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1944 United States Senate elections

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% 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 election Rectangular inset (Oregon): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Alben Barkley Democratic Elected Majority Leader Alben Barkley Democratic

The 1944 United States Senate elections coincided with the re-electionofFranklin 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[edit]

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]

Gains, losses, and holds[edit]

Retirements[edit]

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[edit]

Four Republicans and five Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

Post election changes[edit]

Change in composition[edit]

Before the elections[edit]

At the beginning of 1944.

Election results[edit]

Race summaries[edit]

Special elections during the 78th Congress[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Fourteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Utah was the tipping point state with a margin of 19.8%.

Alabama[edit]

Arizona[edit]

1944 United States Senate election in Arizona

← 1938 November 7, 1944 1950 →

Nominee Carl Hayden Fred Wildon Fickett Jr. Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 90,335 39,891 Percentage 69.37% 30.63%

County results Hayden:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

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[edit]

1944 U.S. Senate election in Arkansas

← 1938 November 7, 1944 1950 →

Nominee J. William Fulbright Victor Wade Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 182,499 31,942 Percentage 85.10% 14.90%

County results Fulbright:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

U.S. senator before election Hattie Caraway Democratic Elected U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright Democratic

California[edit]

1944 United States Senate election in California

← 1938 November 7, 1944 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%

Downey:      50–60%      60–70% Houser:      50–60%      60–70% Tie:      50%

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

Colorado[edit]

1944 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1942 (special) November 7, 1944 1950 →

Nominee Eugene Millikin Barney L. Whatley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 277,410 214,335 Percentage 56.06% 43.31%

Results by county Millikin:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Whatley:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Eugene Millikin Republican Elected U.S. Senator Eugene Millikin Republican

Connecticut[edit]

Florida[edit]

Georgia[edit]

Idaho[edit]

Illinois[edit]

1944 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1938 November 7, 1944 1950 →

Nominee Scott W. Lucas Richard J. Lyons Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,059,023 1,841,793 Percentage 52.61% 47.06%

County results Lucas:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Lyons:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Senator before election Scott W. Lucas Democratic Elected Senator Scott W. Lucas Democratic

Indiana[edit]

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)[edit]

Indiana (regular)[edit]

1944 United States Senate election in Indiana

← 1938 November 7, 1944 1950 →

Nominee Homer Capehart Henry F. Schricker Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 829,489 807,766 Percentage 50.23% 48.91%

County results Capehart:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Schricker:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Samuel D. Jackson Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Homer Capehart Republican