United States Senate elections, 1950

United States Senate elections, 1950

November 7, 1950

36 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats were needed for a majority   Majority party Minority party   Leader Ernest McFarland Ken Wherry Party Democratic Republican Leader's seat Arizona Nebraska Last election 54 seats 42 seats Seats won 49 47 Seat change 5 5 Popular vote 15,297,854 16,166,439 Percentage 47.2% 49.9% Swing 9.0% 7.3%

Republican holds   Republican gains   Democratic holds   Democratic gains

Majority Leader before election Scott Lucas Democratic Elected Majority Leader Ernest McFarland Democratic

The United States Senate election of 1950 occurred in the middle of Harry Truman's second term as President. As with most 20th-century second-term mid-terms, the party out of the Presidency made significant gains. The Republican opposition made a net gain of five seats, taking advantage of the Democratic administration's declining popularity during the Cold War and the aftermath of the Recession of 1949. The Democrats held a narrow 49 to 47 seat majority after the election. This became the first time since 1932 that the Senate Majority Leader lost his seat.

Change in Senate composition

Senate composition before the elections

Senate composition as a result of the elections

Gains and losses

The Republicans defeated four incumbent Democrats:

1. Illinois: Democrat Scott W. Lucas (the incumbent Majority Leader), lost to Everett Dirksen (R).
2. Maryland: Millard Tydings (D) lost to John M. Butler (R).
3. Pennsylvania: Francis J. Myers (D) lost to James H. Duff (R).
4. Utah: Elbert B. Thomas (D) lost to Wallace F. Bennett (R).

Ticket to a victory dinner for Richard Nixon at the Wm. Penn Hotel.

Republicans also won two open seats:

1. Idaho: Glen H. Taylor (D) lost renomination to David Worth Clark, who ended up losing the general election to Herman Welker (R).
2. California: Sheridan Downey (D) retired, citing ill health and facing a tough renomination fight against Helen Gahagan Douglas, who ended up losing the general election to Richard Nixon (R).

Democrats defeated one incumbent Republican:

1. Missouri: Forrest C. Donnell (R) lost to Thomas C. Hennings, Jr. (D)

Subsequent changes

During the next Congress, three states would have party changes to deaths and appointments.

1. Kentucky: Virgil Chapman (D) died March 8, 1951.
   • Thomas R. Underwood (D) was appointed March 19, 1951 to continue his term.
   • John S. Cooper (R), then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Republican gain.
2. Michigan: Arthur H. Vandenberg (R) died April 18, 1951.
   • Blair Moody (D) was appointed April 23, 1951 to continue his term.
   • Charles E. Potter (R) then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Democratic gain, then Republican gain: overall Republican hold.
3. Connecticut: Brien McMahon (D) died July 28, 1952.
   • William A. Purtell (R) was appointed August 29, 1952 to continue his term.
   • Prescott Bush (R), who had lost in this (1950) special election, then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Republican gain.

Complete list of races

Senate races in 1950

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Florida

Democratic incumbent Senator Claude Pepper lost renomination May 2, 1950 to George A. Smathers, who easily won the general election.^[1]

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections, 1950

References