1952 United States Senate elections
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36 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Republican hold
Republican gain
Democratic hold
Democratic gain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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Retirements
Democrat who was replaced by a Republican
- Maryland: Herbert O'Conor was replaced by James Glenn Beall
Democratic hold
- Texas: Tom Connally was replaced by Price Daniel
Republican holds
- Connecticut: Appointee William A. Purtell (to run for the Class 1 seat), was replaced by Prescott Bush.
- Nebraska: Appointee Fred Andrew Seaton was replaced by Dwight Griswold.
Incumbent losses
Renomination
Democratic hold
- Tennessee: Kenneth D. McKellar lost to Albert Gore, Sr., who later won the general election.
Republican hold
- Maine: Ralph O. Brewster lost to Frederick G. Payne, who later won the general election.
Re-election
Democrats who lost to Republicans
- Arizona: Ernest W. McFarland, the Majority Leader, lost to Barry Goldwater
- Connecticut: William Benton lost to William A. Purtell
- Kentucky: Appointee Thomas R. Underwood lost to John S. Cooper
- Michigan: Blair Moody lost to Charles E. Potter
- Wyoming: Joseph C. O'Mahoney lost to Frank A. Barrett
Republicans who lost to Democrats
- Massachusetts: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. lost to John F. Kennedy
- Missouri: James P. Kem lost to Stuart Symington
- Montana: Zales N. Ecton lost to Mike Mansfield
- 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% |