United States Senate elections, 1936

United States Senate elections, 1936

1934 ←
November 3, 1936
→ 1938

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 69 seats 25 seats
Seats before 71 22
Seats won 76 16
Seat change 7 7

  Republican holds
  Republican pickups
  Democratic holds
  Democratic pickups
  Farmer-Labor hold
  Independent hold

Majority Leader before election

Joseph Robinson
Democratic

Elected Majority Leader

Joseph Robinson
Democratic

The United States Senate elections, 1936 coincided with the re-election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Great Depression continued, and voters backed progressive candidates favoring Roosevelt's New Deal in races across the country. The Democrats gained 6 net seats during the election, and in combination with Democratic and Farmer-Labor interim appointments and the defection of George W. Norris from the Republican Party to become independent, the Republicans were reduced to 16 seats, the most lopsided Senate since Reconstruction.

The Republicans took one open seat in Massachusetts, while the Democrats took open seats in Michigan and New Hampshire and defeated incumbents Daniel O. Hastings (R-DE), Lester J. Dickinson (R-IA), W. Warren Barbour (R-NJ), Jesse H. Metcalf (R-RI), and Robert D. Carey (R-WY).

Contents

[hide]

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 D D D D D D D D D
V 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
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 D D D D D D D F P
I 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 (Wisc.)
R = Republican
I = Independent
V =Vacant
Majority
divider

Complete list of races

All races are for the Class 2 seat, unless otherwise indicated.

Bold states indicate links to election articles. Bold candidates indicate winners.

State↓ Incumbent↓ Party↓ Result↓ Candidates↓
Alabama John H. Bankhead II Democratic Re-elected John H. Bankhead II (Democratic) 87.0%
H. E. Berkstresser (Republican) 12.2%
Arkansas Joseph T. Robinson Democratic Re-elected Joseph T. Robinson (Democratic) 81.8%
G. C. Ledbetter (Republican) 16.4%
Colorado Edward P. Costigan Democratic Retired
Democratic hold
Edwin C. Johnson (Democratic) 63.5%
Raymond L. Sauter (Republican) 35.3%
Delaware Daniel O. Hastings Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
James H. Hughes (Democratic) 53.0%
Daniel O. Hastings (Republican) 41.4%
Robert G. Houston (Independent) 5.4%
Florida
Special: Class 1
Scott M. Loftin Democratic Appointee retired
Democratic hold
Charles O. Andrews (Democratic) 80.9%
Howard C. Babcock (Republican) 19.1%
Florida
Special: Class 3
William Luther Hill Democratic Retired
Democratic hold
Claude Pepper (Democratic) unopposed
Georgia Richard Russell, Jr. Democratic Re-elected Richard Russell, Jr. (Democratic) unopposed
Idaho William E. Borah Republican Re-elected William E. Borah (Republican) 63.4%
C. Ben Ross (Democratic) 36.6%
Illinois James H. Lewis Democratic Re-elected James H. Lewis (Democratic) 56.5%
Otis F. Glenn (Republican) 40.7%
Iowa Lester J. Dickinson Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Clyde L. Herring (Democratic) 50.5%
Lester J. Dickinson (Republican) 47.1%
Iowa
Special: Class 3
Vacant Vacant Democratic incumbent died
Democratic hold
Guy M. Gillette (Democratic) 51.9%
Berry F. Halden (Republican) 46.6%
Kansas Arthur Capper Republican Re-elected Arthur Capper (Republican) 51.0%
Omar B. Ketchum (Democratic) 48.4%
Kentucky Marvel M. Logan Democratic Re-elected Marvel M. Logan (Democratic) 58.8%
Robert M. Lucas (Republican) 39.8%
Louisiana Rose McConnell Long Democratic Retired
Democratic hold
Allen J. Ellender (Democratic) unopposed
Maine Wallace H. White, Jr. Republican Re-elected Wallace H. White, Jr. (Republican) 50.8%
Louis J. Brann (Democratic) 49.3%
Massachusetts Marcus A. Coolidge Democratic Retired
Republican gain
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (Republican) 48.5%
James Michael Curley (Democratic) 41.0%
Thomas C. O'Brien (Independent) 7.4%
Michigan Vacant Vacant Republican incumbent lost renomination, then died
Democratic gain
Prentiss M. Brown (Democratic) 53.3%
Wilber M. Brucker (Republican) 41.8%
Minnesota
Special: Class 2
Elmer Austin Benson Farmer-Labor Appointee retired
Republican gain
Guy V. Howard (Republican) 42.89%
Nathaniel J. Holmberg (Republican) 28.42%
Andrews O. Devold (Republican) 19.98%
John G. Alexander (Republican) 8.71%
Minnesota
General: Class 2
Guy V. Howard Republican Retired
Farmer-Labor gain
Ernest Lundeen (Farmer-Labor) 62.2%
Theodore Christianson (Republican) 37.8%
Mississippi Pat Harrison Democratic Re-elected Pat Harrison (Democratic) unopposed
Montana James E. Murray Democratic Re-elected James E. Murray (Democratic) 55.0%
T. O. Larsen (Republican) 27.1%
Joseph P. Monaghan (Independent) 17.9%
Nebraska George W. Norris Independent Re-elected, 43.8% George W. Norris (Independent) 43.8%
Robert G. Simmons (Republican) 37.8%
Terry Carpenter (Democratic) 18.4%
New Hampshire Henry W. Keyes Republican Retired
Republican hold
Styles Bridges (Republican) 80.9%
William N. Rogers (Democratic) 19.1%
New Jersey W. Warren Barbour Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
William H. Smathers (Democratic) 54.9%
W. Warren Barbour (Republican) 44.3%
New Mexico Carl A. Hatch Democratic Re-elected Carl A. Hatch (Democratic) 61.7%
Ernest W. Everly (Republican) 38.3%
New Mexico
Special: Class 1
Dennis Chavez Democratic Appointee elected to finish term Dennis Chavez (Democratic) 55.7%
M. A. Otero, Jr. (Republican) 44.2%
North Carolina Josiah W. Bailey Democratic Re-elected Josiah W. Bailey (Democratic) 70.8%
Frank R. Patton (Republican) 29.2%
Oklahoma Thomas P. Gore Democratic Lost renomination
Democratic hold
Josh Lee (Democratic) 68.0%
Herbert K. Hyde (Republican) 31.6%
Oregon Charles L. McNary Republican Re-elected Charles L. McNary (Republican) 51.0%
Willis Mahoney (Democratic) 48.4%
Rhode Island Jesse H. Metcalf Republican Lost re-election[1]
Democratic gain
Theodore F. Green (Democratic) 48.6%
Jesse H. Metcalf (Republican) 44.4%
Ludger LaPointe (Independent) 7.0%
South Carolina James F. Byrnes Democratic Re-elected James F. Byrnes (Democratic) unopposed
South Dakota William J. Bulow Democratic Re-elected William J. Bulow (Democratic) 48.8%
Chandler Gurney (Republican) 46.8%
Tennessee Nathan L. Bachman Democratic Re-elected Nathan L. Bachman (Democratic) 76.4%
Dwayne D. Maddox (Republican) 18.8%
Texas Morris Sheppard Democratic Re-elected Morris Sheppard (Democratic) 92.6%
Carlos G. Watson (Republican) 7.1%
Virginia Carter Glass Democratic Re-elected Carter Glass (Democratic) 91.7%
West Virginia Matthew M. Neely Democratic Re-elected Matthew M. Neely (Democratic) 59.1%
Hugh I. Shott (Republican) 40.9%
Wyoming Robert D. Carey Republican Lost re-election
Democratic gain
Harry H. Schwartz (Democratic) 53.8%
Robert D. Carey (Republican) 45.4%

References

See also