The1940 United States Senate election in Missouri was held on November 5, 1940. IncumbentDemocratic U.S. Senator and futurePresident of the United StatesHarry S. Truman, who was first elected in1934, decided to seek re-election to a second term. He narrowly survived a primary challenge from Governor of MissouriLloyd C. Stark before also narrowly defeatingRepublican nomineeManvel H. Davis in the general election.
Heading into the election of 1940, thePendergast machine that had propelled Harry S. Truman to victory in the1934 election had been brought to its knees. Tom Pendergast was ill and imprisoned for widespread voter fraud in the 1936 elections, in which more votes were tallied inKansas City than its entire population. As such, Truman's connections to Pendergast going back to his 1922 candidacy for judge inJackson County were a liability in the campaign. Missouri GovernorLloyd C. Stark, who had portrayed himself as an opponent of the machine, challenged Truman for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator.[1][2]
Truman, who had decided to seek a second term in February 1940, overcame his Pendergast connections as well as a substantial financial deficit, defeating Stark for the Democratic nomination.[2]
Touting his experience as aWorld War I veteran and track record as a U.S. Senator, Truman ultimately defeated Republican candidate and former state senatorManvel H. Davis in the November general election.[2]
^"Life Before the Presidency".American President: Harry S. Truman. Miller Center, University of Virginia. Archived fromthe original on June 6, 2012. RetrievedDecember 29, 2014.
^abc"His Own Man". The Kansas City Public Library. RetrievedDecember 29, 2014.
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