The 1940 United States Senate elections coincided with the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt to his third term as president. The 32 seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies.

Although Roosevelt was re-elected to an unprecedented third term, support for his administration had dropped somewhat after eight years, and the Republican opposition gained three seats from the Democrats. However, the New Deal Democrats regained firm control of both the House and Senate because the Progressives dominated the election. The Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party also disappeared from the Senate, as Henrik Shipstead joined the Republican party and Ernest Lundeen had died during the preceding term. Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri was elected to his final term in the Senate in 1940. Truman resigned in 1945 to serve as President Roosevelt's third Vice President.

Republicans later gained an additional seat through an appointment in Colorado.

Gains, losses, and holds Retirements One Republican and two Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election. One Republican retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired term.

StateSenatorReplaced by Maine Ohio Vermont (special) Washington

Defeats Five Democrats and two Republicans sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election. One Democrat sought election to finish the unexpired term but lost in the general election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Arizona Delaware Illinois Indiana Nebraska North Dakota Utah West Virginia

Post-election changes

StateSenatorReplaced by Nevada Arkansas Colorado South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina Texas Texas Mississippi Mississippi West Virginia

Party switches One Farmer-Labor senator was re-elected as a Republican.

StateSenatorReplaced by Minnesota

Change in composition

Before the elections

  D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D Majority → D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R FL P I D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Election results   D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D Majority → D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D I P R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Key D Democratic FL Farmer–Labor P Progressive R Republican I Independent

Race summaries

Special elections during the 76th Congress In these special elections, the winner elected during 1940 and seated once qualified; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Idaho(Class 2) John Thomas Republican 1928 1928 1932 1940 Interim appointee elected November 5, 1940. Illinois(Class 2) James M. Slattery Democratic 1939 Interim appointee lost election to finish term.New senator elected November 5, 1940.Republican gain. Kentucky(Class 2) Happy Chandler Democratic 1939 Interim appointee elected November 5, 1940. Vermont(Class 3) Ernest W. Gibson Jr. Republican 1940 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected November 5, 1940.Republican hold.

Races leading to the 77th Congress In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1941; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory Arizona Henry F. Ashurst Democratic 19121916192219281934 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. California Hiram Johnson Republican 1916192219281934 Incumbent re-elected. Connecticut Francis T. Maloney Democratic 1934 Incumbent re-elected. Delaware John G. Townsend Jr. Republican 19281934 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Florida Charles O. Andrews Democratic 1936 Incumbent re-elected. Indiana Sherman Minton Democratic 1934 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. Maine Frederick Hale Republican 1916192219281934 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. Maryland George L. P. Radcliffe Democratic 1934 Incumbent re-elected. Massachusetts David I. Walsh Democratic 19181924 1926 19281934 Incumbent re-elected. Michigan Arthur Vandenberg Republican 1928 1928 19281934 Incumbent re-elected. Minnesota Henrik Shipstead Farmer–Labor 192219281934 Incumbent re-elected as a Republican.Republican gain. Mississippi Theodore G. Bilbo Democratic 1934 Incumbent re-elected. Missouri Harry S. Truman Democratic 1934 Incumbent re-elected. Montana Burton K. Wheeler Democratic 192219281934 Incumbent re-elected. Nebraska Edward R. Burke Democratic 1934 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Republican gain. Nevada Key Pittman Democratic 1913 1916192219281934 Incumbent re-elected.Winner died November 10, 1940, and Berkeley L. Bunker (D) was appointed both to finish the term and to start the next term. New Jersey W. Warren Barbour Republican 1931 1932 1936 1938 Incumbent re-elected. New Mexico Dennis Chávez Democratic 1935 1936 Incumbent re-elected. New York James M. Mead Democratic 1938 Incumbent re-elected. North Dakota Lynn Frazier Republican/Nonpartisan League 192219281934 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Republican hold. Ohio Vic Donahey Democratic 1934 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican gain. Pennsylvania Joseph F. Guffey Democratic 1934 Incumbent re-elected. Rhode Island Peter G. Gerry Democratic 191619221928 1934 Incumbent re-elected. Tennessee Kenneth McKellar Democratic 1916192219281934 Incumbent re-elected. Texas Tom Connally Democratic 19281934 Incumbent re-elected. Utah William H. King Democratic 191619221928 1934 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Vermont Warren Austin Republican 1931 1934 Incumbent re-elected. Virginia Harry F. Byrd Democratic 1933 1933 1934 Incumbent re-elected. Washington Lewis B. Schwellenbach Democratic 1934 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic hold.Incumbent resigned December 16, 1940.Winner appointed to finish the term. West Virginia Rush Holt Sr. Democratic 1934 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Wisconsin Robert M. La Follette Jr. Progressive 1925 19281934 Incumbent re-elected. Wyoming Joseph C. O'Mahoney Democratic 1933 1934 Incumbent re-elected.

Closest races Thirteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

State Party of winner Margin Illinois Republican (flip) 0.7% Indiana Republican (flip) 1.4% Missouri Democratic 2.5% North Dakota Republican 3.0% Delaware Democratic (flip) 3.3% Wisconsin Progressive 3.9% Pennsylvania Democratic 4.4% Ohio Republican (flip) 4.8% Michigan Republican 5.7% Idaho (special) Republican 5.9% New York Democratic 6.6% Connecticut Democratic 7.5% Washington Democratic 8.4%

There is no tipping point state.

Arizona

California

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Idaho (special)

Illinois (special)

Indiana

Kentucky (special)

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

One-term Democrat Harry S. Truman was narrowly re-elected. He would only serve until resigning January 17, 1945, to become U.S. Vice President.

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

Pittman suffered a severe heart attack just before the election on November 5, and two doctors told his aides before the election that death was imminent. To avoid affecting the election, the party told the press that the senator was hospitalized for exhaustion and that his condition was not serious. Pittman died on November 10 at the Washoe General Hospital in Reno, Nevada. Governor Edward Carville would go on to appoint Berkeley L. Bunker as his replacement.

In later years, a myth spread that Pittman had in fact died before the election, and his body had been kept on ice in the Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah so that Carville could appoint his replacement.

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

The whole ticket nominated by Democrats and American Laborites was elected.

North Dakota

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

There were 2 elections due to the June 20, 1940, death of two-term Republican Ernest Willard Gibson.

Vermont (regular)

Two-term Republican Warren Austin was easily re-elected. He faced no opponents in the primary.

Austin served only until his August 2, 1946, resignation to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Vermont (special)

Gibson's son, Republican Ernest W. Gibson Jr. was appointed June 24, 1940, to continue his father's term, pending a special election, in which he was not a candidate.

Aiken did not take the seat until January 10, 1941, as he wanted to remain Governor of Vermont. He would be repeatedly re-elected and serve until his 1975 retirement.

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

See also 1940 United States elections 1940 United States presidential election 1940 United States gubernatorial elections 1940 United States House of Representatives elections 76th United States Congress 77th United States Congress

Notes

References