United States Senate elections, 1942

United States Senate elections, 1942
1940 ←
 November 3, 1942
 → 1944
34 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate
49 seats were needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Alben Barkley Wallace White
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat Kentucky Maine
Last election 66 seats 28 seats
Seats won 58 37
Seat change -8 +9
  Republican holds
  Republican pickups
  Democratic holds
  Democratic pickups
Majority Leader before election

Alben Barkley
Democratic

 Elected Majority Leader

Alben Barkley
Democratic

The United States Senate elections of 1942 were held November 3, 1942, midway through Franklin Roosevelt's third term as President. Although this election took place during World War II, the opposition Republican party made major gains, taking eight seats from the Democrats and one from an independent. Various commentators have ascribed this to anger with the administration over Pearl Harbor, general irritation with the conditions of wartime, or the defeat of weak Democratic incumbents from the 1936 election. The Democrats nonetheless retained a significant majority.

Republicans captured open seats in Delaware, South Dakota, and West Virginia, and defeated six incumbents:

Contents


Senate contests in 1942

State Incumbent Party Status Opposing candidates
Alabama John H. Bankhead II Democratic Re-elected, unopposed
Arkansas George L. Spencer Democratic Retired.
Democratic victory, unopposed		 John L. McClellan (Democratic)
Colorado Edwin C. Johnson Democratic Re-elected, 50.2 - 49.2 Ralph L. Carr (Republican)
Colorado[1] Eugene D. Millikin Republican Re-elected, 56.1 - 42.1 James A. Marsh (Democratic)
Delaware James H. Hughes Democratic Defeated in primary.
Republican victory, 54.2 - 44.9		 Clayton D. Buck (Republican)
E. Ennalls Berl (Democratic)
Georgia Richard Russell, Jr. Democratic Re-elected, unopposed
Idaho John Thomas Republican Re-elected, 51.5 - 48.5 Glen H. Taylor (Democratic)
Illinois C. Wayland Brooks Republican Re-elected, 53.2 - 46.4 Raymond S. McKeough (Democratic)
Iowa Clyde L. Herring Democratic Defeated, 58.0 - 41.7 George A. Wilson (Republican)
Kansas Arthur Capper Republican Re-elected, 57.1 - 40.3 George McGill (Democratic)
Kentucky A. B. "Happy" Chandler I Democratic Re-elected, 55.3 - 44.7 Richard J. Colbert (Republican)
Louisiana Allen J. Ellender Democratic Re-elected, unopposed
Maine Wallace H. White, Jr. Republican Re-elected, 66.7 - 33.3 Fulton J. Redman (Democratic)
Massachusetts Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Republican Re-elected, 52.4 - 46.6 Joseph E. Casey (Democratic)
Michigan Prentiss M. Brown Democratic Defeated, 49.6 - 47.2 Homer Ferguson (Republican)
Minnesota Arthur E. Nelson Republican Retired.
Republican victory, 47.0 - 28.2 - 14.4 - 10.4		 Joseph H. Ball (Republican)
Elmer Austin Benson (Farmer-Labor)
Martin A. Nelson (Independent)
Ed Murphy (Democratic)
Mississippi Wall Doxey Democratic Defeated in primary.
Democratic victory, unopposed		 James O. Eastland (Democratic)
Montana James E. Murray Democratic Re-elected, 49.1 - 48.4 Wellington D. Rankin (Republican)
Nebraska George W. Norris Independent Defeated, 49.0 - 28.6 - 22.0 Kenneth S. Wherry (Republican)
Foster May (Democratic)
Nevada[2] Berkeley L. Bunker Democratic Defeated in primary.
Democratic victory, 58.7 - 41.3		 James G. Scrugham (Democratic)
Cecil W. Creel (Republican)
New Hampshire Styles Bridges Republican Re-elected, 54.6 - 45.4 Francis P. Murphy (Democratic)
New Jersey William H. Smathers Democratic Defeated, 53.1 - 45.8 Albert W. Hawkes (Republican)
New Mexico Carl A. Hatch Democratic Re-elected, 59.2 - 40.8 J. Benson Newell (Republican)
North Carolina Josiah W. Bailey Democratic Re-elected, 65.9 - 34.1 Sam J. Morris (Republican)
Oklahoma Josh Lee Democratic Defeated, 54.8 - 44.8 Edward H. Moore (Republican)
Oregon Charles L. McNary Republican Re-elected, 77.1 - 22.9 Walter W. Whitbeck (Democratic)
Rhode Island Theodore F. Green Democratic Re-elected, 58.0 - 42.0 Ira Lloyd Letts (Republican)
South Carolina Burnet R. Maybank Democratic Re-elected, unopposed
South Dakota William J. Bulow Democratic Defeated in primary.
Republican victory, 58.7 - 41.3		 Harlan J. Bushfield (Republican)
Tom Berry (Democratic)
Tennessee A. Tom Stewart Democratic Re-elected, 70.5 - 21.5 F. Todd Meacham (Republican)
Texas W. Lee O'Daniel Democratic Re-elected, 94.9
Virginia Carter Glass Democratic Re-elected, 91.1 - 6.5 Lawrence S. Wilkes (Socialist)
West Virginia Joseph Rosier Democratic Retired.
Republican victory, 55.4 - 44.6		 Chapman Revercomb (Republican)
Matthew M. Neely (Democratic)
Wyoming Henry H. Schwartz Democratic Defeated, 54.6 - 45.4 Edward V. Robertson (Republican)
  1. ^ Special election held due to death of Alva B. Adams (D-CO)
  2. ^ Special election held due to death of Key Pittman (D-NV)

Senate composition before and after elections

77th Congress Senate Composition   78th Congress Senate Composition
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                 
Color Key:   = Republican   = Democratic   = Independent   = Progressive

See also

Pre-17th Amendment
Post-17th Amendment