The 1926 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate that occurred in the middle of Republican President Calvin Coolidge's second term. The 32 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. The Republican majority was reduced by seven seats.
Gains, losses, and holds Retirements One Republican and one Democrat retired instead of seeking re-election.
StateSenatorReplaced by Alabama Iowa
Defeats Ten Republicans sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election. One Republican sought election to finish the unexpired term but lost in the general election and one Republican sought election to finish the unexpired term and election to a full term but lost in both the special election and the regular election.
StateSenatorReplaced by Arizona Colorado Illinois Kentucky Maryland Massachusetts Missouri New York Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Wisconsin
Death One Republican died on August 23, 1926, and his seat remained vacant until the election.
StateSenatorReplaced by Maine
Post-election changes
StateSenatorReplaced by New Mexico Idaho Ohio Michigan
Change in composition
Before the elections At the beginning of 1926.
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 FL R R R R R R R R Majority → 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 R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Elections 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 FL R Majority → 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 R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
At the beginning of the next Congress 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 FL Plurality ↑ R R R R R R R R V V 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 R R R R R R R R R R Key D Democratic FL Farmer–Labor R Republican
Race summaries
Special elections during the 69th Congress In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1926 or before March 4, 1927; ordered by election date.
State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history North Dakota(Class 3) Gerald Nye Republican 1926 Interim appointee elected June 30, 1926.Winner was also elected to the next term, see below. Maine(Class 2) Bert M. Fernald Republican 1916 19181924 Incumbent died August 23, 1926.New senator elected September 13, 1926.Republican hold. Iowa(Class 3) David W. Stewart Republican 1926 Interim appointee elected November 2, 1926.Winner did not seek election to the next term, see below. Indiana(Class 1) Arthur Raymond Robinson Republican 1925 Interim appointee elected November 2, 1926. Massachusetts(Class 1) William M. Butler Republican 1924 Interim appointee lost election.New senator elected November 2, 1926.Democratic gain. Missouri(Class 3) George H. Williams Republican 1925 Interim appointee lost election.New senator elected November 2, 1926.Democratic gain.Winner also elected to the next term, see below.
Elections leading to the 70th Congress In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1927; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Alabama Oscar Underwood Democratic 19141920 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Arizona Ralph H. Cameron Republican 1920 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Arkansas Thaddeus H. Caraway Democratic 1920 Incumbent re-elected. California Samuel M. Shortridge Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected. Colorado Rice W. Means Republican 1924 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Republican hold. Connecticut Hiram Bingham III Republican 1924 Incumbent re-elected. Florida Duncan U. Fletcher Democratic 190819141920 Incumbent re-elected. Georgia Walter F. George Democratic 1922 Incumbent re-elected. Idaho Frank R. Gooding Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected. Illinois William B. McKinley Republican 1920 Incumbent lost renomination, then died.New senator elected.Winner appointed to finish term, but was not seated for either appointment or for next term.Republican hold, although the Senate did not consider the winner to be a senator. Indiana James E. Watson Republican 1916 1920 Incumbent re-elected. Iowa David W. Stewart Republican 1926 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected.Republican hold.Winner did not run to finish the term, see above. Kansas Charles Curtis Republican 19141920 Incumbent re-elected. Kentucky Richard P. Ernst Republican 1920 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Louisiana Edwin S. Broussard Democratic 1920 Incumbent re-elected. Maryland Ovington Weller Republican 1920 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Missouri George H. Williams Republican 1925 Incumbent appointee lost election. Winner also elected to finish the current term; see above.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Nevada Tasker Oddie Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected. New Hampshire George H. Moses Republican 1918 1920 Incumbent re-elected. New York James Wadsworth Republican 19141920 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. North Carolina Lee S. Overman Democratic 1903190919141920 Incumbent re-elected. North Dakota Gerald Nye Republican 1925 1926 Incumbent re-elected. Ohio Frank B. Willis Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected. Oklahoma John W. Harreld Republican 1920 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Oregon Robert N. Stanfield Republican 1920 Incumbent lost renomination, then ran as an Independent but lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican hold. Pennsylvania George W. Pepper Republican 1922 1922 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Senate refused to qualify winner due to charges of corruption and fraud concerning the election.Republican hold, but the Senate would later unseat the winner and declare the seat vacant. South Carolina Ellison D. Smith Democratic 190819141920 Incumbent re-elected. South Dakota Peter Norbeck Republican 1920 Incumbent re-elected. Utah Reed Smoot Republican 1903190919141920 Incumbent re-elected. Vermont Porter H. Dale Republican 1923 Incumbent re-elected. Washington Wesley L. Jones Republican 190919141920 Incumbent re-elected. Wisconsin Irvine Lenroot Republican 1920 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Republican hold.
Closest races Twelve races had a margin of victory under 10%:
State Party of winner Margin Indiana (regular) Republican 1.1% Indiana (special) Republican 2.2% Oregon Republican 3.5% Missouri Democratic (flip) 3.6% Kentucky Democratic (flip) 3.6% Illinois Republican 3.8% Colorado Republican 3.9% New York Democratic (flip) 4.1% Missouri Democratic (flip) 4.2% Washington Republican 4.8% Massachusetts Democratic (flip) 5.5% Ohio Republican 6.6%
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
There were two elections in Indiana due to the October 14, 1925 death of Democrat Samuel M. Ralston.
Indiana (special)
Republican Arthur Raymond Robinson was appointed to continue Ralston's term, pending the special election, which he then won.
Indiana (regular)
Iowa
Iowa (special)
Iowa (regular)
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine (special)
Maryland
Massachusetts (special)
Missouri
There were two elections on the same day for the same seat, due to the May 16, 1925 death of Republican Selden P. Spencer.
Republican George H. Williams was appointed May 25, 1925, to continue the term, epending a special election. Williams ran in both the special election to finish the term and the regular election to the next term, but lost both races to Democrat Harry B. Hawes.
Missouri (special)
Missouri (regular)
Nevada
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
There were two elections due to the June 22, 1925 death of one-term Republican Edwin F. Ladd. Republican Gerald Nye was appointed November 14, 1925, to continue the term, pending a special election. Nye later won the June 1926 special election to finish the term and the November 1926 general election to the next term.
North Dakota (special)
Nye was elected on the Nonpartisan League ticket, but served as a Republican.
North Dakota (regular)
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
See also 1926 United States elections 1926 United States gubernatorial elections 1926 United States House of Representatives elections 69th United States Congress 70th United States Congress
Notes
References