1920 United States Senate elections

United States Senate elections, 1920 and 1921
32 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate; (as well as special elections); 49 seats needed for a majority
	Results including special elections; Democratic gains Republican gains; Democratic holds Republican holds
Majority leader before election; Henry Cabot Lodge; (Unofficial); Republican	Elected Majority leader ; Henry Cabot Lodge; (Unofficial); Republican

The United States Senate elections of 1920 and 1921 were elections for the United States Senate that coincided with the election of Warren G. Harding as President. There was also a special election in 1921. Democrat Woodrow Wilson's unpopularity allowed Republicans to win races across the country, winning ten seats from the Democrats, providing them with an overwhelming 59 to 37 majority. The Republican landslide was so vast that the Democrats failed to win a single race outside the South.

Seat changes

Republicans won two seats that were open from retiring Democrats, one seat from a Democrat who had lost renomination, and they defeated seven Democratic incumbents.

Open seats

Colorado: Charles S. Thomas (D) retired and was replaced by Samuel D. Nicholson (R).
Illinois: Lawrence Y. Sherman (D) retired and was replaced by William B. McKinley (R).

Incumbents defeated

Arizona: Marcus A. Smith (D) lost re-election to Ralph H. Cameron (R).
California: James D. Phelan (D) lost re-election to Samuel M. Shortridge (R).
Idaho: John F. Nugent (D) lost re-election to Frank R. Gooding (R).
Kentucky: John C. W. Beckham (D) lost re-election to Richard P. Ernst (R).
Maryland: John W. Smith (D) lost re-election to Ovington E. Weller (R).
Nevada: Charles B. Henderson (D) lost re-election to Tasker L. Oddie (R).
Oklahoma: Thomas Gore (D) lost renomination to Scott Ferris (D), who then lost the general election to John W. Harreld (R).
Oregon: George E. Chamberlain (D) lost re-election to Robert N. Stanfield (R).

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

D₃₉ Ran	D₄₀ Ran	D₄₁ Ran	D₄₂ Ran	D₄₃ Ran	D₄₄ Ran	D₄₅ Retired	D₄₆ Retired	D₄₇ Retired	R₄₉ Retired
		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 Ran	D₃₇ Ran	D₃₆ Ran	D₃₅ Ran	D₃₄ Ran	D₃₃ Ran	D₃₂ Ran	D₃₁ Ran	D₃₀	D₂₉
Majority →									R₄₉ Retired
R₃₉ Ran	R₄₀ Ran	R₄₁ Ran	R₄₂ Ran	R₄₃ Ran	R₄₄ Ran	R₄₄ Ran	R₄₆ Ran	R₄₇ Ran	R₄₈ Retired
R₃₈ Ran	R₃₇ Ran	R₃₆ Ran	R₃₅ Ran	R₃₄	R₃₃	R₃₂	R₃₁	R₃₀	R₂₉
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

After the general elections

R₅₈ Gain	R₅₇ Gain	R₅₆ Gain	R₅₅ Gain	R₅₄ Gain	R₅₃ Gain	R₅₂ Gain	R₅₁ Gain	R₅₀ Gain	R₄₉ Hold
		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
R₅₉ Gain	D₃₇ Hold	D₃₆ Hold	D₃₅ Hold	D₃₄ Re-elected	D₃₃ Re-elected	D₃₂ Re-elected	D₃₁ Re-elected	D₃₀	D₂₉
Majority →									R₄₉ Hold
R₃₉ Re-elected	R₄₀ Re-elected	R₄₁ Re-elected	R₄₂ Re-elected	R₄₃ Re-elected	R₄₄ Re-elected	R₄₄ Re-elected	R₄₆ Re-elected	R₄₇ Hold	R₄₈ Hold
R₃₈ Re-elected	R₃₇ Re-elected	R₃₆ Re-elected	R₃₅ Re-elected	R₃₄	R₃₃	R₃₂	R₃₁	R₃₀	R₂₉
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

After the special 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
R₅₉	D₃₇	D₃₆	D₃₅	D₃₄	D₃₃	D₃₂	D₃₁	D₃₀ Hold	D₂₉ Appointee elected
R₅₈	R₅₇	R₅₆	R₅₅	R₅₄	R₅₃	R₅₂	R₅₁	R₅₀	R₄₉
Majority →									R₄₉
R₃₉	R₄₀	R₄₁	R₄₂	R₄₃	R₄₄	R₄₅	R₄₆	R₄₇	R₄₈
R₃₈	R₃₇	R₃₆	R₃₅	R₃₄	R₃₃	R₃₂	R₃₁	R₃₀	R₂₉
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 summary

Special elections during the 66th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1920 or before March 4, 1921; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
State	Senator	Party	Electoral history	Results	Candidates
Alabama (Class 2)	Braxton B. Comer	Democratic	1920 (Appointed)	Interim appointee retired. New senator elected November 2, 1920. Democratic hold.	√ J. Thomas Heflin (Democratic), 69.3% C. P. Lunsford (Republican), 29.5% W. H. Chichester(Socialist), 1.2%
Virginia (Class 2)	Carter Glass	Democratic	1920 (Appointed)	Interim appointee elected November 2, 1920.	√ Carter Glass (Democratic), 91.3% J. R. Pollard (Republican), 8.7%

Elections leading to the 67th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1921; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
State	Senator	Party	Electoral history	Results	Candidates
Alabama	Oscar W. Underwood	Democratic	1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Oscar W. Underwood (Democratic), 66.% L. H. Reynolds (Republican), 33.1% A. M. Forsman(Socialist), 0.8%
Arizona	Marcus A. Smith	Democratic	1912 1914	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Ralph H. Cameron (Republican), 55.2% Marcus A. Smith (Democratic), 44.8%
Arkansas	William F. Kirby	Democratic	1916 (Special)	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Democratic hold.	√ Thaddeus H. Caraway (Democratic), 65.9% Charles F. Cole (Republican), 34.1%
California	James D. Phelan	Democratic	1914	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Samuel M. Shortridge (Republican), 49.0% James D. Phelan (Democratic), 40.7% James S. Edwards (Prohibition), 6.3% Elvina S. Beals(Socialist), 4.0%
Colorado	Charles S. Thomas	Democratic	1913 (Special) 1914	Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Samuel D. Nicholson (Republican), 54.5% Tully Scot (Democratic), 39.3% G. F. Stevens (Farmer–Labor), 3.1% Charles S. Thomas (National), 3.0%
Connecticut	Frank B. Brandegee	Republican	1905 (Special) 1909 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Frank B. Brandegee (Republican), 59.3% Augustine Lonergan (Democratic), 36.1% Martin F. Plunkett (Socialist), 2.8% Emil L. G. Hohenthal (Prohibition Party), 0.8% Josephine B. Bennett (Farmer–Labor), 0.6% Charles J. Backofen (Socialist-labor), 0.4%
Florida	Duncan U. Fletcher	Democratic	1909 (Appointed) 1909 (Special) 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Duncan U. Fletcher (Democratic), 69.5% John M. Cheney (Republican), 26.0% M.J. Martin(Socialist), 2.5% G. A. Klock (Republican-White), 2.0%
Georgia	Hoke Smith	Democratic	1911 (Special) 1914	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Democratic hold.	√ Thomas E. Watson (Democratic), 94.9% Harvey S. Edwards (Independent), 5.1%
Idaho	John F. Nugent	Democratic	1918 (Appointed)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Frank R. Gooding (Republican), 54.1% John F. Nugent (Democratic), 45.9%
Illinois	Lawrence Y. Sherman	Republican	1913 (Special) 1914	Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican hold.	√ William B. McKinley (Republican), 66.8% Peter A. Waller (Democratic), 26.8% Gustave T Fraenckel (Socialist), 3.2% John Fitzpatrick (Farmer–Labor), 2.4% Frank B Vennum (Prohibition), 0.5% Joseph B Moody(Socialist-labor), 0.15%
Indiana	James E. Watson	Republican	1916 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected.	√ James E. Watson (Republican), 54.6% Thomas Taggart (Democratic), 41.1% Francis M Wampler (Socialist), 1.9% Francis J Dillon (Farmer–Labor), 1.3% Oulla Bayhinger (Prohibition), 1.1%
Iowa	Albert B. Cummins	Republican	1908 (Special) 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Albert B. Cummins (Republican), 61.4% Claude R. Porter (Democratic), 37.4% H. W. Cowles (Farmer–Labor), 1.0% Arthur S. Dowler (Socialist-labor), 0.1%
Kansas	Charles Curtis	Republican	1907 (Special) 1907 1913 (Lost) 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Charles Curtis (Republican), 64.0% George H. Hodges (Democratic), 33.4% Dan Beedy(Socialist), 2.6%
Kentucky	John C. W. Beckham	Democratic	1914	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Richard P. Ernst (Republican), 50.3% John C. W. Beckham (Democratic), 49.7%
Louisiana	Edward J. Gay	Democratic	1918 (Special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Democratic hold.	√ Edwin S. Broussard (Democratic), unopposed
Maryland	John W. Smith	Democratic	1908 (Special) 1908 1914	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Ovington E. Weller (Republican), 47.3% John W. Smith (Democratic), 43.3% G. D. Iverson Jr. (Independent), 5.4% William A. Toole (Socialist), 1.7% William A. Hawkins (Independent), 1.7% Frank N. H. Lang (Labor), 0.6%
Missouri	Selden P. Spencer	Republican	1918 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Selden P. Spencer (Republican), 53.7% Breckenridge Long (Democratic), 44.5%
Nevada	Charles B. Henderson	Democratic	1918 (Appointed) 1918 (Special)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Tasker L. Oddie (Republican), 42.1% Charles B. Henderson (Democratic), 37.9% Anne Martin (Independent), 18.2%
New Hampshire	George H. Moses	Republican	1918 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected.	√ George H. Moses (Republican), 57.7% Raymond B. Stevens (Democratic), 41.6% William H. Wilkins(Socialist), 0.6%
New York	James W. Wadsworth, Jr.	Republican	1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ James W. Wadsworth, Jr. (Republican) 52.4% (1,431,347) Harry C. Walker (Democratic) 32.9% (885,061) Ella A. Boole (Prohibition) 7.8% (159,477) Jacob Panken (Socialist) 5.8% (151,246) Rose Schneiderman (Farmer–Labor) 15,086 Harry Carlson (Socialist Labor) 6,522^[1]
North Carolina	Lee S. Overman	Democratic	1903 1909 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Lee S. Overman (Democratic), 57.5% A. E. Holton (Republican), 42.5%
North Dakota	Asle J. Gronna	Republican	1911 (Special) 1914	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Republican hold.	√ Edwin F. Ladd (Republican), 59.8% H. H. Perry (Democratic), 40.2%
Ohio	Warren G. Harding	Republican	1914	Incumbent retired to run for U.S. President. New senator elected. Republican hold.	√ Frank B. Willis (Republican), 59.1% William Alexander Julian (Democratic), 40.8%
Oklahoma	Thomas P. Gore	Democratic	1907 (New state) 1909 1914	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ John W. Harreld (Republican), 50.6% Scott Ferris (Democratic), 44.5% A. A. Bagwell (Socialist), 4.8%
Oregon	George E. Chamberlain	Democratic	1909 1914	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Robert N. Stanfield (Republican), 50.7% George E. Chamberlain (Democratic), 43.5%
Pennsylvania	Boies Penrose	Republican	1897 1903 1909 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Boies Penrose (Republican), 59.9% John A. Farrell (Democratic), 27.2% Leah C. Marion (Prohibition), 7.4%
South Carolina	Ellison D. Smith	Democratic	1909 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Ellison D. Smith (Democratic), unopposed
South Dakota	Edwin S. Johnson	Democratic	1909 1914	Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican gain.	√ Peter Norbeck (Republican), 50.1% Tom Ayres (Independent), 24.1% U. S. G. Cherry (Democratic), 20.0% Richard Olsen Richards (Independent), 5.5%
Utah	Reed Smoot	Republican	1903 1909 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Reed Smoot (Republican), 56.6% Milton H. Welling (Democratic), 38.5% J. Alex Beven (Socialist Farmer Labor), 4.9%
Vermont	William P. Dillingham	Republican	1900 (Special) 1902 1908 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ William P. Dillingham (Republican), 78.0% Howard E. Shaw (Democratic), 21.9%
Washington	Wesley L. Jones	Republican	1909 1914	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Wesley L. Jones (Republican), 56.4% C. L. France (Farmer–Labor), 25.4% George F. Cotterill (Democratic), 17.8%
Wisconsin	Irvine L. Lenroot	Republican	1918 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Irvine L. Lenroot (Republican), 41.6% James Thompson (Independent), 34.7% Paul S. Reinsch (Democratic), 13.2% Frank J. Weber (Socialist), 9.8% Clyde D. Mead (Prohibition), 0.8%

Elections during the 67th Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1921 after March 4.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
State	Senator	Party	Electoral history	Results	Candidates
New Mexico (Class 2)	Holm O. Bursum	Republican	1921 (Appointed)	Interim appointee elected September 20, 1921.^[2]	√ Holm O. Bursum (Republican) [data missing]

Notes

^ Johnson, Willis Fletcher; Brown, Roscoe Conkling Ensign; Spooner, Walter Whipple; Holly, Willis (1922). History of the State of New York, Political and Governmental. The Syracuse Press. pp. 347–348, 350.
^ Byrd, p. 345.

References

Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy (ed.). The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.

[1] Johnson, Willis Fletcher; Brown, Roscoe Conkling Ensign; Spooner, Walter Whipple; Holly, Willis (1922). History of the State of New York, Political and Governmental. The Syracuse Press. pp. 347–348, 350.

[FOOTNOTEByrd345-2] Byrd, p. 345.

[1]

[2]