United States Senate elections, 1938
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Republican holds
Republican pickups
Democratic holds
Democratic pickups | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The United States Senate elections of 1938 occurred in the middle of Franklin D. Roosevelt's second term. This occurred six years after the Democratic landslide in the 1932 election, and so the opposition Republicans gained seven seats from the Democrats. However, the Democrats retained a commanding lead over the Republicans with more than two-thirds of the chamber.
Background
A contemporary account [1] cited a number of reasons for the losses suffered by the Democrats. The first was the Recession of 1937, which had continued into the first half of 1938, and which had arguably weakened public confidence in the administration's New Deal economic policies. Controversy over the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937 (Roosevelt's "court-packing" plan) was also a major factor. There were, in addition, strains between the more liberal New Deal supporters and the conservative wing of the Democratic party centered in the Southern states. These strains were exacerbated by an effort led by President Roosevelt to target certain conservative senators for defeat in Democratic primaries, including Walter George of Georgia, Millard Tydings of Maryland and Ellison Smith of South Carolina, along with the chairman of the House Rules Committee, John J. O'Connor of New York. While a number of New Deal supporters won primary elections, such as Sen. Alben Barkley in Kentucky, who defeated future baseball commissioner Happy Chandler, Sen. James P. Pope of Idaho, a prominent New Deal supporter, lost his bid for re-nomination, as did California senator William McAdoo, though McAdoo's Democratic opponent Sheridan Downey had campaigned as a liberal New Dealer who would also do more to improve pension plans.[2]
Given the high levels of Democratic success in the 1930, 1932, 1934 and 1936 elections, the Democrats were in a difficult position in defending a large number of seats, even without these pressures. Ironically, this was the first of five consecutive elections where the GOP made gains in the Senate.
Gains and losses
Overall, the Democrats lost 7 seats to Republicans
- Augustine Lonergan (D-CT)
- George McGill (D-KS), the last Democrat ever elected to the Senate from Kansas
- Fred H. Brown (D-NH)
- John Gerald Milton (D-NJ) had been appointed to replace A. Harry Moore (D), who resigned. Milton did not run in the special election to finish the current term (ending in 1941).
- Robert J. Bulkley (D-OH)
- Herbert Hitchcock (D-SD) had been appointed to replace Peter Norbeck (R), who died. Hitchock lost the Democratic primary both to finish the current term (ending in 1939) and for the new term (ending in 1945).
- F. Ryan Duffy (D-WI)
Change in Senate composition
Before the general elections
After the February 1, 1938 appointment in Oregon.
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 | D41 | D42 | D43 | D44 | D45 | D46 | D47 | D48 |
Majority → | D49 Ran | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D58 Ran |
D57 Ran |
D56 Ran |
D55 Ran |
D54 Ran |
D53 Ran |
D52 Ran |
D51 Retired |
D50 Retired | |
D59 Ran |
D60 Ran |
D61 Ran |
D62 Ran |
D63 Ran |
D64 Ran |
D65 Ran |
D66 Ran |
D67 Ran |
D68 Ran |
I1 | D77 Ran |
D76 Ran |
D75 Ran |
D74 Ran |
D73 Ran |
D72 Ran |
D71 Ran |
D70 Ran |
D69 Ran |
P1 | FL2 | FL1 | R15 Ran |
R14 Ran |
R13 Ran |
R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 |
General election results
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 | D41 | D42 | D43 | D44 | D45 | D46 | D47 | D48 |
Majority → | D49 Re-elected | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D58 Re-elected |
D57 Hold |
D56 Re-elected |
D55 Re-elected |
D54 Re-elected |
D53 Re-elected |
D52 Hold |
D51 Re-elected |
D50 Re-elected | |
D59 Re-elected |
D60 Re-elected |
D61 Re-elected |
D62 Re-elected |
D63 Re-elected |
D64 Re-elected |
D65 Re-elected |
D66 Re-elected |
D67 Re-elected |
D68 Hold |
R19 Gain |
R20 Gain |
R21 Gain |
R22 Gain |
P1 | FL1 | FL2 | I1 | D70 Re-elected |
D69 Re-elected |
R18 Gain |
R17 Gain |
R16 Gain |
R15 Re-elected |
R14 Re-elected |
R13 Re-elected |
R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 |
Special election results
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 | D41 | D42 | D43 | D44 | D45 Appointee elected |
D46 Hold |
D47 Hold |
D48 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Majority → | D49 | ||||||||
D58 | D57 | D56 | D55 | D54 | D53 | D52 | D51 | D50 | |
D59 | D60 | D61 | D62 | D63 | D64 | D65 | D66 | D67 | D68 |
R19 | R20 | R21 Gain |
R22 Gain |
R23 Gain |
P1 | FL1 | FL2 | I1 | D69 |
R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 |
Key: |
|
Race summaries
Special elections during the 75th Congress
In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1938 or before January 3, 1939; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama (Class 2) |
J. Lister Hill | Democratic | 1938 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected April 26, 1938. | √ J. Lister Hill (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
New Jersey (Class 1) |
John G. Milton | Democratic | 1938 (Appointed) | Interim appointee retired. Winner elected November 8, 1938. Republican gain. |
√ W. Warren Barbour (Republican) 53.0% William H. J. Ely (Democratic) 45.7% |
New York (Class 1) |
Royal S. Copeland | Democratic | 1922 1928 1934 |
Incumbent died June 17, 1938. Winner elected November 8, 1938. Democratic hold. |
√ James M. Mead (Democratic) 53.6% Edward F. Corsi (Republican) 45.8% |
Oregon (Class 3) |
Alfred E. Reames | Democratic | 1938 (Appointed) | Interim appointee retired. Winner elected November 8, 1938. Republican gain. Winner also elected to next term, see below. |
√ Alexander G. Barry (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
South Dakota (Class 3) |
Herbert E. Hitchcock | Democratic | 1936 (Appointed) | Interim appointee lost nomination to finish the term. Winner elected November 8, 1938. Republican gain. Winner did not run for the next term, however, see below. |
√ Gladys Pyle (Republican) 58.1% John T. McCullen (Democratic) 41.9% |
Tennessee (Class 1) |
George L. Berry | Democratic | 1937 (Appointed) | Interim appointee lost nomination to finish the term. Winner elected November 8, 1938. Democratic hold. |
√ Tom Stewart (Democratic)[3] 70.5% Harley G. Fowler (Republican) 26.2% |
Races leading to the 76th Congress
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1939; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | J. Lister Hill | Democratic | 1938 (Appointed) 1938 (Special) |
Incumbent re-elected. | √ J. Lister Hill (Democratic) 86.4% J. M. Pennington (Republican) 13.6% |
Arizona | Carl Hayden | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Carl Hayden (Democratic) 76.5% B. H. Clingan (Republican) 23.5% |
Arkansas | Hattie W. Caraway | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Hattie W. Caraway (Democratic) 89.6% C. D. Atkinson (Republican) 10.4% |
California | William G. McAdoo | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent lost renomination. Winner elected. Democratic hold. |
√ Sheridan Downey (Democratic) 54.4% Philip Bancroft (Republican) 44.7% Lillain Symes Clements (Socialist) 0.9% |
Colorado | Alva B. Adams | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Alva B. Adams (Democratic) 58.2% Archibald A. Lee (Republican) 40.2% |
Connecticut | Augustine Lonergan | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected. Republican gain. |
√ John A. Danaher (Republican) 42.9% Augustine Lonergan (Democratic) 40.0% Bellani Trombley (Socialist) 15.8% |
Florida | Claude Pepper | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Claude Pepper (Democratic) 82.5% Thomas E. Swanson (Republican) 17.6% |
Georgia | Walter F. George | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Walter F. George (Democratic) Unopposed |
Idaho | James P. Pope | Democratic | 1932 | Incumbent lost renomination. Winner elected. Democratic hold. |
√ D. Worth Clark (Democratic) 54.7% Donald A. Callahan (Republican) 44.9% |
Illinois | William H. Dieterich | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent retired. Winner elected. Democratic hold. |
√ Scott W. Lucas (Democratic) 51.3% Richard J. Lyons (Republican) 48.3% |
Indiana | Frederick Van Nuys | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Frederick Van Nuys (Democratic) 49.8% Raymond E. Willis (Republican) 49.5% Herman L. Seeger (Prohibition) 0.4% Louis E. Roebuck (Socialist) 0.1% Miles Blansett (Communist) 0.1% |
Iowa | Guy M. Gillette | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Guy M. Gillette (Democratic) 49.7% Lester J. Dickinson (Republican) 49.4% |
Kansas | George McGill | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected. Republican gain. |
√ Clyde M. Reed (Republican) 56.2% George McGill (Democratic) 43.8% |
Kentucky | Alben W. Barkley | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Alben W. Barkley (Democratic) 62.0% John P. Haswell (Republican) 38.0% |
Louisiana | John H. Overton | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ John H. Overton (Democratic) Unopposed. |
Maryland | Millard E. Tydings | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Millard E. Tydings (Democratic) 68.3% Oscar Lesser (Republican) 29.3% |
Missouri | Bennett Champ Clark | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Bennett Champ Clark (Democratic) 60.7% Harry S. Caulfield (Republican) 39.2% |
Nevada | Patrick A. McCarran | Democratic | 1932 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Patrick A. McCarran (Democratic) 59.0% Tasker L. Oddie (Republican) 41.0% |
New Hampshire | Fred H. Brown | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected. Republican gain. |
√ Charles W. Tobey (Republican) 54.2% Fred H. Brown (Democratic) 45.8% |
New York | Robert F. Wagner | Democratic | 1926 1932 |
Incumbent re-elected. | √ Robert F. Wagner (Democratic) 54.5% John Lord O'Brian (Republican) 45.0% |
North Carolina | Robert R. Reynolds | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Robert R. Reynolds (Democratic) 63.8% Charles A. Jonas (Republican) 36.2% |
North Dakota | Gerald P. Nye | Republican | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Gerald P. Nye (Republican) 50.1% William Langer (Independent) 42.6% J. J. Nygard (Democratic) 7.3% |
Ohio | Robert J. Bulkley | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected. Republican gain. |
√ Robert A. Taft (Republican) 53.6% Robert J. Bulkley (Democratic) 46.4% |
Oklahoma | Elmer Thomas | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Elmer Thomas (Democratic) 65.4% Harry G. Glasser (Republican) 33.9% |
Oregon | Alfred E. Reames | Democratic | 1938 (Appointed) | Interim appointee retired. Winner elected. Republican gain. Winner also elected to finish term, see above. |
√ Rufus C. Holman (Republican) 54.9% Willis Mahoney (Democratic) 45.1% |
Pennsylvania | James J. Davis | Republican | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ James J. Davis (Republican) 54.7% George H. Earle (Democratic) 44.4% |
South Carolina | Ellison D. Smith | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Ellison D. Smith (Democratic) Unopposed |
South Dakota | Herbert E. Hitchcock | Democratic | 1936 (Appointed) | Interim appointee lost nomination to next term. Winner elected. Republican gain. |
√ Chandler Gurney (Republican) 52.5% Tom Berry (Democratic) 47.5% |
Utah | Elbert D. Thomas | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Elbert D. Thomas (Democratic) 55.8% Franklin S. Harris (Republican) 44.2% |
Vermont | Ernest W. Gibson | Republican | 1933 (Appointed) 1934 (Special) |
Incumbent re-elected. | √ Ernest W. Gibson (Republican) 65.7% John McGrath (Democratic) 34.3% |
Washington | Homer T. Bone | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Homer T. Bone (Democratic) 62.6% Ewing D. Colvin (Republican) 37.1% Eugene Solie (Socialist Labor) 0.3% |
Wisconsin | F. Ryan Duffy | Democratic | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected. Republican gain. |
√ Alexander Wiley (Republican) 47.7% Herman L. Ekern (Progressive) 26.6% F. Ryan Duffy (Democratic) 24.7% |
Elections during the 76th Congress
There were no elections in 1939.
Further reading
- Dunn, Susan. Roosevelt's Purge: How FDR Fought to Change the Democratic Party (2010) excerpt and text search
- Hixson, Walter L. "The 1938 Kentucky Senate Election: Alben W. Barkley, "Happy" Chandler, and The New Deal." Register of the Kentucky Historical Society (1982): 309-329. in JSTOR
- Plesur, Milton. "The Republican Congressional Comeback of 1938", Review of Politics Vol. 24, No. 4 (Oct. 1962), pp. 525–562 in JSTOR