1932 United States Senate election in South Carolina

1932 South Carolina Democratic Senate primary

September 13, 1932

Nominee Ellison D. Smith Cole Blease Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 150,468 114,840 Percentage 56.71% 43.29%

U.S. senator before election Ellison D. Smith Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ellison D. Smith Democratic

The 1932 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 8.

On September 13, incumbent Senator Ellison D. Smith defeated former Senator Cole Blease in the Democratic primary with 56.7% of the vote.

At this time, South Carolina was a one-party state, and the Democratic nomination was tantamount to victory. Smith won the November general election without any effort.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Coleman Livingston Blease, former U.S. Senator and Governor of South Carolina
• Leon W. Harris, candidate for U.S. Senate in 1930
• Ellison D. Smith, incumbent Senator since 1909
• Ashton Hilliard Williams, former State Senator from Lake City

Results

Democratic Primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Ellison D. Smith	100,270	37.0
Coleman Livingston Blease	81,297	30.0
Ashton H. Williams	48,084	17.7
Leon W. Harris	41,478	15.3

Runoff

Democratic Primary Runoff
Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Ellison D. Smith	150,468	56.7	+19.7
Coleman Livingston Blease	114,840	43.3	+13.3

General election

Campaign

Since the end of Reconstruction in 1877, the Democratic Party dominated the politics of South Carolina and its statewide candidates were never seriously challenged. Smith did not campaign for the general election as there was no chance of defeat. Republican Clara Harrigal, an Aiken businesswoman and Republican National Committeewoman, was the first woman to run for statewide office in South Carolina.

Results

South Carolina U.S. Senate Election, 1932

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ellison D. Smith (incumbent)	104,472	98.14%	-1.86%
	Republican	Clara Harrigal	1,976	1.86%	N/A
Majority			102,496	96.29%	-3.71%
Turnout			106,448
	Democratic hold

See also

• List of United States senators from South Carolina
• 1932 United States Senate elections
• 1932 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

References

• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. pp. 72–73.
• "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports of State Officers Boards and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1933, p. 6.
• "Makings of the 73rd". Time. September 26, 1932. Archived from the original on October 27, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2008.