The 1926 United States Senate elections were elections for the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
that occurred in the middle of
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
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 ...
's second term. The Republican majority was reduced by seven seats.
Gains and losses
Six Republican incumbents lost re-election to Democrats:
#
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
: Republican incumbent
Ralph H. Cameron lost to Democrat
Carl Hayden
Carl Trumbull Hayden (October 2, 1877 – January 25, 1972) was an American politician. Representing Arizona in the United States Senate from 1927 to 1969, he was the first U.S. Senator to serve seven terms. Serving as the state's first Representa ...
.
#
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
: Republican incumbent
Richard P. Ernst lost to Democrat
Alben W. Barkley
Alben William Barkley (; November 24, 1877 – April 30, 1956) was an American lawyer and politician from Kentucky who served in both houses of Congress and as the 35th vice president of the United States from 1949 to 1953 under Presiden ...
.
#
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
: Republican incumbent
Ovington E. Weller
Ovington Eugene Weller (January 23, 1862 – January 5, 1947) was a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the United States Senate, representing the Maryland, State of Maryland from 1921 to 1927.
Early life
Weller was born in Rei ...
lost to Democrat
Millard E. Tydings
Millard Evelyn Tydings (April 6, 1890February 9, 1961) was an American attorney, author, soldier, state legislator, and served as a Democratic Representative and Senator in the United States Congress from Maryland, serving in the House from 19 ...
.
#
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
: Republican interim appointee
George H. Williams lost to Democrat
Harry B. Hawes both to finish the term and to the next term.
#
New York: Republican incumbent
James W. Wadsworth, Jr. lost to Democrat
Robert F. Wagner.
#
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
: Republican incumbent
John W. Harreld lost to Democrat
Elmer Thomas
John William Elmer Thomas (September 8, 1876 – September 19, 1965) was a native of Indiana who moved to Oklahoma Territory in 1901, where he practiced law in Lawton. After statehood, he was elected to the first state senate, representing the L ...
.
An additional Democratic seat was gained in a special election:
#
: Republican interim appointee
William M. Butler
William Morgan Butler (January 29, 1861March 29, 1937) was a lawyer and legislator for the State of Massachusetts, and a United States Senator.
Biography
Butler was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he attended the public school and stud ...
lost to Democrat
David I. Walsh.
Five Republican incumbents lost renomination, but their seats were held by Republicans:
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Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the 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 western edge of t ...
: Republican incumbent
Rice W. Means lost renomination to Republican challenger
Charles W. Waterman, who then won the general election.
#
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
: Republican incumbent
William B. McKinley lost renomination to Republican challenger
Frank L. Smith
Frank Leslie Smith (November 24, 1867 – August 30, 1950) was an Illinois politician.
Biography
Smith was born in Dwight, Illinois, in Livingston County He served as a United States Congressman from 1919 to 1921.
Career
Smith first ran f ...
, who then won the general election.
#
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
: Republican incumbent
Robert N. Stanfield
Robert Nelson Stanfield Jr (July 9, 1877April 13, 1945) was an American Republican politician and rancher from the state of Oregon who served in the Oregon House of Representatives (1912–18) including as Speaker (1917–18) and was later el ...
lost renomination to Republican challenger
Frederick Steiwer, who then won the general election.
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Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
: Republican incumbent
George W. Pepper lost renomination to Republican challenger
William S. Vare, who then won the general election.
#
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
: Republican incumbent
Irvine L. Lenroot lost renomination to Republican challenger
John J. Blaine, who then won the general election.
No Democratic incumbents lost re-election or renomination. The only change in a Democratic seat was in
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, where Democrat
Oscar Underwood
Oscar Wilder Underwood (May 6, 1862 – January 25, 1929) was an American lawyer and politician from Alabama, and also a candidate for President of the United States in 1912 and 1924. He was the first formally designated floor leader in the Unit ...
retired and was replaced by Democrat
Hugo L. Black.
No third-party candidates won these elections. The sole third party incumbent (from the Farmer–Labor Party) was not up for election this year.
Change in composition
Before the elections
At the beginning of 1926.
Elections results
At the beginning of the next Congress
Race summaries
Special elections during the 69th Congress
In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1926 or before March 4, 1927; ordered by election date.
Elections leading to the 70th Congress
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1927; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
There were 2 elections in Indiana due to the October 14, 1925, death of Democrat
Samuel M. Ralston.
Indiana (Special)
Republican
Arthur Raymond Robinson
Arthur Raymond Robinson (March 12, 1881March 17, 1961) was a United States senator from Indiana.
Early life
Born in Pickerington, Ohio, Robinson attended the common schools, graduated from the Ohio Northern University in 1901 ( B. Comm. Sci ...
was appointed to continue Ralston's term, pending the special election, which he then won.
Indiana (Regular)
Iowa
Iowa (Special)
Iowa (Regular)
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine (Special)
Maryland
Massachusetts (Special)
Missouri
There were 2 elections on the same day for the same seat, due to the May 16, 1925, death of Republican
Selden P. Spencer.
Republican
George H. Williams was appointed May 25, 1925, to continue the term, epending a special election. Williams ran in both the special election to finish the term and the regular election to the next term, but lost both races to Democrat
Harry B. Hawes.
Missouri (Special)
Missouri (Regular)
Nevada
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
There were two elections due to the June 22, 1925, death of one-term Republican
Edwin F. Ladd. Republican
Gerald Nye
Gerald Prentice Nye (December 19, 1892 – July 17, 1971) was an American politician who represented North Dakota in the United States Senate from 1925 to 1945. He was a Republican and supporter of World War II-era isolationism, chairing the Ny ...
was appointed November 14, 1925, to continue the term, pending a special election. Nye later won the June 1926 special election to finish the term and the November 1926 general election to the next term.
North Dakota (Special)
Nye was elected on the
Nonpartisan League
The Nonpartisan League (NPL) was a left-wing political party founded in 1915 in North Dakota by Arthur C. Townley, a former organizer for the Socialist Party of America. On behalf of small farmers and merchants, the Nonpartisan League advocat ...
ticket, but served as a Republican.
North Dakota (Regular)
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
See also
*
1926 United States elections
**
1926 United States gubernatorial elections
**
1926 United States House of Representatives elections
*
69th United States Congress
*
70th United States Congress
Notes
References
{{United States Senate elections