The 1946 United States Senate special election in Kentucky was held on November 5, 1946, to complete the unexpired term of Senator Happy Chandler, who resigned to become

Commissioner of Baseball The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive officer of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the associated Minor League Baseball (MiLB) – a constellation of leagues and clubs known as "organized baseball". Under the direction of the Commiss ...

. Interim Senator William A. Stanfill did not run for the full term. Republican

John Sherman Cooper John Sherman Cooper (August 23, 1901 – February 21, 1991) was an American politician, jurist, and diplomat from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He served three non-consecutive, partial terms in the United States Senate before being elect ...

defeated Democratic former U.S. Representative John Y. Brown to complete the term. This was the first of seven consecutive elections to this seat (three special and four regular) in twenty years for which Cooper was the Republican nominee.

Background

Incumbent Senator Happy Chandler resigned to become

on November 1, 1945. Governor

Simeon Willis Simeon Slavens Willis (December 1, 1879April 1, 1965) was an American attorney who served as the 46th Governor of Kentucky, United States, serving from 1943 to 1947. He was the only Republican elected governor of Kentucky between 1927 and 1967.P ...

appointed William A. Stanfill to fill the vacant seat until a successor could be duly elected. The special election was scheduled for November 5, 1946, concurrent with the general election.

General election

Candidates

* John Young Brown, former U.S. Representative at-large (Democratic) *

, circuit judge and former State Representative from Pulaski County (Republican) *W. E. Sandefur (Socialist)

Results

Notes

References

{{1946 United States elections 1946 (special)

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 ...

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 ...