1950 United States Senate elections

← 1948 November 7, 1950 1952 →
← 1944 1956 →
36 of the 96 seats in theUnited States Senate[a] 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Scott Lucas (lost re-election) Ken Wherry Party Democratic Republican Leader since January 3, 1949 January 3, 1949 Leader's seat Illinois Nebraska Seats before 54 42 Seats after 49 47 Seat change 5 5 Popular vote 16,374,996 17,023,295 Percentage 47.7% 49.6% Seats up 23 13 Races won 18 18
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain     Democratic hold      Republican gain     Republican hold      No election Rectangular inset (Conn.,Id. &N. C.): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Scott Lucas Democratic ElectedMajority Leader Ernest McFarland Democratic

The1950 United States Senate elections occurred in the middle ofHarry S. Truman's second term as president. The 32 seats ofClass 3 were contested in regular elections, and four special elections were held to fill vacancies. As with most 20th-century second-term midterms, the party not holding the presidency made significant gains. TheRepublican opposition made a net gain of five seats, taking advantage of theDemocratic administration's declining popularity during theCold War and the aftermath of theRecession of 1949. The Democrats held a narrow 49-to-47-seat majority after the election. This was the first time since1932 that the Senate majority leader lost his seat, and the only instance of the majority leader losing his seat while his party retained the majority.

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

Parties					Total
		Democratic	Republican	Other
Last elections (1948) Before these elections		54	42	0	96
Not up		31	29	—	60
Up		23	13	—	36
	Class 3 (1944→1950)	20	12	—	32
	Special: Class 1	2	0	—	2
	Special: Class 2	1	1	—	2
Incumbent retired		3[b]	1	—	4
	Held by same party	2	1	—	3
	Replaced by other party	1 Democrat replaced by1 Republican		—	1
	Result	2	2	0	4
Incumbent ran		20	12	—	32
	Won re-election	12	10	—	22
	Lost re-election	1 Republican replaced by1 Democrat 4 Democrats replaced by4 Republicans		—	5
	Lost renomination but held by same party	3	1	—	4
	Lost renomination and party lost	1 Democrat replaced by1 Republican		—	1
	Result	16	16	0	32
Total elected		18	18	0	36
Net change		5	5		5
Nationwide vote		16,374,996	17,023,295	946,945	34,345,236
	Share	47.68%	49.57%	2.76%	100%
Result		49	47	0	96

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

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

Two Republicans and eight Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1950 or before January 3, 1951; ordered by election date.

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on January 3, 1951; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

Fifteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

1950 United States Senate election in Alabama

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Lister Hill John G. Crommelin Party Democratic Independent Popular vote 125,534 38,477 Percentage 76.54% 23.46%

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

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

Alabama election^[1][3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	J. Lister Hill (incumbent)	125,534	76.54%	5.24
	Independent	John G. Crommelin	38,477	23.46%	N/A
Total votes			164,011	100.00%
	Democratichold		Swing

1950 United States Senate election in Arizona

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Carl Hayden Bruce Brockett Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 116,246 68,846 Percentage 62.80% 37.20%

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

Incumbent Democratic U.S. senatorCarl Hayden ran for re-election to a fifth term, defeating Republican nominee Bruce Brockett in the general election. Brockett was formerly the Republican nominee for governor in both 1946 and 1948. Hayden first defeated Cecil H. Miller and Robert E. Miller (of the Arizona Farm Bureau), for the Democratic nomination.

1950 United States Senate election in California

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1954 (special) →

Nominee Richard Nixon Helen Gahagan Douglas Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,183,454 1,502,507 Percentage 59.23% 40.76%

County results Nixon:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Douglas:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Sheridan Downey Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Richard Nixon Republican

1950 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Eugene Millikin John A. Carroll Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 239,724 210,442 Percentage 53.25% 46.75%

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

U.S. senator before election Eugene Millikin Republican Elected U.S. Senator Eugene Millikin Republican

1950 United States Senate special election in Connecticut

← 1946 November 7, 1950 1952 →

Nominee William Benton Prescott Bush Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 431,413 430,311 Percentage 49.18% 49.06%

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

U.S. senator before election William Benton Democratic Elected U.S. Senator William Benton Democratic

1950 United States Senate election in Connecticut

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1952 (special) →

Nominee Brien McMahon Joseph E. Talbot Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 453,646 409,053 Percentage 51.68% 46.60%

County results Municipality results McMahon:     50–60%     60-70%     70-80% Talbot:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% No Data/Vote:

U.S. senator before election Brien McMahon Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Brien McMahon Democratic

1950 United States Senate election in Florida

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee George Smathers John P. Booth Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 238,987 74,228 Percentage 76.30% 23.70%

County results Smathers:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Booth:     50–60%

Senator before election Claude Pepper Democratic Elected Senator George Smathers Democratic

Democratic incumbent SenatorClaude Pepper lost renomination May 2, 1950 toGeorge A. Smathers, who easily won the general election.^[2]

The Democratic primary for the 1950 United States Senate election in Florida was described as the "most bitter and ugly campaigns inFlorida political history." Ormund Powers, aCentral Florida historian, noted thatABC andNBC commentatorDavid Brinkley said that "the Pepper-Smathers campaign would always stand out in his mind as the dirtiest in the history of American politics". On January 12, 1950, U.S. RepresentativeGeorge A. Smathers declared his candidacy for the race inOrlando at Kemp's Coliseum, where about 3,000 supporters had gathered.^[6] In his opening speech, Smathers accused Pepper of being "the leader of the radicals and extremists", an advocate of treason, and a person against the constitutional rights of Americans.^[7]Ed Ball, a power in state politics who had broken with Pepper, financed his opponent, Smathers.^[8]

Prior to the entry of Smathers and Pepper, Orlando attorney James G. Horrell campaigned for the seat. Horrell researched Pepper's weaknesses and the state's voters. Horrell also compiled a list of communist-front groups that Pepper had communicated with. On the day that Pepper declared his candidacy, Horrell withdrew and endorsed Smathers. Horrell also sent his reports about Pepper to Smathers, which he used throughout the next few months. This would also prevent the chance of a run-off election. In late February and early March, theJacksonville Journal conducted a poll in 11 counties important for the election. Smathers led by about 2-to-1 and dominated inDuval,Pinellas, andVolusia counties, while he was also statistically tied with Pepper inDade,Escambia, andHillsborough counties. However, Smathers did not trail in any of the 11 counties.^[9]

Smathers repeatedly attacked "Red Pepper" for having communist sympathies, condemning both his support foruniversal health care and his alleged support for theSoviet Union. Pepper had traveled to the Soviet Union in 1945 and, after meeting Soviet leaderJoseph Stalin, declared he was "a man Americans could trust."^[8] Additionally, although Pepper supported universal health care, sometimes referred to as "socialized medicine", Smathers would vote for "socialized medicine" in the Senate when it was introduced asMedicare in 1965. InThe Saturday Evening Post, even respected writer and notoriousanti-segregation editorRalph McGill labeled Pepper a "spell-bindingpinko".^[7] Beginning on March 28 and until the day of the primary, Smathers named one communist organization each day that Pepper addressed, starting with the American Slav Congress.^[9]

Pepper's opponents circulated widely a 49-page booklet titledThe Red Record of Senator Claude Pepper. It contained photographs and headlines from several communist publications such as theDaily Worker.^[7] In April theDaily Worker endorsed Pepper, with Communist Party of Florida leader George Nelson warning that a Smathers victory would "strengthen the Dixiecrat-KKK forces in Florida as well as throughout the South."^[9] The booklet also made it seem as if Pepper desired to give Russia nuclear bomb-making instructions, billions of dollars, and the United States' natural resources. There was also a double-page montage of Pepper in 1946 atNew York City'sMadison Square Garden withprogressiveHenry A. Wallace and civil rights activistPaul Robeson, and quoted Pepper speaking favorably of both of them.^[7] Throughout the campaign, Pepper denied sympathizing with communism.^[10]

Simultaneous to this election, then-U.S. House RepresentativeRichard Nixon wasrunning for the Senate seat inCalifornia. In a letter from SenatorKarl E. Mundt ofSouth Dakota, he told Nixon that "It occurs to me that if Helen is your opponent in the fall, something of a similar nature might well be produced", in reference toThe Red Record of Senator Claude Pepper and a similar Democratic primary betweenManchester Boddy andHelen Gahagan Douglas.^[11]

Race also played a role in the election. Labor unions began a voter registration drive, which mostly added African Americans to the voter rolls. Smathers accused the "Northern labor bosses" of paying black people to register and vote for Pepper. Shortly after Smathers declared his candidacy, he indicated to the Florida Peace Officers Association that he would defend law enforcement officers for free if they were found guilty of civil rights violations.^[7] With the election occurring during the era ofracial segregation, Pepper was portrayed as favoring integration and interracial marriage. He was also labeled a "nigger lover" and accused byOrlando Sentinel publisher Martin Andersen of shaking hands with a black woman inSanford. InDade County, which had a significant black and Jewish population, doctored photographs depicting Smathers in aKu Klux Klan hood were distributed.^[12]

In theGroveland Case, four young African American men – Charles Greenlee,Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd, and Ernest Thomas – known as theGroveland Four, were accused of raping a 17-year old white women inGroveland on July 16, 1949. Thomas fled the area but was later shot and killed by police. Greenlee, Irvin, and Shepherd were convicted by an all-white jury. After theSt. Petersburg Times questioned the verdict in April 1950,Lake County State Attorney J. W. Hunter, a supporter of Pepper, demanded that Pepper repudiate the news articles. However, Pepper refused. Hunter then denounced Pepper and endorsed Smathers. In addition to the racial violence,cross burning was also common at the time, with five inJacksonville, ten in Orlando andWinter Park, and seventeen in theTallahasseearea.^[9]

With the accusation of "Northern labor bosses" sending "the carpetbaggers of 1950" to Florida on his behalf, Pepper reminded voters that Smathers was born inNew Jersey and sometimes referred to him as a "damn Yankee intruder". In response, Smathers decorated speaking platform in the colors of his alma mater at theUniversity of Florida, orange and blue, while informing his supporters that Pepper graduated fromHarvard Law School.^[7]

Powers noted that throughout the campaign, "scarcely a day passed" without Andersen writing a news story, column, or editorial that was very positive of Smathers or highly critical of Pepper.^[6] Thirty-eight daily newspapers in Florida endorsed Smathers, while only theSt. Petersburg Times andThe Daytona Beach News-Journal endorsed Pepper. Among the newspapers that supported Smathers were theMiami Herald, owned byJohn S. Knight, and theMiami Daily News, published byJames M. Cox, a formerGovernor of Ohio and the Democratic Party nominee for the1920 presidential election. However, Pepper's aides compared this situation to whenAlf Landon was endorsed by more editors and newspapers than Franklin Roosevelt in1936, but received far fewer votes than him.^[13]

Smathers performed generally well across many areas of the state, with the exception ofMiami,Tampa, and theFlorida Panhandle. On the morning after the election, Andersen wrote on the front-page headline of theOrlando Sentinel, "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow ... We Have Won from Hell to Breakfast And From Dan to Beersheba ... And Staved Off Socialism", which was inspired by a headline inThe New York Times celebratingLawrence of Arabia's victory over the Turks in 1917.^[6]

Smathers defeated Republican John P. Booth in a landslide in the general election on November 7. Results indicated that Smathers received 76.3% of the vote compared to just 23.7% for Booth. In the popular vote, Smathers garnered 238,987 votes versus 74,228 for Booth.^[14] Smathers fared well throughout the state and won all but Pinellas County.^[15]

1950 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Georgia

← 1944 June 28, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Walter F. George Alex McLennan Party Democratic Democratic Electoral vote 410 0 Popular vote 470,156 79,886 Percentage 82.50% 14.02%

U.S. senator before election Walter F. George Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Walter F. George Democratic

Five-term Democratic SenatorWalter F. George was re-elected without opposition.

George would retire after this term.

There were two elections on the same day due to the October 8, 1949 death of one-term DemocratBert H. Miller.

1950 United States Senate special election in Idaho

← 1948 November 7, 1950 1954 →

Nominee Henry Dworshak Claude J. Burtenshaw Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 104,608 97,092 Percentage 51.86% 48.14%

County results Dworshak:     50–60%     60–70% Burtenshaw:     50–60%     60–70%

Senator before election Henry Dworshak Republican Elected Senator Henry Dworshak Republican

Republican former-senatorHenry Dworshak — who hadlost re-election to Miller in 1948 — was appointed to continue the term pending a special election to the class 2 seat, which he then won.

1950 United States Senate election in Idaho

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Herman Welker D. Worth Clark Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 124,237 77,180 Percentage 61.68% 38.32%

County results Welker:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Clark:     50–60%     60–70%

Senator before election Glen H. Taylor Democratic Elected Senator Herman Welker Republican

One-term DemocratGlen H. Taylor lost renomination to the class 3 seat to his predecessorD. Worth Clark.^[18] Taylor had beaten Clark for the Democratic nomination in 1944, and this year Clark did the same to him. However, in the general election, Clark was easily beaten by Republican State senatorHerman Welker.

1950 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Everett M. Dirksen Scott W. Lucas Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,951,984 1,657,630 Percentage 53.88% 45.76%

County results Dirksen:     40–50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80% Lucas:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Senator before election Scott W. Lucas Democratic Elected Senator Everett M. Dirksen Republican

1950 United States Senate election in Indiana

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Homer Capehart Alexander M. Campbell Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 844,303 741,025 Percentage 52.81% 46.35%

County results Capehart:     40-50%     50–60%     60–70% Campbell:     40-50%     50–60%

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

First-term RepublicanHomer E. Capehart was re-elected.

Capehart would winre-election again in 1956, butlose his seat in 1962.

1950 United States Senate election in Iowa

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Bourke B. Hickenlooper Albert J. Loveland Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 470,613 383,766 Percentage 54.82% 44.70%

Hickenlooper:     50–60%     60–70% Loveland:     40–50%     50–60%

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

One-term RepublicanBourke B. Hickenlooper was re-elected.

Hickenlooper would continue serving in the Senate until his retirement in 1969.

There were two elections to the same seat on the same day due to the November 8, 1949 death of two-term RepublicanClyde M. Reed.Governor of KansasFrank Carlson appointed fellow RepublicanHarry Darby December 2, 1949 to continue the term, pending a special election. Carlson won both elections and was seated November 29, 1950.

1950 United States Senate special election in Kansas

← 1950 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Frank Carlson Paul Aiken Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 321,718 261,405 Percentage 55.17% 44.83%

County results Carlson:     50-60%     60-70% Aiken:     50–60%

Senator before election Harry Darby Republican Elected Senator Frank Carlson Republican

1950 United States Senate special election in Kansas

← 1950 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Frank Carlson Paul Aiken Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 335,880 271,365 Percentage 54.25% 43.83%

County results Carlson:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70% Aiken:     40–50%     50–60%

Senator before election Harry Darby Republican Elected Senator Frank Carlson Republican

There were two elections to the same seat on the same day, due to the January 19, 1949 resignation of DemocratAlben W. Barkley to becomeU.S. vice president.Governor of KentuckyEarle Clements appointed fellow DemocratGarrett L. Withers to continue the term, pending a special election. The winner of the special election would complete the current term, from November until the start of thenext Congress on January 3, while the regular election was for the full term from 1951 to 1957. Clements, himself, won both elections and was sworn in on November 27, 1950. Witherslater servedone term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Kentucky election

← 1944 1956 →

Nominee Earle Clements Charles I. Dawson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 334,249 278,368 Percentage 54.16% 45.11%

County results Clements:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Dawson:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

U.S. senator before election Garrett L. Withers Democratic Elected U.S. senator Earle Clements Democratic

1950 United States Senate election in Louisiana

← 1948 (special) November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Russell B. Long Charles S. Gerth Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 220,907 30,931 Percentage 87.72% 12.28%

Parish results Long:     70–80%     80–90%     >90%

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

1950 United States Senate election in Maryland

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee John Marshall Butler Millard Tydings Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 326,291 283,180 Percentage 53.00% 46.00%

County results Butler:     50–60%     60–70% Tydings:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

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

Missouri election

← 1944 1956 →

Nominee Thomas C. Hennings Jr. Forrest C. Donnell Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 685,732 592,922 Percentage 53.60% 46.34%

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

U.S. senator before election Edward V. Long Democratic Elected U.S. senator Edward V. Long Democratic

1950 United States Senate election in Nevada

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1954 (special) →

Nominee Pat McCarran George E. Marshall Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 35,829 25,993 Percentage 58.01% 41.99%

County results McCarran:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Marshall:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Pat McCarran Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Pat McCarran Democratic

1950 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1954 (special) →

Nominee Charles W. Tobey Emmet J. Kelley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 106,142 72,473 Percentage 55.99% 38.23%

County results Tobey:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80% Kelley:     60–70%

Senator before election Charles W. Tobey Republican Elected Senator Charles W. Tobey Republican

1950 United States Senate election in New York

← 1949 (special) November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Herbert H. Lehman Joe Hanley Party Democratic Republican Alliance Liberal Popular vote 2,632,313 2,367,353 Percentage 50.35% 45.28%

County results Lehman:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Hanley:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70–80%

Senator before election Herbert H. Lehman Democratic Elected Senator Herbert H. Lehman Democratic

TheSocialist Workers state convention met on July 9, and nominated Joseph Hansen for the U.S. Senate.^[25]

TheAmerican Labor state convention met on September 6 and nominatedW.E.B. DuBois for the U.S. Senate.^[26]

TheRepublican state convention met on September 7 atSaratoga Springs, New York. They re-nominated Lieutenant Governor Joe R. Hanley for the U.S. Senate.^[27]

TheDemocratic state convention met on September 7 atRochester, New York, and re-nominated the incumbent U.S. senator Herbert H. Lehman.^[28]

TheLiberal state convention met on September 6 and 7 at theStatler Hotel inNew York City, and endorsed Democratic nominee Lehman.^[29]

Nearly the whole Republican statewide ticket was elected in a landslide, with only the Democratic incumbent U.S. senator, Ex-Governor Herbert H. Lehman, managing to stay in office.

There were two elections in North Carolina.

1950 United States Senate special election in North Carolina

← 1948 November 7, 1950 1954 (special) →

Nominee Willis Smith E. L. Galvin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 364,912 177,753 Percentage 66.97% 32.62%

County results Smith:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90-100% Galvin:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

Senator before election Frank P. Graham Democratic Elected Senator Willis Smith Democratic

1950 United States Senate election in North Carolina

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1954 (special) →

Nominee Clyde R. Hoey Halsey B. Leavitt Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 376,472 171,804 Percentage 68.67% 31.34%

County results Hoey:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90-100% Leavitt:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

Senator before election Clyde R. Hoey Democratic Elected Senator Clyde R. Hoey Democratic

1950 United States Senate election in North Dakota

← 1946 (special) November 7, 1950 1956 →

Nominee Milton Young Harry O'Brien Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 126,209 126,209 Percentage 67.59% 32.41%

County results Young:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% O'Brien:     50-60%

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

1950 United States Senate election in Ohio

← 1944 November 7, 1950 1954 (special) →

Nominee Robert A. Taft Joe Ferguson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,645,643 1,214,459 Percentage 57.54% 42.46%

County results Taft:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Ferguson:     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election Robert A. Taft Republican Elected U.S. Senator Robert A. Taft Republican