1944 United States Senate elections

← 1942 November 7, 1944 1946 →
35 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
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 1 1 Popular vote 19,360,257[1][a] 18,557,087[1] Percentage 49.4% 47.3% Swing 2.8% 2.0% 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% Swing 0.2% Seats up 0 Races won 0
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      No election
Majority Leader before election Alben Barkley Democratic Elected Majority Leader Alben Barkley Democratic

The United States Senate elections of 1944 coincided with the re-election of Franklin D. Roosevelt to his fourth term as President. The Democrats retained their large majority, although they lost a net of one seat to the Republicans.

Results summary

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 Democrats replaced by 2 Republicans		--	--	2
	Result	2	3	0	0	5
Incumbent ran		18	12	--	--	30
	Won re-election	13	8	--	--	21
	Lost re-election	3 Republicans replaced by 3 Democrats 1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican		--	--	4
	Lost renomination but held by same party	3	1	--	--	4
	Lost renomination and party lost	1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican		--	--	1
	Result	19	11	0	0	30
Total elected		21	14	0	0	35
Net change		1	1			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]

Incumbents defeated in re-election

Democrats defeated three Republican incumbents:

1. Connecticut: John A. Danaher, who was replaced by Brien McMahon.
2. North Dakota: Gerald P. Nye, who was replaced by John Moses.
3. Pennsylvania: James J. Davis, who was replaced by Francis J. Myers.

Republicans defeated one Democratic incumbent:

1. Iowa: Guy M. Gillette, who was replaced by Bourke B. Hickenlooper.

Incumbents who lost renomination

Democratic holds

1. Arkansas: Hattie Wyatt Caraway lost to J. William Fulbright, who won the general election.
2. Idaho: David Worth Clark lost to Glen H. Taylor, who won the general election.
3. South Carolina: Ellison D. Smith lost to Olin D. Johnston, who won the general election.

Republican hold

1. Oregon: Rufus C. Holman lost to Wayne Morse, who won the general election.

Republican gain from Democrat

1. Missouri: Bennett Champ Clark failed to attain renomination and was replaced by Forrest C. Donnell.

Retirements

Republicans took two seats from retiring appointee Democrats:

1. Indiana: Samuel D. Jackson was replaced by William E. Jenner to complete the remainder of the term ending January 3, 1945, and Homer E. Capehart to serve the next term.
2. New Jersey: Arthur Walsh was replaced by Howard Alexander Smith. However, Walsh was appointed in place of the deceased Republican William Warren Barbour, meaning the seat's party effectively did not change from the last election.

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.

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.

Alabama

Arizona

Arizona election

← 1938 1950 →

Nominee Carl Hayden Fred Wildon Fickett Jr. Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 90,335 39,891 Percentage 69.4% 30.6%

U.S. senator before election Carl Hayden Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Carl Hayden Democratic

Three-term Democrat Carl T. Hayden was easily re-elected.

Hayden would be re-elected three more times before retiring in 1962.

Arkansas

California

California election

← 1938 1950 →

Nominee Sheridan Downey Frederick F. Houser Party Democratic Republican Alliance Prohibition Popular vote 1,728,155 1,576,553 Percentage 52.29% 47.71%

U.S. senator before election Sheridan Downey Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Sheridan Downey Democratic

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Senator Scott W. Lucas

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.

Indiana (Special)

Indiana (Regular)

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Senator John H. Overton

Maryland

Senator Millard Tydings

Massachusetts (Special)

Senator Leverett Saltonstall

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, 1944 to continue the term until an election was held. A special election was held on November 7, 1944 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

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey (Special)

New Jersey special election

← 1940 November 7, 1944 1946 →

Nominee H. Alexander Smith Elmer H. Wene Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 939,987 910,096 Percentage 50.44% 48.84%

Senator before election Arthur Walsh Democratic Elected Senator H. Alexander Smith Republican

New York

Senator Robert F. Wagner

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] At that time, the party used the name "Industrial Government Party" on the ballot, but was also referred to as the "Industrial Labor Party".

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] The party filed a petition to nominate candidates which was allowed by Secretary of State Curran on August 25.^[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

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Oregon (Special)

Oregon (Regular)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania election

← 1938 1950 →

Nominee Francis J. Myers James J. Davis Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,864,622 1,840,938 Percentage 49.99% 49.35%

County results

U.S. senator before election James J. Davis Republican Elected U.S. Senator Francis J. Myers Democratic

South Carolina

Senator Olin D. Johnston

South Dakota

Utah

Vermont

Senator George Aiken

Washington

Wisconsin

See also

• 1944 United States elections
  • 1944 United States presidential election
  • 1944 United States House of Representatives elections
• 78th United States Congress
• 79th United States Congress

Notes

References