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1952 United States Senate elections

1952 United States Senate elections

← 1950 September 8[a] & November 4, 1952 1954 →
35 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Styles Bridges[b] Ernest McFarland (Lost re-election) Party Republican Democratic Leader since January 8, 1952 January 3, 1951 Leader's seat New Hampshire Arizona Seats before 47 49 Seats after 49 47 Seat change 2 2 Popular vote 24,665,569 21,236,793 Percentage 52.0% 44.8% Seats up 21 14 Races won 23 12
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      No election Rectangular inset (Conn. & Neb.): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Ernest McFarland Democratic Elected Majority Leader Robert A. Taft Republican

The 1952 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the electionofDwight D. Eisenhower to the presidency by a large margin. The 32 Senate seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections, and three special elections were held to fill vacancies. The Republicans took control of the Senate by managing to make a net gain of two seats. However, Wayne Morse (R-OR) became an independent forcing Republicans to rely on Vice President Richard Nixon's tie-breaking vote, although Republicans maintained a 48–47–1 plurality. Throughout the next Congress, Republicans were able to restore their 49–46–1 majority. This was the third time, as well as second consecutive, in which a sitting Senate leader lost his seat.

The 1952 United States Senate elections marked a significant shift in power, with the Republicans gaining control of the Senate by making a net gain of two seats.

This was the last time the Senate changed hands in a presidential election year until 1980 and the last time the Republicans won control of the Senate until 1980. As of 2020, this is the last time both houses simultaneously changed hands in a presidential year.^[1]

Results summary[edit]

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

Parties					Total
		Democratic	Republican	Other
Last elections (1950) Before these elections		49	47	0	96
Not up		35	26	0	61
Up		14	21	—	35
	Class 1 (1946→1952)	13	19	—	32
	Special: Class 2	1	1	—	2
	Special: Class 3	0	1	—	1
Incumbent retired		2	2	—	4
	Held by same party	1	2	—	3
	Replaced by other party	1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican		—	1
	Result	1	3	0	4
Incumbent ran		12	19	—	31
	Won re-election	6	14	—	20
	Lost re-election	4 Republicans replaced by 4 Democrats 5 Democrats replaced by 5 Republicans		—	9
	Lost renomination but held by same party	1	1	—	2
	Result	11	20	0	31
Total elected		12	23	0	35
Net change		2	2		2
Nationwide vote		21,236,793	24,665,569	1,534,837	47,437,199
	Share	44.77%	52.00%	3.24%	100%
Result		47	49	0	96

Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives^[2]

Gains, losses and holds[edit]

Retirements[edit]

One Republican and one Democrat retired instead of seeking re-election. One Republican and one Democrat also retired instead of finishing the unexpired term.

Defeats[edit]

Four Republicans and five Democrats sought re-election, and one Republican and one Democrat also sought election to run to finish the unexpired term or in the six-year term but lost in the primary or general election.

Post-election changes[edit]

Change in composition[edit]

Before the elections[edit]

Going into the November elections.

Results of the elections[edit]

Beginning of the next Congress[edit]

Race summaries[edit]

Special elections during the 82nd Congress[edit]

In these special elections the winners were seated before January 3, 1953; ordered by election date, then state.

Races leading to the 83rd Congress[edit]

In these general elections, the winner was seated on January 3, 1953; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

Closest races[edit]

Twenty races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Arizona[edit]

1952 United States Senate election in Arizona

← 1946 November 4, 1952 1958 →
Turnout	82.28% (registered voters)[5]
Nominee Barry Goldwater Ernest McFarland Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 132,063 125,338 Percentage 51.31% 48.69%
County results Goldwater:      50-60% McFarland:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
U.S. senator before election Ernest McFarland Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater Republican

California[edit]

1952 United States Senate election in California

← 1946 November 4, 1952 1958 →

Nominee William F. Knowland Reuben W. Borough Party Republican Progressive Alliance Democratic Popular vote 3,982,448 542,270 Percentage 87.79% 11.95%

County Results Knowland:      80–90%      90-100%

U.S. senator before election William F. Knowland Republican Elected U.S. Senator William F. Knowland Republican

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2017)

Connecticut[edit]

There were two elections on the same day due to the July 28, 1952 death of two-term Democrat Brien McMahon.

Republican businessman William Purtell was appointed August 29, 1952 to continue the class 3 term, pending a special election in which he was not a candidate. Purtell was already the Republican nominee in the regular election for the class 1 seat, a race he then won.

Connecticut (special)[edit]

1952 United States Senate special election in Connecticut

← 1950 November 4, 1952 1956 →

Nominee Prescott Bush Abraham Ribicoff Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 559,465 530,505 Percentage 51.17% 48.52%

County results Ribicoff:      50–60% Bush:      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election William A. Purtell Republican Elected U.S. Senator Prescott Bush Republican

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2017)

Connecticut (regular)[edit]

1952 United States Senate election in Connecticut

← 1950 (special) November 3, 1952 1958 →

Nominee William A. Purtell William Benton Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 573,854 485,066 Percentage 52.48% 44.36%

County results Municipality results Purtell:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Benton:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election William Benton Democratic Elected U.S. Senator William A. Purtell Republican

Delaware[edit]