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 County results Gillette: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Dickinson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1938 United States Senate election in Iowa took place on November 8, 1938. Incumbent Democratic SenatorGuy M. Gillette, who won a special election to complete the unexpired term ofRichard Louis Murphy, won a full term in office by defeating Republican former SenatorLester J. Dickinson. Gillette and Dickinson had briefly served together in the final months of 1936.
Primary elections were held on June 6. Gillette overcame a primary challenge from U.S. RepresentativeOtha Wearin, who was personally recruited by PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt given Gillette's opposition toNew Deal programs.[1] Dickinson defeated RepresentativeLloyd Thurston for the Republican nomination.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Guy M. Gillette (incumbent) | 81,605 | 51.96% | |
| Democratic | Otha Wearin | 43,044 | 27.41% | |
| Democratic | Joseph J. Meyers | 17,497 | 11.14% | |
| Democratic | Mrs. Ellsworth Richardson | 9,445 | 6.01% | |
| Democratic | Wilson G. Byerhoff | 5,465 | 3.48% | |
| Total votes | 157,056 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lester J. Dickinson | 146,764 | 56.97% | |
| Republican | Lloyd Thurston | 110,847 | 43.03% | |
| Total votes | 257,611 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Guy M. Gillette (incumbent) | 413,788 | 49.74% |  2.17 | |
| Republican | Lester J. Dickinson | 410.983 | 49.41% |  3.07 | |
| Farmer–Labor | George F. Buresh | 4,723 | 0.57% | 1.00 | |
| Progressive Party (United States, 1924–34) | Raymond E. Hanke | 1,525 | 0.18% | N/A | |
| Prohibition | G. W. Bauseman | 820 | 0.10% | 0.01 | |
| Total votes | 831,839 | 100.00% | |||
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