United States Senate elections, 1926

United States Senate elections, 1926
United States
November 2, 1926

34 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate
49 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Charles Curtis Joseph Robinson
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat Kansas Arkansas
Last election 54 seats 41 seats
Seats before 55 40
Seats won 20 14
Seats after 48 47
Seat change Decrease 7 Increase 7

  Third party
 
Party Farmer–Labor
Last election 1 seat
Seats before 1
Seats won 0
Seats after 1
Seat change Steady

  Democratic gain
  Democratic hold
  Republican hold

Majority Leader before election

Charles Curtis
Republican

Elected Majority Leader

Charles Curtis
Republican

The U.S. Senate election, 1926 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of Republican President Calvin Coolidge's second term. The Republican majority was reduced by seven seats.

Gains and losses

Seven Republican incumbents lost re-election to Democrats:

  1. Arizona: Republican incumbent Ralph H. Cameron lost to Democrat Carl Hayden.
  2. Kentucky: Republican incumbent Richard P. Ernst lost to Democrat Alben W. Barkley.
  3. Maryland: Republican incumbent Ovington E. Weller lost to Democrat Millard E. Tydings.
  4. Massachusetts: Republican incumbent appointee William M. Butler lost to Democrat David I. Walsh.
  5. Missouri: Republican incumbent appointee George H. Williams lost to Democrat Harry B. Hawes both to finish the term and to the next term.
  6. New York: Republican incumbent James W. Wadsworth, Jr. lost to Democrat Robert F. Wagner.
  7. Oklahoma: Republican incumbent John W. Harreld lost to Democrat Elmer Thomas.

Five Republican incumbents lost renomination, but their seats were held by Republicans:

  1. Colorado: Republican incumbent Rice W. Means lost renomination to Republican challenger Charles W. Waterman, who then won the general election.
  2. Illinois: Republican incumbent William B. McKinley lost renomination to Republican challenger Republican challenger Frank L. Smith, who then won the general election.
  3. Oregon: Republican incumbent Robert N. Stanfield lost renomination to Republican challenger Frederick Steiwer, who then won the general election.
  4. Pennsylvania: Republican incumbent George W. Pepper lost renomination to Republican challenger William S. Vare, who then won the general election.
  5. Wisconsin: Republican incumbent Irvine L. Lenroot lost renomination to Republican challenger John J. Blaine, who then won the general election.

No Democratic incumbents lost re-election or renomination. The only change in a Democratic seat was in Alabama, where Democrat Oscar Underwood retired and was replaced by Democrat Hugo L. Black.

No third party candidates won these elections. The sole third party incumbent (from the Farmer–Labor Party) was not up for election this year.

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8
D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12 D11 D10 D9
D19 D20 D21 D22 D23 D24 D25 D26 D27 D28
D38 D37 D36 D35 D34 D33 D32 D31 D30 D29
D39 D40 FL1 R55 R54 R53 R52 R51 R50 R49
Majority → R48
R39 R40 R41 R42 R43 R44 R45 R46 R47
R38 R37 R36 R35 R34 R33 R32 R31 R30 R29
R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24 R25 R26 R27 R28*
R18 R17 R16 R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8
Notes:
  • R28 (Maine class 2): Republican Bert M. Fernald had died August 23, 1926. Republican Arthur J. Gould was elected to finish the term on September 13, 1926, but he wasn't seated until November 30, 1926.

Beginning of the next Congress

D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8
D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12 D11 D10 D9
D19 D20 D21 D22 D23 D24 D25 D26 D27 D28
D38 D37 D36 D35 D34 D33 D32 D31 D30 D29
D39 D40 O D41 + D42 + D43 + D44 + D45 + D46 + D47 + FL1
Majority → R48 O*
R39 R40 R41 R42 R43 O R44 O R45 O R46 O R47 O*
R38 R37 R36 R35 R34 R33 R32 R31 R30 R29
R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24 R25 R26 R27 R28
R18 R17 R16 R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8
Notes:
  • R47 O (Pennsylvania class 3): Republican incumbent George W. Pepper lost renomination to William S. Vare. Vare was then elected for the term starting March 4, 1927. The Senate refused to qualify him due to charges of corruption and fraud concerning this election. The Senate would later unseat Vare on December 9, 1929, declaring the seat vacant.[1]
  • R48 O (Illinois class 3): Republican incumbent William B. McKinley lost renomination to Frank L. Smith. Smith was then elected for the term starting March 4, 1927. McKinley died December 7, 1926, before the end of the Congress. Smith was appointed to finish McKinley's term, but the Senate refused his credentials. At the beginning of the next term, the Senate again refused his credentials. Smith would later resign the seat on February 9, 1928.[2]
Key:
D# Democratic
FL# Farmer–Labor
R# Republican
 
Incumbent re-elected or appointee elected to finish term
O Party hold: New senator elected from same party
+ Party gain: New senator elected from different party

Race summary

Separate election

Date State Incumbent Party Result Candidates
September 13, 1926 Maine
(Class 2)
Vacant Vacant Incumbent Bert M. Fernald (R) had died August 23, 1926.
Winner elected to finish term ending March 4, 1931.
Republican gain
Arthur J. Gould (Republican), 71.8%
Fulton J. Redman (Democratic) 28.2%

November elections

All races are for the Class 3 term (1927 to 1933), unless otherwise indicated. Bold state indicates link to individual state's election article. Bold candidate indicates winner.

State Incumbent Result Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Alabama Oscar Underwood Democratic 1914
1920
Incumbent retired
Democratic hold
Hugo L. Black (Democratic) 80.9%
E. H. Dryer (Republican) 19.1%
Arizona Ralph H. Cameron Republican 1920 Incumbent lost re-election
Democratic gain
Carl Hayden (Democratic) 58.3%
Ralph H. Cameron (Republican) 41.7%
Arkansas Thaddeus H. Caraway Democratic 1920 Incumbent re-elected Thaddeus H. Caraway (Democratic) 82.8%
R. A. Jones
(Republican) 17.2%
California Samuel M. Shortridge Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected Samuel M. Shortridge (Republican) 63.1%
John B. Elliott (Democratic) 36.9%
Colorado Rice W. Means Republican 1924 (Special) Incumbent lost renomination
Republican hold
Charles W. Waterman (Republican) 50.3%
William E. Sweet (Democratic) 46.4%
Connecticut Hiram Bingham III Republican 1924 (Special) Incumbent re-elected Hiram Bingham III (Republican) 63.3%
Rollin U. Tyler (Democratic) 35.6%
Florida Duncan U. Fletcher Democratic 1908
1914
1920
Incumbent re-elected Duncan U. Fletcher (Democratic) 77.9%
John M. Lindsay (Independent) 12.8%
Georgia Walter F. George Democratic 1922 (Special) Incumbent re-elected Walter F. George (Democratic) Unopposed
Idaho Frank R. Gooding Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected Frank R. Gooding (Republican) 45.4%
H. F. Samuels (Progressive) 29.6%
John F. Nugent (Democratic) 25.0%
Illinois William B. McKinley Republican 1920 Incumbent lost renomination, then died.
Winner appointed to finish term, but was not seated for either appointment or for next term.[3]
Republican hold, although the Senate did not consider the winner to be a Senator.
Frank L. Smith (Republican) 46.9%
George E. Brennan (Democratic) 43.1%
Hugh S. Magill (Independent) 8.7%
Indiana
Special: Class 1
Arthur Raymond Robinson Republican 1925 (Appointed) Incumbent appointee elected to finish term ending March 4, 1929.
Incumbent appointee elected
Arthur Raymond Robinson (Republican) 50.6%
Evans Woollen (Democratic) 48.4%
Albert Stanley (Prohibitionist) 0.5%
William O. Fogleson (Socialist) 0.5%
Indiana James E. Watson Republican 1916
1920
Incumbent re-elected James E. Watson (Republican) 50.0%
Albert Stump (Democratic) 48.9%
William H. Harris (Prohibitionist) 0.5%
Forrest Wallace (Socialist) 0.5%
Iowa
Class 3: Special
Albert B. Cummins (Died July 30th 1926) David W. Stewart Republican 1926 (Appointed) Cummins had already lost renomination before his death. Incumbent appointee elected to finish term ending March 4, 1927, but did not seek election to the next term.
Republican hold
David W. Stewart (Republican) Unopposed
Iowa
Class 3: General
Smith W. Brookhart (Republican) 56.6%
Claude R. Porter (Democratic) 43.4%
Kansas Charles Curtis Republican 1914
1920
Incumbent re-elected Charles Curtis (Republican), 63.6%
Charles Stephens (Democratic) 34.7%
M.L. Phillips (Socialist) 1.7%
Kentucky Richard P. Ernst Republican 1920 Incumbent lost re-election
Democratic gain
Alben W. Barkley (Democratic) 51.8%
Richard P. Ernst (Republican) 48.2%
Louisiana Edwin S. Broussard Democratic 1920 Incumbent re-elected Edwin S. Broussard (Democratic) Unopposed
Maryland Ovington E. Weller Republican 1920 Incumbent lost re-election
Democratic gain
Millard E. Tydings (Democratic) 57.5%
Ovington E. Weller (Republican) 41.4%
William A. Toole (Socialist) 1.1%
Massachusetts
Special: Class 1
William M. Butler Republican 1924 (Appointed) Incumbent appointee lost election to finish term ending March 4, 1929.
Democratic gain
David I. Walsh (Democratic) 52.0%
William M. Butler (Republican) 46.5%
Missouri
Class 3: Special
George H. Williams Republican 1925 (Appointed) Incumbent appointee lost election to finish term ending March 4, 1927 and lost election to the next term.
Democratic gain
Harry B. Hawes (Democratic) 52.1%
George H. Williams (Republican) 47.9%
Missouri
Class 3: General
Harry B. Hawes (Democratic) 51.3%
George H. Williams (Republican) 47.7%
Nevada Tasker L. Oddie Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected Tasker L. Oddie (Republican), 55.8%
Raymond T. Baker (Democratic) 42.5%
New Hampshire George H. Moses Republican 1918 (Special)
1920
Incumbent re-elected George H. Moses (Republican), 62.3%
Robert C. Murchie (Democratic) 37.7%
New York James W. Wadsworth, Jr. Republican 1914
1920
Incumbent lost re-election
Democratic gain
Robert F. Wagner (Democratic) 46.5%
James W. Wadsworth, Jr. (Republican) 42.4%
Franklin W. Cristman (Independent Republican) 8.2%
North Carolina Lee S. Overman Democratic 1903
1909
1914
1920
Incumbent re-elected Lee S. Overman (Democratic), 60.5%
Johnson J. Hayes (Republican) 39.5%
North Dakota Gerald P. Nye Republican 1925 (Appointed)
1926 (Special)
Incumbent re-elected Gerald P. Nye (Republican), 69.6%
Norris H. Nelson (Independent) 12.2%
F. F. Burchard (Democratic) 8.7%
C. P. Stone (Independent) 6.3%
Ohio Frank B. Willis Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected Frank B. Willis (Republican), 53.2%
Atlee Pomerene (Democratic) 46.6%
Oklahoma John W. Harreld Republican 1920 Incumbent lost re-election
Democratic gain
Elmer Thomas (Democratic) 54.8%
John W. Harreld (Republican) 44.7%
Oregon Robert N. Stanfield Republican 1920 Incumbent lost renomination, then ran as an Independent but lost re-election.
Republican hold
Frederick Steiwer (Republican) 39.8%
Bert E. Haney (Democratic) 36.3%
Robert N. Stanfield (Independent) 22.5%
Pennsylvania George W. Pepper Republican 1922 (Appointed)
1922 (Special)
Incumbent lost renomination
Senate refused to qualify winner due to charges of corruption and fraud concerning the election.
Republican hold, but the Senate would later unseat the winner and declare the seat vacant.
William S. Vare (Republican) 54.6%
William B. Wilson (Democratic) 43.1%
South Carolina Ellison D. Smith Democratic 1908
1914
1920
Incumbent re-elected Ellison D. Smith (Democratic) Unopposed
South Dakota Peter Norbeck Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected Peter Norbeck (Republican), 59.5%
C. J. Gunderson (Democratic) 33.3%
Howard Platt (Independent) 7.2%
Utah Reed Smoot Republican 1903
1909
1914
1920
Incumbent re-elected Reed Smoot (Republican), 61.5%
Ashby Snow (Democratic) 37.6%
Vermont Porter H. Dale Republican 1923 (Special) Incumbent re-elected Porter H. Dale (Republican), 73.4%
James E. Kennedy (Democratic) 26.5%
Washington Wesley L. Jones Republican 1908
1914
1920
Incumbent re-elected Wesley L. Jones (Republican), 51.3%
A. Scott Bullitt (Democratic) 46.5%
Wisconsin Irvine L. Lenroot Republican 1920 Incumbent lost renomination
Republican hold
John J. Blaine (Republican) 55.0%
Charles D. Rosa (Independent) 20.3%
Thomas M. Kearney (Democratic) 12.2%
Leo Krzycki (Socialist) 5.7%
State Senator Party Electoral
history
Result Candidates
Incumbent

See also

References

  1. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=V000071
  2. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000534
  3. Frank L. Smith defeated William B. McKinley for the 1926 Republican nomination in Illinois and won the subsequent general election. McKinley died shortly before the end of his term, so Smith was appointed to replace him. When Smith presented his credentials to serve the remainder of McKinely's term, the Senate refused to seat him based on what it saw as an election rife with fraud and corruption. When Smith returned with his credentials for the term he was elected to, the Senate again refused to seat him for the same reasons. Smith and the Governor considered him to be the rightful senator, but he resigned February 9, 1928.
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