1944 United States Senate elections
Majority party
Minority party
Leader
Alben Barkley
Wallace White
Party
Democratic
Republican
Leader since
July 22, 1937
February 25, 1944
Leader's seat
Kentucky
Maine
Seats before
58
37
Seats after
57
38
Seat change
Popular vote
19,360,257 [ 1] [ a] 18,557,087[ 1]
Percentage
49.4%
47.3%
Seats up
22
13
Races won
21
14
Third party
Party
Progressive
Seats before
1
Seats after
1
Seat change
Popular vote
73,089
Percentage
0.2%
Seats up
0
Races won
0
Results of the elections: Democratic gain Democratic hold Republican gain Republican hold No electionRectangular inset (Oregon ): both seats up for election
The 1944 United States Senate elections coincided with the re-election of Franklin D. Roosevelt to his fourth term as president . The 32 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections, and three special elections were held to fill vacancies.
The Democrats retained their large majority, although they lost a net of one seat to the Republicans . Republicans won open seats in Indiana, New Jersey, and Missouri, and defeated an incumbent in Iowa. However, Democrats defeated incumbents in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and North Dakota. The Democratic majority was further reduced to 56-39-1 throughout mid-term appointments.
Results summary
↓
57
1
38
Democratic P Republican
Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.
Parties
Total
Democratic
Republican
Progressive
Other
Last elections (1942)
57
38
1
0
96
Before these elections
58
37
1
0
96
Not up
36
24
1
—
61
Up
22
13
0
—
35
Class 3 (1938 →1944)
21
11
0
—
32
Special: Class 1
1
0
—
—
1
Special: Class 2
0
2
—
—
2
Incumbent retired
4
1
—
—
5
Held by same party
2
1
—
—
3
Replaced by other party
—
—
2
Result
2
3
0
0
5
Incumbent ran
18
12
—
—
30
Won re-election
13
8
—
—
21
Lost re-election
—
—
4
Lost renomination
3
1
—
—
4
Lost renomination
—
—
1
Result
19
11
0
0
30
Total elected
21
14
0
0
35
Net change
1
Nationwide vote
19,360,257[ a]
18,557,087
73,089
1,211,148
39,201,581
Share
49.39%
47.34%
0.19%
3.09%
100%
Result
57
38
1
0
96
Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives[ 1]
Retirements
One Republican retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired term, one Democrat retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired term, one Democrat retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired term and election to a full term and two Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.
Defeats
Four Republicans and five Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.
Post election changes
Change in composition
Before the elections
At the beginning of 1944.
Election results
Race summaries
Special elections during the 78th Congress
In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1944 or before January 3, 1945; ordered by election date.
State
Incumbent
Results
Candidates
Senator
Party
Electoral history
Indiana Samuel D. Jackson Democratic
1944 (Appointed)
Interim appointee retired.elected November 7, 1944 .Republican gain .
Massachusetts Sinclair Weeks Republican
1944 (Appointed)
Interim appointee retired.elected November 7, 1944 .
New Jersey Arthur Walsh Democratic
1943 (Appointed)
Interim appointee retired.elected November 7, 1944 .Republican gain .
Oregon Guy Cordon Republican
1944 (Appointed)
Interim appointee elected November 7, 1944 .
Races leading to the 79th Congress
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1945; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
Closest races
Fourteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:
Utah was the tipping point state with a margin of 19.8%.
Alabama
1944 United States Senate election in Alabama
County resultsHill : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Posey : 60-70%
Arizona
1944 United States Senate election in Arizona
County resultsHayden: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Three-term Democrat Carl T. Hayden was easily re-elected.
Hayden would be re-elected three more times before retiring in 1962.
Arkansas
1944 U.S. Senate election in Arkansas
County resultsFulbright : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%
California
1944 United States Senate election in California
Downey: 50–60% 60–70%Houser: 50–60% 60–70%Tie: 50%
Colorado
1944 United States Senate election in Colorado
Results by county Millikin : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%Whatley: 50–60% 60–70%
Connecticut
1944 United States Senate election in Connecticut
County results Municipality results McMahon : 50–60% 60-70%Danaher : 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90%
Florida
1944 United States Senate election in Florida
County resultsPepper : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%
Georgia
Idaho
1944 United States Senate election in Idaho
County resultsTaylor : 50–60% 60–70%Bottolfsen : 50-60% 60-70%
Illinois
1944 United States Senate election in Illinois
County resultsLucas: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%Lyons: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Indiana
There were 2 elections in Indiana, due to the January 25, 1944, death of Democrat Frederick Van Nuys .
Democrat Samuel D. Jackson was appointed to continue the term, pending a special election. Republican William E. Jenner won the special election to finish the term, and Republican Homer E. Capehart won the general election to the next term.
1944 United States Senate election in Indiana
County resultsJenner: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%O' Brien: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%
1944 United States Senate election in Indiana
County resultsCapehart: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%Schricker: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%
Iowa
1944 United States Senate election in Iowa
Hickenlooper : 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%Gillette : 40–50% 50–60%
Kansas
1944 United States Senate election in Kansas
County resultsReed: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%Hill: 50–60%
Kentucky
1944 United States Senate election in Kentucky
County resultsBarkley : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%Park : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%
Louisiana
1944 Democratic Senate primary election in Louisiana
Parish resultsOverton : 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%Stephens : 40–50% 50-60% 70–80%Hawkins : 40-50% 60-70%
Maryland
1944 United States Senate election in Maryland
County resultsRandall: 50–60% 60–70%Tydings: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
1944 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts
County Results Municipality Results
Saltonstall
40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
90–100%
Corcoran
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
Republican Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. resigned February 3, 1944, to return to active duty in the U.S. Army during World War II . Republican Sinclair Weeks was appointed February 8 to continue the term until an election was held. A special election was held on November 7 with Republican Massachusetts Governor Leverett Saltonstall defeating his challengers. He didn't take office until January 4, 1945, when his term as Governor ended.
Missouri
1944 United States Senate election in Missouri
County resultsDonnell : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%McKittrick : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Nevada
1944 United States Senate election in Nevada
County resultsMcCarran : 50–60% 60–70%Malone : 50–60%
New Hampshire
1944 United States Senate election in New Hampshire
County results Tobey: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80%Betley: 50–60% 60–70%
1944 United States Senate special election in New Jersey
County resultsSmith : 50–60% 60–70%Wene : 50–60% 60–70%
New York
1944 United States Senate election in New York
County ResultsWagner: 50–60% 60–70%Curran: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
The Socialist Labor state convention met on April 2 at the Cornish Arms Hotel, the corner of Eighth Avenue and Twenty-eighth Street, in New York City . They nominated Eric Hass for the U.S. Senate.[ 3]
The Liberal Party was organized by a state convention with about 1,100 delegates who met on May 19 and 20 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City . They endorsed the incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert F. Wagner for re-election.[ 4] [ 5]
The Republican State Committee met on August 8 at Albany, New York . They nominated Secretary of State Thomas J. Curran for the U.S. Senate.[ 6]
The Democratic State Committee met on August 8 at the National Democratic Club at 233, Madison Avenue in New York City . They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Robert F. Wagner.[ 7]
The American Labor state convention met on August 10. They endorsed the Democratic nominee Wagner.[ 8]
The Democratic/American Labor/Liberal ticket was elected and incumbent Wagner was re-elected.
North Carolina
1944 United States Senate election in North Carolina
County resultsHoey : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90-100%Ferree : 50-60% 60-70% 70-80%
North Dakota
1944 United States Senate election in North Dakota
County resultsMoses: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%Nye: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 80–90%Stambaugh: 30–40%
Ohio
1944 United States Senate election in Ohio
County resultsTaft: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%Pickrel: 50–60% 60–70%
Oklahoma
1944 United States Senate election in Oklahoma
County resultsThomas : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%Otjen : 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Oregon
1944 United States Senate special election in Oregon
County results
Cordon: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80%
Mahoney: 50-60%
1944 United States Senate election in Oregon
County results Morse: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80%
Incumbent Republican Rufus C. Holman ran for re-election, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Wayne Morse .
Pennsylvania
1944 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
County resultsMyers: 50–60% 60–70%Davis: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
South Carolina
1944 Democratic Senate primary election in South Carolina
County resultsJohnston : 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%Smith : 30–40% 50–60%
South Dakota
1944 United States Senate election in South Dakota
County resultsGurney: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%Bradshaw: 50–60% 70–80%
Utah
1944 United States Senate election in Utah
County resultsThomas: 50–60% 60–70%Bennion: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Incumbent Democratic Senator Elbert D. Thomas won a third term. As of 2022, this is the last time that a Democrat was elected to Utah's class 3 Senate seat.
Vermont
1944 United States Senate election in Vermont
County results Municipality results Aiken: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% 90-100%Witters: 50-60% 60-70% 80-90%
Washington
1944 United States Senate election in Washington
Results by countyMagnuson: 50–60% 60–70%Cain: 50–60% 60–70%
Wisconsin
1944 United States Senate election in Wisconsin
County resultsWiley : 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%McMurray : 40-50% 50–60% 60–70%
See also
Notes
^ a b National vote totals for the Democratic Party do not include a combined 808,841 votes for the American Labor Party and the Liberal Party of New York , which endorsed and voted for the Democratic candidate, Robert F. Wagner .
^ Appointee elected
^ Bone resigned from office on April 1 to take his commission as a federal judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
References
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (March 1, 1945). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1944" (PDF) . U.S. Government Printing Office . pp. 16– 17, 25– 26, 36, 54.^ Kalb, Deborah, ed. (2010). Guide to U.S. Elections . Washington, DC: CQ Press . p. 1436. ISBN 978-1-60426-536-1 ^ "2 CANDIDATES NAMED BY SOCIALIST LABOR" The New York Times ^ "NEW PARTY FIXES 400,000-VOTE GOAL FOR ROOSEVELT" The New York Times ^ "LIBERAL PARTY WINS; Curran Overrules Objections by O'Connor to Petitions" The New York Times ^ "CURRAN IS NAMED" The New York Times ^ "DEMOCRATS NAME WAGNER AND DYE" The New York Times ^ "ROOSEVELT NAMED AT ALP CONVENTION; Wagner, Also Renominated" The New York Times ^ "General Election Results - U.S. Senator - 1914-2014" (PDF) . Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2015 .
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