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: 06-02-2005 05:50:00