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 County results Randolph: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hoblitzell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1958 United States Senate special election in West Virginia was held on November 4, 1958, concurrent witha regular election. The election was called due to the death of SenatorMatthew M. Neely.
Democrats Randolph andByrd both won their seats, amid anational wave election. This would be the last time that Democrats simultaneously flipped both of a state's Senate seats until Georgia's elections in 2020 and 2021, and the last for either party until the 1978 elections in Minnesota.
This election, along with the simultaneous regular election, is the last time a Senator from West Virginia lost re-election.
While campaigning withRobert C. Byrd, Randolph was involved in a car accident, veering into oncoming traffic and killing another driver. According to the testimony of Byrd, Randolph fell asleep at the wheel and woke up shortly before hitting the other driver.[1]Wetzel County prosecutor Jack Hawkins declined to file charges,[2] and Byrd's insurance company settled with the victim's widow out of court, being forced to pay the full sum of Byrd's liability, $22,500.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jennings Randolph | 102,547 | 47.16% | |
| Democratic | William C. Marland | 77,901 | 35.82% | |
| Democratic | Arnold Vickers | 25,439 | 11.70% | |
| Democratic | Squibb Wilson | 11,540 | 5.31% | |
| Total votes | 217,427 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. (incumbent) | 82,094 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 82,094 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jennings Randolph | 374,167 | 59.32% | ||
| Republican | John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. (incumbent) | 256,510 | 39.77% | ||
| Total votes | 630,677 | 100.00% | |||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | |||||
