The 1938 United States Senate elections in South Dakota took place on November 8, 1938. Incumbent Republican Senator

Peter Norbeck Peter Norbeck (August 27, 1870December 20, 1936) was an American politician from South Dakota. After serving two terms as the ninth Governor of South Dakota, Norbeck was elected to three consecutive terms as a United States Senator. Norbeck was ...

died in office on December 20, 1936.

Herbert E. Hitchcock Herbert Emery Hitchcock (August 22, 1867 - February 17, 1958) was a United States senator from South Dakota. Life Hitchcock was born in Maquoketa, Iowa, the son of Harriet M. Lumley and Milando Lansing Hitchcock. He attended public schools in I ...

was appointed by Governor

Tom Berry Thomas Berry (1914–2009) was a Catholic priest of the Passionist order, cultural historian and ecotheologian. Thomas Berry may also refer to: * Tom Berry (baseball) (1842–1915), baseball player of the 1870s for the Philadelphia Athletics * Tom ...

as Norbeck's replacement. Two elections for the same Senate seat were held on the same day; one as a special election to fill the remainder of Norbeck's six-year term, and another to select a Senator to serve the next six-year term. In the regularly scheduled election, Hitchcock ran for re-election for a full term, but was overwhelmingly defeated in the Democratic primary by former Governor Berry. In the Republican primary, businessman

Chan Gurney John Chandler "Chan" Gurney (May 21, 1896March 9, 1985) was an American businessman and politician from South Dakota. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as a U.S. Senator from 1939 to 1951. Early life Gurney was born in Yankton, S ...

won a slim plurality in a crowded primary. Gurney narrowly defeated Berry to win his first of two terms in the Senate. In the special election for the final few months of Norbeck's term, former Secretary of State

Gladys Pyle Gladys Shields Pyle (October 4, 1890March 14, 1989) was an American educator, politician and the first woman elected to the United States Senate without having previously been appointed to her position; she was also the first female senator to se ...

won the Republican nomination unopposed, and Thomas W. Crawford won the Democratic nomination unopposed. However, following Crawford's death, the state Democratic Party named John T. McCullen as its replacement nominee. Pyle defeated McCullen in a landslide, becoming the first woman to represent South Dakota in the United States Senate.

Democratic primary

Regular election

Candidates

, former Governor of South Dakota * Fred H. Hildebrandt, U.S. Congressman from

South Dakota's 1st congressional district South Dakota's 1st congressional district is an obsolete congressional district that existed from 1913 to 1983. When South Dakota was admitted into the Union in 1889, it was allocated two congressional seats, both of which were elected state-wid ...

, incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

Special election

Thomas M. Crawford was the only Democratic candidate to file for the special election, thereby removing the primary election from the ballot and granting him the nomination by default. However, after the primary election took place, Crawford died. The

Democratic Party of South Dakota The South Dakota Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of South Dakota. History 1914 was a milestone for the Democrats when they won South Dakota's first U.S. Senate election by popular vote with their firs ...

named John T. McCullen, a former State Senator from

Hand County Hand County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,145. Its county seat is Miller. History Hand County was named for George A. Hand, territorial secretary. It was created in 1873 by the Dak ...

, as its replacement nominee.

Republican Primary

Regular election

Candidates

, businessman * Leslie Jensen, Governor of South Dakota * George J. Danforth, former State Senator, 1926 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate * Paul E. Bellamy, businessman

Results

Special election

Former Secretary of State

announced that she would run for the Republican nomination for the special election. She, like Crawford, won the Republican nomination unopposed and the race did not appear on the primary election ballot.

General election

Results

Regular election

Special election

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1938 United States Senate Elections In South Dakota

1938 Events January * January 1 ** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the a ...

South Dakota 1938 South Dakota 1938 United States Senate 1938

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

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 ...