See also: List of United States senators from Indiana
Indiana election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Homer Capehart (Incumbent) 844,303 52.81%
Democratic Alex M. Campbell 741,025 46.35%
Prohibition ? 13,396 0.84%
Majority 103,278 6.46%
Turnout 1,598,724
Republican hold

Iowa
See also: List of United States senators from Iowa
Iowa election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bourke B. Hickenlooper (Incumbent) 470,613 54.82%
Democratic Albert J. Loveland 383,766 44.70%
Prohibition Kellum 3,273 0.38%
State Right Dem Seemann 571 0.07%
Socialist Labor Ludwig 300 0.03%
Majority 86,847 10.12%
Turnout 858,523
Republican hold

Kansas
See also: List of United States senators from Kansas

Kansas (Regular)
Kansas election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank Carlson (Incumbent) 335,880 54.25%
Democratic Paul Aiken 271,365 43.83%
Prohibition Verne L. Damon 11,859 1.92%
Majority 64,515 10.42%
Turnout 619,104
Republican hold

Kansas (Special)
Kansas special election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank Carlson (Incumbent) 321,718 55.17%
Democratic Paul Aiken 261,405 44.83%
Majority 60,313 10.34%
Turnout 583,123
Republican hold

Kentucky
See also: List of United States senators from Kentucky

Kentucky (Regular)
Kentucky election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Earle Clements (Incumbent) 334,249 54.16%
Republican Charles I. Dawson 278,368 45.11%
Independent James E. Olson 4,496 0.73%
Majority 55,881 9.05%
Turnout 617,113
Democratic hold

Kentucky (Special)
Kentucky special election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Earle Clements (Incumbent) 317,320 54.40%
Republican Charles I. Dawson 265,994 45.60%
Majority 51,326 8.80%
Turnout 583,314
Democratic hold

Louisiana
See also: List of United States senators from Louisiana
Louisiana election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Russell Long (Incumbent) 220,907 87.72%
Republican Charles S. Gerth 30,931 12.28%
Majority 189,976 75.44%
Turnout 251,838
Democratic hold

Maryland
See also: List of United States senators from Maryland
Maryland election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Marshall Butler 326,921 53.00%
Democratic Millard E. Tydings (Incumbent) 283,180 46.00%
Progressive Sam Fox 6,143 1.00%
Majority 43,741 7.00%
Turnout 615,614
Republican gain from Democratic

Missouri
See also: List of United States senators from Missouri
Missouri election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas C. Hennings Jr. 685,732 53.60%
Republican Forrest C. Donnell (Incumbent) 592,922 46.34%
Christian Nationalist John W. Hamilton 610 0.05%
Socialist Labor Henry W. Genck 150 0.01%
Majority 92,810 7.26%
Turnout 1,279,414
Democratic gain from Republican

Nevada
See also: List of United States senators from Nevada
Nevada election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pat McCarran (Incumbent) 35,829 58.01%
Republican George E. Marshall 25,933 41.99%
Majority 9,896 16.02%
Turnout 61,762
Democratic hold

New Hampshire
See also: List of United States senators from New Hampshire
New Hampshire election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles W. Tobey (Incumbent) 106,142 55.99%
Democratic Emmet J. Kelley 72,473 38.23%
Write-In Wesley Powell 10,943 5.77%
Majority 33,669 17.76%
Turnout 189,558
Republican hold

New York
Main article: 1950 United States Senate election in New York
See also: List of United States senators from New York

The Socialist Workers state convention met on July 9, and nominated Joseph Hansen for the U.S. Senate.[16]

The American Labor state convention met on September 6 and nominated W.E.B. DuBois for the U.S. Senate.[17]

The Republican state convention met on September 7 at Saratoga Springs, New York. They re-nominated Lieutenant Governor Joe R. Hanley for the U.S. Senate.[18]

The Democratic state convention met on September 7 at Rochester, New York, and re-nominated the incumbent U.S. senator Herbert H. Lehman[19]

The Liberal state convention met on September 6 and 7 at the Statler Hotel in New York City, and endorsed Democratic nominee Lehman.[20]

Nearly the whole Republican statewide ticket was elected in a landslide; with only the Democratic incumbent U.S. senator, Ex-Governor Herbert H. Lehman, managing to stay in office.

New York election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Herbert H. Lehman (Incumbent) 2,319,719 44.37%
Republican Joe R. Hanley 2,367,353 45.28%
Liberal Herbert H. Lehman (Incumbent) 312,594 5.98%
American Labor W. E. B. Du Bois 205,729 3.93%
Socialist Workers Joseph Hansen 13,340 0.29%
Industrial Government Stephen Emery 7,559 0.15%
Majority 264,960 5.07%
Turnout 5,228,394
Democratic hold

North Carolina
See also: List of United States senators from North Carolina

There were 2 elections in North Carolina.

North Carolina (Regular)
North Carolina election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Clyde R. Hoey (Incumbent) 376,472 68.66%
Republican Halsey B. Leavitt 171,804 31.34%
Majority 204,668 37.32%
Turnout 548,276
Democratic hold

North Carolina (Special)
North Carolina special election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Willis Smith 364,912 66.97%
Republican E. L. Galvin 177,753 32.62%
Write-In Frank P. Graham 2,259 0.41%
Majority 187,159 34.35%
Turnout 544,924
Democratic hold

North Dakota
See also: List of United States senators from North Dakota
North Dakota election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Milton R. Young 126,209 67.59%
Democratic Harry O’Brien 60,507 32.41%
Majority 65,702 35.18%
Turnout 186,716
Republican hold

Ohio
See also: List of United States senators from Ohio
Ohio election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert A. Taft (Incumbent) 1,645,643 57.54%
Democratic Joseph T. Ferguson 1,214,459 42.46%
Majority 431,184 15.08%
Turnout 2,860,102
Republican hold

Oklahoma
See also: List of United States senators from Oklahoma
Oklahoma election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Monroney 345,953 54.81%
Republican W. H. ‘Bill’ Alexander 285,224 45.19%
Majority 60,729 8.62%
Turnout 631,177
Democratic hold

Oregon
See also: List of United States senators from Oregon
Oregon election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Wayne Morse (Incumbent) 376,510 74.79%
Democratic Howard LaTourette 116,780 23.20%
Progressive Harlin Talbert 10,165 2.02%
Majority 259,730 51.59%
Turnout 503,455
Republican hold

Pennsylvania
Main article: 1950 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James H. Duff 1,820,400 51.30%
Democratic Francis J. Myers (Incumbent) 1,694,076 47.74%
Prohibition Earl N. Bergerstock 12,618 0.36%
G.I.’s Against Communism Jack Sill 8,353 0.24%
Progressive Lillian R. Narins 5,516 0.16%
Socialist William J. Van Essen 4,864 0.14%
Industrial Government Frank Knotek 1,596 0.04%
Militant Workers Clyde A. Turner 1,219 0.03%
Majority 126,324 3.56%
Turnout 3,548,642
Republican gain from Democratic

Rhode Island (Special)
See also: List of United States senators from Rhode Island
Rhode Island special election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John O. Pastore 183,725 56.03%
Republican Austin T. Levy 144,184 43.97%
Majority 39,541 12.06%
Turnout 327,909
Democratic hold

South Carolina
Main article: 1950 United States Senate election in South Carolina
See also: List of United States senators from South Carolina
South Carolina election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Olin D. Johnston (Incumbent) 50,458 100.00%
Democratic hold

South Dakota
See also: List of United States senators from South Dakota
South Dakota election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Francis Case 160,670 63.92%
Democratic John A. Engel 90,692 36.08%
Majority 69,978 27.84%
Turnout 251,362
Republican hold

Utah
See also: List of United States senators from Utah
Utah election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Wallace F. Bennett 142,427 53.86%
Democratic Elbert D. Thomas (Incumbent) 121,198 45.83%
Independent Bill Baker 815 0.31%
Majority 21,229 8.03%
Turnout 264,440
Republican gain from Democratic

Vermont
Main article: 1950 United States Senate election in Vermont
See also: List of United States senators from Vermont
Vermont election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Aiken (inc.) 69,543 77.99%
Democratic James E. Bigelow 19,608 21.99%
None Scattering 20 0.02%
Majority 49,935 56.00%
Turnout 89,171
Republican hold

Washington
See also: List of United States senators from Washington
Washington election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Warren G. Magnuson (Incumbent) 397,719 53.40%
Republican Walter Williams 342,464 45.98%
Independent Herbert J. Phillips 3,120 0.42%
Socialist Labor H. J. Churchward 1,480 0.20%
Majority 55,255 7.42%
Turnout 744,783
Democratic hold

Wisconsin
See also: List of United States senators from Wisconsin
Wisconsin election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Alexander Wiley (Incumbent) 595,283 53.33%
Democratic Henry W. Maier 515,539 46.19%
Socialist Edwin W. Knappe 3,972 0.36%
Independent Perry J. Stearns 644 0.06%
Independent James E. Boulton 332 0.03%
Independent Artemio Cozzini 307 0.03%
None Scattering 58 0.01%
Majority 79,744 7.14%
Turnout 1,116,135
Republican hold

See also

References
  • "DEWEY'S PLURALITY OFFICIALLY 572,668; Canvassers' Tabulation Shows Lehman Defeated Hanley by Margin of 246,960". The New York Times. December 15, 1950.
  • New York Red Book 1951

Notes
  1. 32 general elections and 5 specials
  2. Appointee elected
  1. "FL US Senate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  2. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1950" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  3. "Our Campaigns - AZ US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 12, 1950". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  4. "Our Campaigns - AZ US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1950". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  5. Joy Wallace Dickinson (September 24, 2000). "Florida's Senatorial Slugfest Was Bitter, Ugly, Legendary". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  6. Claude Denson Pepper and Hays Gorey (November 1987). Pepper: Eyewitness to a Century. San Diego, California: Harcourt. ISBN 978-0151716951.
  7. Fund, John. Political Journal: George Smathers, RIP, January 24, 2007.
  8. James C. Clark (1998). "The Campaign Begins". Road to Defeat: Claude Pepper and Defeat in the 1950 Florida Primary (Thesis). University of Florida. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  9. "Pepper Concedes It; Miamian's Lead Nears 70,000". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. May 3, 1950. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  10. Karl E. Mundt (May 9, 1950). "Letter from Sen. Karl Mundt to Richard Nixon, May 9, 1950, on file in the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, 1950 Senate race files, box 1". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. Andrews, Mark (December 13, 1998). "U.s. Senate Race Of '50 Was Black Mark On Campaigning". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  12. "Pepper-vs.-Smathers Race Close; Reds Issue in Florida Senate Drive". The New York Times. Lake Wales, Florida. April 6, 1950.
  13. Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1950 (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: United States House of Representatives. 1951. p. 6. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  14. "FL US Senate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  15. "OFFICIAL VOTE of the STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, November 7, 1950 JUDICIAL ELECTION, 1950, • PRIMARY ELECTION General Primary, April 11, 1950" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  16. "TROTSKYISTS PICK TICKET". The New York Times. July 10, 1950.
  17. "TRUMAN SHAMMING, MARCANTONIO SAYS; ...Slate for A.L.P. Is Listed". The New York Times. September 7, 1950.
  18. "LEADING CANDIDATES ON THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S TICKET". The New York Times. September 8, 1950.
  19. "Lynch, Nominated, Accuses Dewey of 'Unholy Coalition'; Lehman, Balch, Young, D'Amanda Also in 'Balanced' Ticket". The New York Times. September 8, 1950.
  20. "3 DEMOCRATS STIR LIBERAL'S REVOLT; Party Nominates Lehman and Lynch but Rejects Balch, Young and D'Amanda". The New York Times. September 8, 1950.
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