The 1940 United States Senate elections coincided with the

election An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative d ...

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

to his third term as president. The 32 seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. Although Roosevelt was re-elected, support for his administration had dropped somewhat after eight years, and the Republican opposition gained three seats from the Democrats. However, the New Deal Democrats regained firm control of both the

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

and

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

because Progressives dominated the election. The

Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party The Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party (FLP), officially known as the Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota, was a left-wing American political party in Minnesota between 1918 and 1944. The FLP largely dominated Minnesota politics during the Great Depressi ...

also disappeared from the Senate, as

Henrik Shipstead Henrik Shipstead (January 8, 1881June 26, 1960) was Norwegian-American dentist and politician who served in the United States Senate from 1923 to 1947, representing the state of Minnesota. He served first as a member of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor ...

joined the Republican party and

Ernest Lundeen Ernest Lundeen (August 4, 1878August 31, 1940) was an American lawyer and politician who represented Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives from 1917 to 1919 and 1933 to 1937, and in the United States Senate from 1937 until his ...

had died during the preceding term. Senator

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') 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 border ...

was elected to his final term in the Senate in 1940. Truman resigned in 1945 to serve as President Roosevelt's third

Vice President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

. Republicans later gained an additional seat through an appointment in Colorado.

Gains, losses, and holds

Retirements

One Republican and two Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election. One Republican retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired term.

Defeats

Five Democrats and two Republicans sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election. One Democrat sought election to finish the unexpired term but lost in the general election.

Post-election changes

Party switches

One Farmer-Labor senator was re-elected as a Republican.

Change in composition

Before the elections

Election results

Race summaries

Special elections during the 76th Congress

In these special elections, the winner elected during 1940 and seated once qualified; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the 77th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1941; ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

Closest races

Thirteen races had a margin of victory under 10%: There is no tipping point state.

Arizona

California

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Idaho (special)

Illinois (special)

Indiana

Kentucky (special)

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

One-term Democrat

was narrowly re-elected. He would only serve until resigning January 17, 1945, to become

U.S. Vice President The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. Th ...

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

Pittman suffered a severe

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

just before the election on November 5, and two doctors told his aides before the election that death was imminent. To avoid affecting the election, the party told the press that the senator was hospitalized for exhaustion and that his condition was not serious. Pittman died on November 10 at the Washoe General Hospital in

Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, Nevada, Washoe County. Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, ...

. Governor Edward Carville would go on to appoint

Berkeley L. Bunker Berkeley Lloyd Bunker (August 12, 1906 – January 21, 1999) was an American businessman and politician who served as both an appointed United States senator and one-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada in the mid-20th ...

as his replacement. In later years, a myth spread that Pittman had in fact died before the election, and his body had been kept on ice in the

Mizpah Hotel The Mizpah Hotel is a historic hotel in Tonopah, Nevada, U.S. It is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2023, the hotel had been a member since 2013. Mizpah Saloon The ...

in Tonopah so that Carville could appoint his replacement.

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

The whole ticket nominated by Democrats and American Laborites was elected.

North Dakota

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

There were 2 elections due to the June 20, 1940, death of two-term Republican

Ernest Willard Gibson Ernest Willard Gibson (December 29, 1871June 20, 1940) was an American politician and lawyer from Vermont. A Republican, he served in both the United States House of Representatives (1923–1933) and United States Senate (1933–1940). A nat ...

Vermont (regular)

Two-term Republican

Warren Austin Warren Robinson Austin (November 12, 1877 – December 25, 1962) was an American politician and diplomat who served as United States Senator from Vermont and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. A native of Highgate Center, Vermont, Austin wa ...

was easily re-elected. He faced no opponents in the primary. Austin served only until his August 2, 1946, resignation to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Vermont (special)

Gibson's son, Republican

Ernest W. Gibson Jr. Ernest William Gibson Jr. (March 6, 1901 – November 4, 1969) was an American attorney, politician, and judge. He served briefly as an appointed United States Senator, as the 67th governor of Vermont, and as a federal judge. Born in Brattlebo ...

was appointed June 24, 1940, to continue his father's term, pending a special election, in which he was not a candidate. Aiken did not take the seat until January 10, 1941, as he wanted to remain

Governor of Vermont The governor of Vermont is the head of government of the U.S. state of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold guberna ...