The U.S. Senate election, 1952 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower to the presidency by a large margin. The Republicans managed to make a net gain of two seats, which was reduced to one when Wayne L. Morse (R-OR) became an independent after his pro-New Deal positions and support for Adlai Stevenson alienated Republican leaders.
Republicans defeated incumbents Ernest W. McFarland (D-AZ and the Majority Leader), William Benton (D-CT), Thomas R. Underwood (D-KY), Blair Moody (D-MI), and Joseph C. O'Mahoney (D-WY), as well as taking the open seat in Maryland. Democrats defeated incumbents Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (R-MA), James P. Kem (R-MO), Zales N. Ecton (R-MT), and Harry P. Cain (R-WA).
Senate contests in 1952
State |
Incumbent |
Party |
Status |
Opposing Candidates |
Arizona
|
Ernest W. McFarland
|
Democrat
|
Defeated, 51.3 - 48.7 |
Barry Goldwater (Republican)
|
California
|
William F. Knowland
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 87.7 - 11.9 |
Reuben W. Borough (Independent)
|
Connecticut
|
William Benton
|
Democrat
|
Defeated, 52.5 - 44.4 |
William A. Purtell (Republican)
|
Connecticut1
|
William A. Purtell
|
Republican
|
Retired: Republican victory, 51.2 - 48.5
|
Prescott S. Bush (Republican)
Abraham A. Ribicoff (Democrat)
|
Delaware
|
John J. Williams
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 54.5 - 45.5 |
A. I. du Pont Bayard (Democrat)
|
Florida
|
Spessard L. Holland
|
Democrat
|
Re-elected, 99.8 |
|
Indiana
|
William E. Jenner
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 52.4 - 46.8 |
Henry F. Schrecker (Democrat)
|
Kentucky2
|
Thomas R. Underwood |
Democrat
|
Defeated, 51.5 - 48.5 |
John S. Cooper (Republican)
|
Maine
|
Ralph O. Brewster
|
Republican
|
Retired: Republican victory, 58.7 - 34.9 - 6.4
|
Frederick G. Payne (Republican)
Roger P. Dube (Democrat)
Earl S. Grant (Independent)
|
Maryland
|
Herbert R. O'Conor
|
Democrat
|
Retired: Republican victory, 52.5 - 47.5
|
James Glenn Beall (Republican)
George P. Mahoney (Democrat)
|
Massachusetts
|
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
|
Republican
|
Defeated, 51.4 - 48.4 |
John F. Kennedy (Democrat)
|
Michigan
|
Blair Moody
|
Democrat
|
Defeated, 50.6 - 49.0 |
Charles E. Potter (Republican)
|
Minnesota
|
Edward J. Thye
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 56.6 - 42.5 |
William E. Carlson (Democrat)
|
Mississippi
|
John C. Stennis
|
Democrat
|
Re-elected, unopposed |
|
Missouri
|
James P. Kem
|
Republican
|
Defeated, 54.0 - 45.9 |
Stuart Symington (Democrat)
|
Montana
|
Zales N. Ecton
|
Republican
|
Defeated, 50.8 - 48.6 |
Mike Mansfield (Democrat)
|
Nebraska
|
Hugh Butler |
Republican
|
Re-elected, 69.1 - 27.8 |
Stanley D. Long (Democrat)
|
Nebraska3
|
Fred Andrew Seaton
|
Republican
|
Retired: Republican victory, 63.6 - 36.4
|
Dwight Griswold (Republican)
William Ritchie (Democrat)
|
Nevada
|
George W. Malone |
Republican
|
Re-elected, 51.7 - 48.3 |
Thomas B. Mechling (Democrat)
|
New Jersey
|
H. Alexander Smith |
Republican
|
Re-elected, 55.5 - 43.6 |
Archibald S. Alexander (Democrat)
|
New Mexico
|
Dennis Chavez
|
Democrat
|
Re-elected, 51.1 - 48.9 |
Patrick J. Hurley (Republican)
|
New York
|
Irving M. Ives
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 55.2 - 36.1 - 7.0 |
John Cashmore (Democrat)
George S. Counts (Liberal)
|
North Dakota
|
William Langer
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 66.4 - 23.3 - 10.4 |
Harold A. Morrison (Democrat)
Fred G. Aandahl (Independent)
|
Ohio
|
John W. Bricker
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 54.6 - 45.4 |
Michael V. DiSalle (Democrat)
|
Pennsylvania
|
Edward Martin |
Republican
|
Re-elected, 51.6 - 48.0 |
Guy K. Bard (Democrat)
|
Rhode Island
|
John O. Pastore |
Democrat
|
Re-elected, 54.8 - 45.2 |
Bayard Ewing (Republican)
|
Tennessee
|
Kenneth D. McKellar
|
Democrat
|
Defeated in primary: Democrat victory, 74.2 - 20.9
|
Albert Gore, Sr. (Democrat)
Hobart F. Atkins (Republican)
|
Texas
|
Tom Connally |
Democrat
|
Retired: Democrat victory, unopposed
|
Price Daniel (Democrat)
|
Utah
|
Arthur V. Watkins |
Republican
|
Re-elected, 54.3 - 45.7 |
Walter K. Granger (Democrat)
|
Vermont
|
Ralph E. Flanders
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 72.3 - 27.7 |
Allan R. Johnston (Democrat)
|
Virginia
|
Harry F. Byrd
|
Democrat
|
Re-elected, 73.4 - 12.7 - 12.4 |
H. M. Vise, Sr. (Independent)
Clarke T. Robb (Independent)
|
Washington
|
Harry P. Cain |
Republican
|
Defeated, 56.2 - 43.5 |
Henry M. Jackson (Democrat)
|
West Virginia
|
Harley M. Kilgore |
Democrat
|
Re-elected, 53.6 - 46.4 |
Chapman Revercomb (Republican)
|
Wisconsin
|
Joseph R. McCarthy
|
Republican
|
Re-elected, 54.2 - 45.6 |
Thomas E. Fairchild (Democrat)
|
Wyoming
|
Joseph C. O'Mahoney |
Democrat
|
Defeated, 51.6 - 48.4 |
Frank A. Barrett (Republican)
|
1 special election held due to death of Brien McMahon (D-CT). Interim Senator William A. Purtell was successfully elected to Connecticut's other Senate seat, and did not for re-election in the special election.
2 special election held due to death of Virgil M. Chapman (D-KY)
3 special election held due to death of Kenneth S. Wherry (R-NE)
See also
Senate composition before and after elections
Last updated: 05-22-2005 00:30:21