1948 United States Senate elections

← 1946 November 2, 1948 1950 →
← 1942 1954 →
33 of the 96 seats in theUnited States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Alben Barkley (retired uponbeing elected asVice-President) Wallace White (retired) Party Democratic Republican Leader since July 22, 1937 February 25, 1944 Leader's seat Kentucky Maine Seats before 45 51 Seats after 54 42 Seat change 9 9 Popular vote 13,056,944 9,764,384 Percentage 56.5% 42.3% Seats up 15 18 Races won 24 9
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain     Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election Rectangular inset (Louisiana): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Wallace White Republican ElectedMajority Leader Scott Lucas Democratic

The1948 United States Senate elections were held concurrently with theelection ofDemocratic PresidentHarry S. Truman for a full term. The 32 seats ofClass 2 were contested in regular elections, and one special election was held to fill a vacancy. Truman campaigned against an "obstructionist" Congress that had blocked many of his initiatives, and additionally, the U.S. economy recovered from the postwar recession of 1946–1947 by election day.

Thus, Truman was rewarded with a Democratic gain of nine seats in the Senate, enough to give them control of the chamber. This was the first time since 1936 that Democrats posted a net gain of seats in the chamber.^[1][2] This was the last time until 2020 that Democrats flipped a chamber of Congress in a presidential election cycle.

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

Parties					Total
		Democratic	Republican	Other
Last elections (1946) Before these elections		45	51	0	96
Not up		30	33	0	63
Up		15	18	0	33
	Class 2 (1942→1948)	14	18	0	32
	Special: Class 3	1	0	—	1
Incumbent retired		3	5	—	8
	Held by same party	3	4	—	7
	Replaced by other party	1 Republican replaced by1 Democrat		—	1
	Result	4	4	0	8
Incumbent ran		12	13	—	25
	Won re-election	10	5	—	17
	Lost re-election	8 Republicans replaced by8 Democrats		—	8
	Lost renomination but held by same party	2	0	—	2
	Result	20	5	0	25
Total elected		24	9	0	33
Net change		9	9		9
Nationwide vote		13,056,944	9,764,384	269,669	23,090,997
	Share	56.55%	42.29%	1.17%	100%
Result		54	42	0	96

Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives^[3]

Five Republicans and three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

Eight Republicans and two Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1948 or before January 3, 1949; ordered by election date.

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1949; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

Six races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Wyoming is the tipping point state with a margin of 14.2%.

1948 United States Senate election in Alabama

← 1946 (special) November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee John Sparkman Paul G. Parsons Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 185,534 35,341 Percentage 84.00% 16.00%

County results Sparkman:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90–100% Parsons:     50-60%

U.S. senator before election John Sparkman Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Sparkman Democratic

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1948 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Ed Johnson Will Nicholson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 340,719 165,059 Percentage 66.79% 32.36%

County results Johnson:   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%

U.S. senator before election Edwin C. Johnson Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Edwin C. Johnson Democratic

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1948 United States Senate election in Delaware

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee J. Allen Frear Jr. C. Douglass Buck Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 71,888 68,246 Percentage 50.85% 48.28%

County Results Frear:     50–60% Buck:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election C. Douglass Buck Republican Elected U.S. Senator J. Allen Frear Jr. Democratic

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1948 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Georgia

← 1942 September 8, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Richard Russell Jr. Party Democratic Electoral vote 410 Popular vote 703,048 Percentage 99.98%

County results Russell:     >90%

U.S. senator before election Richard Russell Jr. Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Richard Russell Jr. Democratic

1948 United States Senate election in Idaho

← 1946 (special) November 2, 1948 1950 (special) →

Nominee Bert H. Miller Henry Dworshak Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 107,000 103,868 Percentage 49.96% 48.49%

County results Miller:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Dworshak:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%

U.S. senator before election Henry Dworshak Republican Elected U.S. Senator Bert H. Miller Democratic

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DemocratBert H. Miller defeated incumbentRepublicanHenry Dworshak. As of 2024, this remains the only time that a Democrat would win Idaho's Class 2 Senate seat. Dworshak was appointed back to this seat in October 1949 after Miller died earlier that month and served until he himself died in 1962.

1948 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Paul Douglas Charles W. Brooks Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,147,754 1,740,026 Percentage 55.07% 44.61%

County results Douglas:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Tie:     40–50% Brooks:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. senator before election Charles W. Brooks Republican Elected U.S. Senator Paul Douglas Democratic

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1948 United States Senate election in Iowa

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Guy Gillette George A. Wilson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 578,226 415,778 Percentage 57.80% 41.56%

County results Gillette:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Wilson:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election George A. Wilson Republican Elected U.S. Senator Guy Gillette Democratic

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1948 United States Senate election in Kansas

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Andrew Frank Schoeppel George McGill Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 393,412 305,987 Percentage 54.92% 42.72%

County results Schoeppel:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% McGill:     40–50%     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Arthur Capper Republican Elected U.S. Senator Andrew Frank Schoeppel Republican

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1948 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1946 (special) November 2, 1948 1952 (special) →

Nominee Virgil Chapman John Sherman Cooper Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 408,256 383,776 Percentage 51.39% 48.31%

County results Chapman:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Cooper:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

U.S. senator before election John Sherman Cooper Republican Elected U.S. Senator Virgil Chapman Democratic

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1948 Democratic Senate primary election in Louisiana

← 1942 August 31, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Allen Ellender James Domengeaux Charles S. Gerth Party Democratic Democratic Democratic Popular vote 284,293 119,459 57,047 Percentage 61.70% 25.92% 12.38%

Parish results Ellender:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     >90%

U.S. senator before election Allen Ellender Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Allen Ellender Democratic

1948 United States Senate special election in Louisiana

← 1944 November 2, 1948 1950 →

Nominee Russell B. Long Clem S. Clarke Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 306,336 102,331 Percentage 74.96% 25.04%

Parish results Long:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90–100% Jenkins:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election William C. Feazel Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Russell B. Long Democratic

1948 United States Senate election in Maine

← 1942 September 13, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Margaret Chase Smith Adrian Scolten Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 159,182 64,074 Percentage 71.30% 28.70%

County Results Smith:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%

U.S. senator before election Wallace H. White Jr. Republican Elected U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith Republican

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1948 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

← 1944 (special) November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Leverett Saltonstall John I. Fitzgerald Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,088,475 954,398 Percentage 52.95% 46.43%

County results Municipality results Saltonstall:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90–100% Fitzgerald:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Senator before election Leverett Saltonstall Republican Elected Senator Leverett Saltonstall Republican

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1948 United States Senate election in Michigan

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Homer S. Ferguson Frank E. Hook Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,045,156 1,000,329 Percentage 50.68% 48.51%

County results Ferguson:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Hook:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Homer S. Ferguson Republican Elected U.S. Senator Homer S. Ferguson Republican

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1948 United States Senate election in Minnesota

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Hubert H. Humphrey Joseph H. Ball Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Popular vote 729,494 485,801 Percentage 59.78% 39.81%

County results Humphrey:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Ball:     50-60%     60-70%

U.S. senator before election Joseph H. Ball Republican Elected U.S. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey Democratic (DFL)

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1948 United States Senate election in Montana

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee James E. Murray Tom J. Davis Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 125,193 94,458 Percentage 56.65% 42.74%

County results Murray:     50–60%     60–70% Davis:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election James E. Murray Democratic Elected U.S. Senator James E. Murray Democratic

Incumbent United States SenatorJames E. Murray, who was first elected to the Senate in aspecial election in 1934 and wasre-elected in 1936 and1942, ran for re-election. After winning theDemocratic primary, he faced Tom J. Davis, an attorney and theRepublican nominee, in the general election. Following a narrow re-election in 1936, Murray significantly expanded his margin of victory and comfortably won re-election over Davis, winning his fourth term and his third full term in the Senate.

1948 United States Senate election in Nebraska

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1952 (special) →

Nominee Kenneth S. Wherry Terry Carpenter Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 267,575 204,320 Percentage 56.67% 43.27%

County results Wherry:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Carpenter:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Kenneth S. Wherry Republican Elected U.S. Senator Kenneth S. Wherry Republican

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1948 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Styles Bridges Alfred E. Fortin Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 129,600 91,760 Percentage 58.14% 41.17%

County results Bridges:     50–60%     60–70%     80–90% Fortin:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Styles Bridges Republican Elected U.S. Senator Styles Bridges Republican

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1948 United States Senate election in New Jersey

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Robert C. Hendrickson Archibald S. Alexander Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 934,720 884,414 Percentage 49.99% 47.30%

County Results Hendrickson:     40–50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80% Alexander:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Albert Hawkes Republican Elected U.S. Senator Robert C. Hendrickson Republican

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1948 United States Senate election in New Mexico

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Clinton Anderson Patrick J. Hurley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 108,269 80,226 Percentage 57.44% 42.40%

County results Anderson:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Hurley:     40–50%     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Carl Hatch Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Clinton Anderson Democratic

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There were 2 elections to the same seat, due to the December 15, 1946 death of three-term DemocratJosiah Bailey. Democratic former congressmanWilliam B. Umstead was appointed December 18, 1946 to continue Bailey's term, pending a special election.

Umstead supported the conservativeTaft–Hartley Act. The Democratic formerGovernor of North CarolinaJ. Melville Broughton was seen as a "rather liberal alternative" to Umstead. Broughton beat Umstead in the Democratic primaries and then won the general elections.

1948 United States Senate election in North Carolina

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1950 (special) →

Nominee J. Melville Broughton John A. Wilkinson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 540,762 220,307 Percentage 70.73% 28.81%

County results Scott:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90-100% West:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Senator before election William B. Umstead Democratic Elected Senator J. Melville Broughton Democratic

Broughton was seated December 31, 1948 to finish the current term but died March 6, 1949, just after the new term began. His death lead to another appointment (DemocratFrank Graham) in 1949 andanother special election in 1950 of DemocratWillis Smith. Smith also died during the term, leading to yet another appointment (DemocratAlton A. Lennon) and1954 special election (of DemocratW. Kerr Scott). In all, five senators held the seat during the 1949–1955 term.

1948 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Robert S. Kerr Ross Rizley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 441,654 265,169 Percentage 62.30% 37.40%

County results Kerr:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Rizley:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Edward H. Moore Republican Elected U.S. Senator Robert S. Kerr Democratic

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1948 United States Senate election in Oregon

← 1944 (special) November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Guy Cordon Manley J. Wilson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 299,295 199,275 Percentage 60.03% 39.97%

County results Cordon:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Wilson:     50–60%

Senator before election Guy Cordon Republican Elected Senator Guy Cordon Republican

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1948 Democratic Senate primary in South Carolina

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Burnet R. Maybank W.J. Bryan Dorn Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 161,608 76,749 Percentage 51.63% 24.85%   Nominee Neville Bennett Alan Johnstone Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 43,068 17,689 Percentage 13.48% 5.44%

Results by county Maybank:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Dorn:     30–40%     40–50%     50-60%     60–70% Bennett:     80-90%

U.S. senator before election Burnet R. Maybank Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Burnet R. Maybank Democratic

SenatorBurnet R. Maybank was opposed in the Democraticprimary by U.S. RepresentativeWilliam Jennings Bryan Dorn and three other candidates. Maybank obtained over 50% in the primary election on August 10 to avoid arunoff election.

Since the end ofReconstruction in 1877, theDemocratic Party dominated thepolitics of South Carolina and its statewide candidates were never seriously challenged. Maybank did not campaign for the general election as there was no chance of defeat.

1948 United States Senate election in South Dakota

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee Karl E. Mundt John A. Engel Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 144,084 98,749 Percentage 59.33% 40.67%

County results Mundt:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Engel:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Vera C. Bushfield Republican Elected U.S. Senator Karl E. Mundt Republican