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The1918 United States Senate election in South Dakota took place on November 5, 1918. Incumbent Republican SenatorThomas Sterling sought re-election in his first popular election. He defeated former GovernorFrank M. Byrne in the Republican primary and then faced former State Representative Orville Rinehart, the1916 Democratic nominee for Governor, in the general election. Sterling defeated Rinehart, along with independent candidate W. T. Rafferty, by a wide margin to win re-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Orville V. Rinehart | 3,848 | 40.92% | |
| Democratic | James Coffey | 2,949 | 31.36% | |
| Democratic | John E. Kelley | 2,606 | 27.71% | |
| Total votes | 9,403 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Thomas Sterling (inc.) | 21,516 | 55.48% | |
| Republican | Frank M. Byrne | 17,264 | 44.52% | |
| Total votes | 38,780 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socialist | John C. Knapp | 252 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 252 | 100.00% | ||
After winning the primary, Knapp withdrew as a candidate, citing his disagreement with the Socialist Party's anti-war policies.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Thomas Sterling (inc.) | 51,198 | 55.07% | |
| Democratic | Orville V. Rinehart | 36,210 | 38.95% | |
| Independent | W. T. Rafferty | 5,560 | 5.98% | |
| Majority | 14,988 | 16.12% | ||
| Total votes | 92,968 | 100.00% | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
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