United States Senate elections, 1934

United States Senate elections, 1934

1932 ←
November 6, 1934
→ 1936

36 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate
49 seats were needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Joseph Robinson Charles McNary
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat Arkansas Oregon
Last election 59 seats 36 seats
Seats before 60 35
Seats won 69 25
Seat change +9 -10

  Republican holds
  Democratic holds
  Democratic pickups
  Simultaneous hold
  Farmer-Labor hold
  Progressive hold

Majority Leader before election

Joseph Robinson
Democratic

Elected Majority Leader

Joseph Robinson
Democratic

The United States Senate elections of 1934 occurred in the middle of Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first term. In the middle of the Great Depression, voters strongly backed Roosevelt's New Deal and his allies in the Senate.

The Democrats took nine Republican seats, including an open seat in Maryland and the seats of eight incumbents:

Further, Robert M. La Follette, Jr. (R-WI) left the Republican Party to join the Progressive Party.

Contents

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections
D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D F R R R R R R R R
R R R R R R R R R R
R R R R R R R R R R
R R R R R R R R
In the next Congress
D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D D D D D D D D D D
D F P R R R R R R R
R R R R R R R R R R
R R R R R R R R
Key:
D =Democratic
F =Farmer-Labor
P =Progressive
R =Republican
Majority
divider

Complete list of races

Bold state indicates election article link. Bold candidate indicates winner.

Separate election

Date State Incumbent Party Result Candidates
January 16, 1934 Vermont
Special: Class 3
Ernest W. Gibson Republican Appointee elected to finish term Ernest W. Gibson (Republican), 58.2%
Harry W. Witters (Democratic), 41.8%

November elections

All races are for the Class 1 seat, unless otherwise noted.

State Incumbent Party Results Candidates
Arizona Henry F. Ashurst Democratic Re-elected Henry F. Ashurst (Democratic), 72.0%
J. E. Thompson (Republican), 25.6%
California Hiram W. Johnson Republican Re-elected Hiram W. Johnson (Republican), 94.5%
George R. Kirkpatrick (Socialist), 5.3%
Connecticut Frederic C. Walcott Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Francis T. Maloney (Democratic), 51.8%
Frederic C. Walcott (Republican), 48.3%
Delaware John G. Townsend, Jr. Republican Re-elected John G. Townsend, Jr. (Republican), 53.3%
Wilbur L. Adams (Democratic), 46.2%
Florida Park Trammell Democratic Re-elected Park Trammell (Democratic), unopposed
Indiana Arthur Raymond Robinson Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Sherman Minton (Democratic), 51.5%
Arthur Raymond Robinson (Republican), 47.5%
Maine Frederick Hale Republican Re-elected Frederick Hale (Republican), 50.1%
Frederick Harold Dubord (Democratic), 49.7%
Maryland Phillips Lee Goldsborough Republican Retired
Democratic gain
George L. P. Radcliffe (Democratic), 56.1%
Joseph I. France (Republican), 42.0%
Massachusetts David I. Walsh Democratic Re-elected David I. Walsh (Democratic), 59.4%
Robert M. Washburn (Republican), 37.4%
Michigan Arthur H. Vandenberg Republican Re-elected Arthur H. Vandenberg (Republican), 51.3%
Frank A. Picard (Democratic), 47.0%
John Monarch (Socialist)[1], [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Minnesota Henrik Shipstead Farmer-Labor Re-elected Henrik Shipstead (Farmer-Labor), 49.9%
Einar Hoidale (Democratic), 29.2%
N. J. Holmberg (Republican), 19.8%
Mississippi Hubert D. Stephens Democratic Lost renomination
Democratic hold
Theodore G. Bilbo (Democratic), unopposed
Missouri Roscoe C. Patterson Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Harry S. Truman (Democratic), 59.5%
Roscoe C. Patterson (Republican), 39.7%
W. C. Meyer (Socialist), 0.7%
Montana
General: Class 1
Burton K. Wheeler Democratic Re-elected Burton K. Wheeler (Democratic), 70.1%
George M. Bourquin (Republican), 28.7%
Montana
Special: Class 2
John E. Erickson Democratic Appointee lost nomination to finish term
Democratic hold
James E. Murray (Democratic), 59.6%
Scott Leavitt (Republican), 39.5%
Nebraska Richard C. Hunter Democratic Retired
Democratic hold
Edward R. Burke (Democratic), 55.3%
Robert G. Simmons (Republican), 42.9%
Nevada Key Pittman Democratic Re-elected Key Pittman (Democratic), 64.5%
George W. Malone (Republican), 33.4%
New Jersey Hamilton F. Kean Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
A. Harry Moore (Democratic), 57.9%
Hamilton F. Kean (Republican), 40.9%
New Mexico
General: Class 1
Bronson M. Cutting Republican Re-elected Bronson M. Cutting (Republican), 50.2%
Dennis Chavez (Democratic), 49.4%
New Mexico
Special: Class 2
Carl A. Hatch Democratic Appointee elected to finish term Carl A. Hatch (Democratic), 54.5%
Richard C. Dillon (Republican), 45.0%
New York Royal S. Copeland Democratic Re-elected Royal S. Copeland (Democratic), 55.3%
E. Harold Cluett (Republican), 36.9%
Norman Thomas (Socialist), 5.3%
North Dakota Lynn J. Frazier Republican Re-elected Lynn J. Frazier (Republican), 58.2%
Henry Holt (Democratic), 40.2%
Ohio Simeon D. Fess Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Vic Donahey (Democratic), 60.0%
Simeon D. Fess (Republican), 39.4%
Pennsylvania David A. Reed Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Joseph F. Guffey (Democratic), 50.8%
David A. Reed (Republican), 46.5%
Rhode Island Felix Hebert Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Peter G. Gerry (Democratic), 57.1%
Felix Hebert (Republican), 42.9%
Tennessee
General: Class 1
Kenneth D. McKellar Democratic Re-elected Kenneth D. McKellar (Democratic), 63.4%
Ben W. Hooper (Republican), 35.8%
Tennessee
Special: Class 2
Nathan L. Bachman Democratic Appointee elected to finish term Nathan L. Bachman (Democratic), 80.1%
John R. Neal (Independent), 19.9%
Texas Tom Connally Democratic Re-elected Tom Connally (Democratic), 96.7%
Utah William H. King Democratic Re-elected William H. King (Democratic), 53.1%
Don B. Colton (Republican), 45.4%
Vermont
General: Class 1
Warren R. Austin Republican Re-elected Warren R. Austin (Republican), 51.0%
Fred C. Martin (Democratic), 48.4%
Virginia Harry F. Byrd Democratic Re-elected Harry F. Byrd (Democratic), 76.0%
Lawrence C. Page (Republican), 20.9%
Washington Clarence C. Dill Democratic Retired
Democratic hold
Lewis B. Schwellenbach (Democratic), 60.9%
Reno Odlin (Republican), 34.0%
West Virginia Henry D. Hatfield Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Rush D. Holt (Democratic), 55.1%
Henry D. Hatfield (Republican), 44.4%
Wisconsin Robert M. La Follette, Jr. Republican Re-elected in new party
Progressive gain
Robert M. La Follette, Jr. (Progressive), 47.8%
John M. Callahan (Democratic), 24.2%
John B. Chapple (Republican), 22.8%
Wyoming Joseph C. O'Mahoney Democratic Re-elected Joseph C. O'Mahoney (Democratic), 56.6%
Vincent Carter (Republican), 43.0%

See also

References