1956 United States Senate elections

← 1954 November 6, 1956 1958 →
← 1950 1962 →
35 of the 96 seats in theUnited States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Lyndon Johnson William Knowland Party Democratic Republican Leader since January 3, 1953 August 4, 1953 Leader's seat Texas California Seats before 49 47 Seats after 49 47 Seat change Popular vote 23,291,351[1][a] 22,219,450[1] Percentage 50.7% 48.4% Seats up 18 17 Races won 18 17
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain     Democratic hold      Republican gain     Republican hold      No election Rectangular inset (Ky. &S. C.): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Lyndon Johnson Democratic ElectedMajority Leader Lyndon Johnson Democratic

The1956 United States Senate elections were elections for theUnited States Senate that coincided with there-election of PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower. The 32 seats ofClass 3 were contested in regular elections, and three special elections were held to fill vacancies. AlthoughDemocrats gained two seats in regular elections, theRepublicans gained two seats in special elections, leaving the party balance of the chamber unchanged.

Democrats defeated incumbentsHerman Welker (R-Idaho),George H. Bender (R-Ohio), andJames H. Duff (R-Pennsylvania), as well as winning a Republican-held seat inColorado. Republicans defeated incumbentEarle C. Clements (D-Kentucky) as well as winning Democratic-held seats in Kentucky,New York, andWest Virginia. Thus, this election caused Kentucky's Senate delegation to flip from two Democrats to two Republicans.

During the next Congress, RepublicanJohn D. Hoblitzell Jr. was appointed to the seat of deceased SenatorMatthew M. Neely (D-WV), while DemocratWilliam Proxmire won a special election for the seat of deceased SenatorJoseph McCarthy (R-Wisconsin). Also, DemocratRalph Yarborough won a special election for the seat ofPrice Daniel (D-Texas), who had resigned from the Senate after being electedGovernor of Texas. The net result was to leave the party balance unchanged. Republicans would not win a Senate election in West Virginia again until 2014.

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

Parties					Total
		Democratic	Republican	Other
Before these elections		49	47	0	96
Not up		31	30	—	61
	Class 1 (1952)	11	20	—	31
	Class 2 (1954)	20	10	—	30
Up		18	17	—	35
	Class 3 (1950→1956)	15	17	—	32
	Special: Class 1	1	0	—	1
	Special: Class 2	2	0	—	2
Incumbent retired		5	1	—	6
	Held by same party	2	0	—	2
	Replaced by other party	1 Republican replaced by1 Democrat 3 Democrats replaced by3 Republicans		—	4
	Result	3	3	0	6
Incumbent ran		13	16	—	29
	Won re-election	12	13	—	25
	Lost re-election	3 Republicans replaced by3 Democrats 1 Democrat replaced by1 Republican		—	4
	Lost renomination but held by same party	0	0	—	0
	Result	15	14	0	29
Total elected		18	17	0	35
Net change					0
Nationwide vote		23,291,351[a]	22,219,450	406,207	45,917,008
	Share	50.72%	48.39%	0.88%	100%
Result		49	47	0	96

Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives^[1]

One Republican and five Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

Three Republicans and one Democrat sought re-election but lost in the general election.

One Republican was appointed to the seat of a deceased Democrat. Two Democrats won special elections, one seat was previously held by a Democrat and another by a Republican. One Democrat was appointed to replace another Democrat.

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1956 or in 1957 before January 3; ordered by election date, then state.

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1957; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

Fifteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

1956 Democratic Senate primary election in Alabama

← 1950 May 1, 1956 1962 →

Nominee J. Lister Hill John G. Crommelin Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 247,519 115,440 Percentage 68.19% 31.81%

County results Hill:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Crommelin:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election J. Lister Hill Democratic Elected U.S. Senator J. Lister Hill Democratic

Arizona election

← 1950 1962 →

Nominee Carl Hayden Ross F. Jones Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 170,816 107,447 Percentage 61.4% 38.6%

County results Hayden:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

U.S. senator before election Carl Hayden Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Carl Hayden Democratic

1956 U.S. Senate election in Arkansas

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee J. William Fulbright Ben C. Henley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 331,679 98,013 Percentage 82.98% 17.02%

County results Fulbright:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Henley:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election J. William Fulbright Democratic Elected U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright Democratic

1956 United States Senate election in California

← 1954 (special) November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Thomas Kuchel Richard Richards Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,892,918 2,445,816 Percentage 53.96% 45.62%

County results Kuchel:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%      70–80%     80–90% Richards:     40–50%     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Thomas Kuchel Republican Elected U.S. Senator Thomas Kuchel Republican

1956 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee John A. Carroll Daniel I. J. Thornton Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 319,872 317,102 Percentage 50.22% 49.78%

Results by county Carroll:     50–60%     60–70% Thornton:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Eugene Millikin Republican Elected U.S. Senator John A. Carroll Democratic

1956 United States Senate election in Connecticut

← 1952 (special) November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Prescott Bush Thomas J. Dodd Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 610,829 479,460 Percentage 54.84% 43.05%

County results Municipality results Bush:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% Dodd:     40–50%     50–60%     60-70%

U.S. senator before election Prescott Bush Republican Elected U.S. Senator Prescott Bush Republican

1956 United States Senate election in Florida

← 1950 May 8, 1956 1962 →

Nominee George Smathers Party Democratic Popular vote 655,418 Percentage 100.0%

County results Smathers:     90-100%

U.S. senator before election George Smathers Democratic Elected U.S. Senator George Smathers Democratic

1956 United States Senate election in Idaho

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Frank Church Herman Welker Glen H. Taylor (Write-in) Party Democratic Republican Independent Popular vote 149,096 102,781 13,415 Percentage 56.20% 38.74% 5.06%

County results Church:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Welker:     40–50%     50-60%

U.S. senator before election Herman Welker Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank Church Democratic

Illinois election

← 1950 1962 →
Turnout	81.74%
Nominee Everett M. Dirksen Richard Stengel Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,307,552 1,949,883 Percentage 54.11% 45.72%
County results Dirksen:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80% Stengel:     50–60%
Senator before election Everett M. Dirksen Republican Elected Senator Everett M. Dirksen Republican

1956 United States Senate election in Indiana

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Homer Capehart Claude Wickard Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,084,262 871,781 Percentage 55.21% 44.39%

County results Capehart:     50–60%     60-70%     70-80% Wickard:     40–50%     50–60%

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

1956 United States Senate election in Iowa

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Bourke B. Hickenlooper Rudolph M. Evans Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 635,499 543,156 Percentage 53.92% 46.08%

County results Stanley:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80% Evans:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Bourke B. Hickenlooper Republican Elected U.S. Senator Bourke B. Hickenlooper Republican

1956 United States Senate election in Kansas

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Frank Carlson George Hart Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 477,822 333,939 Percentage 57.90% 40.46%

County results Carlson:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Hart:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Frank Carlson Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank Carlson Republican

Two elections in Kentucky converted both seats from Democratic to Republican. As a result, this marked the first timesince1916 that both Senate seats in a state flipped from one party to the other in a single election cycle.

1956 United States Senate special election in Kentucky

← 1954 November 6, 1956 1960 →

Nominee John Sherman Cooper Lawrence Wetherby Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 538,505 473,140 Percentage 53.23% 46.77%

County results Sherman:     50-60%     60-70%     70–80%     80–90% Wetherby:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. senator before election Robert Humphreys Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Sherman Cooper Republican

Following the death ofAlben Barkley on April 30, 1956,Robert Humphreys was appointed June 21, 1956 to continue the term, pending a special election.^[2] Humphreys did not run in the special election to finish the term that would end in 1961.

Republican former-senatorJohn Sherman Cooper, who had twice won special elections to that seat in1946 and1952, was again elected to finish the term.

This time, however, Cooper would bere-elected in 1960 andagain in 1966, serving until his 1973 retirement.

1956 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Thruston Ballard Morton Earle Clements Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 506,903 499,922 Percentage 50.35% 49.65%

County results Morton:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Clements:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

U.S. senator before election Earle Clements Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Thruston Ballard Morton Republican

First-term DemocratEarle Clements lost re-election to RepublicanThruston B. Morton, who was Eisenhower'sAssistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.

1956 United States Senate election in Louisiana

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Russell B. Long Party Democratic Popular vote 335,564 Percentage 100.00%

Parish results Long:     >90%

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

1956 United States Senate election in Maryland

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee John Marshall Butler George P. Mahoney Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 473,059 420,108 Percentage 52.96% 47.04%

County results Butler:     50–60%     60–70% Mahoney:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election John Marshall Butler Republican Elected U.S. Senator John Marshall Butler Republican

1956 United States Senate election in Missouri

← 1950 1960 (special) →

Nominee Thomas C. Hennings Jr. Herbert Douglas Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,015,936 785,048 Percentage 56.41% 43.59%

County results Hennings:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Douglas:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. senator before election Thomas C. Hennings Jr. Democratic Elected U.S. senator Thomas C. Hennings Jr. Democratic

1956 United States Senate election in Nevada

← 1954 (special) November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Alan Bible Cliff Young Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 50,677 45,712 Percentage 52.58% 47.42%

County results Bible:     50–60%     60–70% Young:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Alan Bible Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Alan Bible Democratic

1956 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

← 1954 (special) November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Norris Cotton Laurence M. Pickett Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 161,424 90,519 Percentage 64.07% 35.93%

County results Cotton:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

U.S. senator before election Norris Cotton Republican Elected U.S. Senator Norris Cotton Republican

1956 United States Senate election in New York

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Jacob Javits Robert F. Wagner Jr. Party Republican Democratic Alliance Liberal Popular vote 3,723,933 3,265,159 Percentage 53.27% 46.71%

County results Javits:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Wagner:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Herbert H. Lehman Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Jacob Javits Republican

In New York, theRepublican state convention met on September 10 atAlbany, New York, and nominatedNew York State Attorney General Jacob K. Javits.^[3] TheDemocratic state convention met on September 10 atAlbany, New York, and nominatedMayor of New York City Robert F. Wagner Jr., for the U.S. Senate.^[4] TheLiberal Party endorsed the Democratic nominee, Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr., for the U.S. Senate.^[5] On October 1, a movement was launched to vote for General of the ArmyDouglas MacArthur as awrite-in candidate for the U.S. Senate.^[6] On October 2, MacArthur disavowed the campaign, and stated that he was not a candidate.^[7]

The Republican candidate was elected.

1956 United States Senate election in North Carolina

← 1954 (special) November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Sam Ervin Joel A. Johnson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 731,353 367,475 Percentage 66.56% 33.44%

County results Ervin:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Johnson:     50-60%     60-70%     70–80%

Senator before election Sam Ervin Democratic Elected Senator Sam Ervin Democratic

1956 United States Senate election in North Dakota

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Milton Young Quentin Burdick Party Republican Democratic–NPL Popular vote 155,305 87,919 Percentage 63.61% 36.01%

County results Young:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%

U.S. senator before election Milton Young Republican Elected U.S. Senator Milton Young Republican

In North Dakota, the incumbent,RepublicanMilton Young, sought and received re-election to his third term, defeatingNorth Dakota Democratic-NPL Party candidateQuentin N. Burdick, son of North Dakota congressmanUsher L. Burdick.^[8]

Only Young filed as a Republican, and the endorsed Democratic candidate wasQuentin Burdick, the son of well-known politician Usher Burdick, and former candidate forGovernor of North Dakota. Young and Burdick won the primary elections for their respective parties.

Oneindependent candidate,Arthur C. Townley, also filed before the deadline. Townley would laterseek the state's other senate seat in 1958, and was known for creating the NationalNon-Partisan League.

1956 United States Senate election in Ohio

← 1954 (special) November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Frank Lausche George H. Bender Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,864,589 1,660,910 Percentage 52.89% 47.11%

County results Lausche:     50–60%     60–70% Bender:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election George H. Bender Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank J. Lausche Democratic

1956 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Mike Monroney Douglas McKeever Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 459,996 371,146 Percentage 55.35% 44.65%

County results Monroney:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% McKeever:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Mike Monroney Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Mike Monroney Democratic

1956 United States Senate election in Oregon

← 1950 November 7, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Wayne Morse Douglas McKay Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 396,849 335,405 Percentage 54.20% 45.80%

County results Morse:     50–60%     60–70% McKay:     50-60%

Senator before election Wayne Morse Democratic Elected Senator Wayne Morse Democratic

In Oregon, Republican-turned-Independent-turned-DemocratWayne Morse decided to seek re-election for his first full term as a Democrat. Morse defeated Republican candidateDouglas McKay in the hotly contested general election.^[9]

1956 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Joseph S. Clark Jr. James H. Duff Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,268,641 2,250,671 Percentage 50.08% 49.69%

County results Clark Jr.:     50–60%     60–70% Duff:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. senator before election James H. Duff Republican Elected U.S. Senator Joseph S. Clark Jr. Democratic

In Pennsylvania, incumbent Republican U.S. senatorJames H. Duff sought re-election to another term, but was defeated by the Democratic nominee,Joseph S. Clark Jr.

In South Carolina the regular election was held simultaneously with the special election.

1956 United States Senate election in South Carolina

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Olin D. Johnston Leon P. Crawford Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 230,150 49,695 Percentage 82.21% 17.75%

County results Johnston:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%

U.S. senator before election Olin D. Johnston Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Olin D. Johnston Democratic

Incumbent DemocratOlin D. Johnston handily defeated Republican mayor ofClemsonLeon P. Crawford.Olin D. Johnston, the incumbentSenator, faced no opposition fromSouth Carolina Democrats and avoided aprimary election.Leon P. Crawford, the mayor of the town ofClemson inthe Upstate, faced no opposition fromSouth Carolina Republicans and avoided aprimary election. Crawford campaigned as a defender ofstates' rights and denounced Johnston for backing theNew Deal and theFair Deal. The state Republican Party believed that Crawford could have a chance in the election if he galvanized the 128,000 registered black voters, although they were weary of being labeled as the black party. In the end, Johnston remained highly popular with the voters who were still leery of the Republican party and he easily defeated Crawford in the general election.

1956 United States Senate special election in South Carolina

← 1954 November 6, 1956 (1956-11-06) 1960 →

Nominee Strom Thurmond Party Democratic Popular vote 245,371 Percentage 100.00%

County results Thurmond:     90-100%

U.S. senator before election Thomas A. Wofford Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond Democratic

The special election resulted from the resignation of SenatorStrom Thurmond on April 4, 1956, who was keeping a campaign pledge he had made in the1954 election. Thurmond was unopposed in his bid to complete the remaining four years of the term. SenatorStrom Thurmond faced no opposition fromSouth Carolina Democrats and avoided aprimary election. There was a possibility thatGovernorGeorge Bell Timmerman Jr. might enter the race, but Thurmond was held in such high regard by the voters that there would have been no chance of defeating Thurmond. With no challenge to the remainder of the term, Thurmond did not conduct a campaign and rejoined his old law firm inAiken until he returned to the Senate after the general election.

1956 United States Senate election in South Dakota

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Francis H. Case Kenneth Holum Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 147,621 143,001 Percentage 50.79% 49.21%

County results Case:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Holum:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Francis H. Case Republican Elected U.S. Senator Francis H. Case Republican