The 1924 United States Senate special election in Colorado took place on November 4, 1924, to fill the remainder of the term for which

Samuel D. Nicholson Samuel Danford Nicholson (1859March 24, 1923) was a United States senator from Colorado. Nicholson was born on Feb. 22, 1859 in Springfield, Prince Edward Island, British North America, he attended the public schools there and moved to Michiga ...

was elected in

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

. Nicholson died in office on March 24, 1923, and Democratic Governor

William Ellery Sweet William Ellery Sweet (January 27, 1869 – May 9, 1942) was an American banker and politician who served as the 23rd Governor of Colorado from 1923 to 1925. Early life and career William was born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 27, 186 ...

appointed

Alva B. Adams Alva Blanchard Adams (October 29, 1875 – December 1, 1941) was a Democratic politician who represented Colorado in the United States Senate from 1923 until 1924 and again from 1933 to 1941. Biography Adams was born in Del Norte, Colorado an ...

, a prominent Pueblo attorney, to fill the vacancy. Adams, however, declined to be a candidate in the special election, instead challenging incumbent Republican Senator

Lawrence C. Phipps Lawrence Cowle Phipps (August 30, 1862 – March 1, 1958) was a United States Senator representing Colorado from 1919 until 1931. Biography Lawrence Cowle Phipps was born on August 30, 1862 in Amity, Pennsylvania, the son of William Henry Phi ...

in the regular election the same year. In the Republican primary,

Rice W. Means Rice William Means (November 16, 1877January 30, 1949) was an American soldier and lawyer who became a Ku Klux Klan leader and a Republican United States Senator from Colorado. Early life, education, and military service Born in St. Joseph, ...

, the City Attorney of

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

, defeated attorney

Charles W. Waterman Charles Winfield Waterman (November 2, 1861August 27, 1932) was a Colorado attorney and politician. He is most notable for his service as a United States senator from Colorado. Born in Waitsfield, Vermont, Waterman graduated from the Univers ...

and state prison official Charles T. Moynihan, reportedly aided in part by furtive help from the state's Ku Klux Klan organization. Meanwhile, attorney Morrison Shafroth, the son of

John F. Shafroth John Franklin Shafroth (June 9, 1854February 20, 1922) was an American politician who served as a representative, member of the United States Senate, and Governor of Colorado. Early life Born in Fayette, Missouri, he attended the common schoo ...

, defeated former Congressman Benjamin C. Hilliard in the Democratic primary, advancing to the general election. Aided by President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...

landslide victory A landslide victory is an election result in which the victorious candidate or party wins by an overwhelming margin. The term became popular in the 1800s to describe a victory in which the opposition is "buried", similar to the way in which a geol ...

in the state, Means, as well as most of the rest of the state Republican ticket, won handily.

Democratic primary

Candidates

* Morrison Shafroth, attorney and son of former Governor and U.S. Senator

* Benjamin C. Hilliard, former U.S. Congressman

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

, former Adams County Judge,

Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate *

, attorney * Charles T. Moynihan, Chairman of the State Board of Corrections

Results

General election

Results

References

{{1924 United States elections Colorado 1924 Colorado 1924 1924 Special

Colorado Special Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

United States Senate Special United States Senate 1924