The 1924 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Republican President Calvin Coolidge to a full term. The 32 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. The strong economy and Coolidge's popularity helped Republican candidates increase their majority by three. Republicans would gain another seat through mid-term vacancies, bringing their seat share to 56–39–1.

Gains, losses, and holds Retirements Three Republicans and two Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Colorado (special) Connecticut Oklahoma Rhode Island West Virginia

Defeats Four Democrats, four Republicans, and one Farmer-Labor candidate sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Delaware Illinois Kentucky Massachusetts Minnesota New Mexico South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee

Post-election changes

StateSenatorReplaced by Iowa (class 2) Iowa (class 3) Indiana Maine Missouri Wisconsin

Change in composition

Before the elections At the beginning of 1924.

  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 FL 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

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 FL 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

Key D Democratic FL Farmer–Labor R Republican

Race summaries

Special elections during the 68th Congress In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1924 or before March 4, 1925; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Colorado(Class 3) Alva B. Adams Democratic 1923 Interim appointee retired to run for the Class 2 seat, see below.New senator elected November 4, 1924.Republican gain. Michigan(Class 2) James Couzens Republican 1922 Interim appointee elected November 4, 1924. Rhode Island(Class 2) LeBaron B. Colt Republican 19131918 Incumbent died August 18, 1924.New senator elected November 4, 1924.Republican hold.Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. Connecticut(Class 3) Frank B. Brandegee Republican 1905 190919141920 Incumbent died October 14, 1924.New senator elected December 16, 1924.Republican hold.

Elections leading to the 69th Congress In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1925; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Alabama J. Tom Heflin Democratic 1920 Incumbent re-elected. Arkansas Joseph T. Robinson Democratic 19131918 Incumbent re-elected. Colorado Lawrence C. Phipps Republican 1918 Incumbent re-elected. Delaware L. Heisler Ball Republican 1903 1906 1918 Incumbent lost renomination.Republican hold. Georgia William J. Harris Democratic 1918 Incumbent re-elected. Idaho William Borah Republican 190719131918 Incumbent re-elected. Illinois Medill McCormick Republican 1918 Incumbent lost renomination.Republican hold.Incumbent then died and winner was appointed to finish the current term. Iowa Smith W. Brookhart Republican 1922 Incumbent re-elected.Election was later successfully challenged after the new senator had been seated.This is the only time a Senate election has been overturned after a candidate had already been seated. Kansas Arthur Capper Republican 1918 Incumbent re-elected. Kentucky Augustus O. Stanley Democratic 1918 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. Louisiana Joseph E. Ransdell Democratic 19121918 Incumbent re-elected. Maine Bert M. Fernald Republican 1916 1918 Incumbent re-elected. Massachusetts David I. Walsh Democratic 1918 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. Michigan James Couzens Republican 1918 Incumbent re-elected. Minnesota Magnus Johnson Farmer–Labor 1923 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. Mississippi Pat Harrison Democratic 1918 Incumbent re-elected. Montana Thomas J. Walsh Democratic 19131918 Incumbent re-elected. Nebraska George W. Norris Republican 19131918 Incumbent re-elected. New Hampshire Henry W. Keyes Republican 1918 Incumbent re-elected. New Jersey Walter E. Edge Republican 1918 Incumbent re-elected. New Mexico Holm O. Bursum Republican 1921 1921 Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. North Carolina F. M. Simmons Democratic 1901190719131918 Incumbent re-elected. Oklahoma Robert L. Owen Democratic 190719131918 Incumbent retired.Republican gain. Oregon Charles L. McNary Republican 1917 1918 1918 1918 Incumbent re-elected. Rhode Island LeBaron B. Colt Republican 19131918 Incumbent died August 18, 1924.New senator elected.Republican hold.Winner was also elected to finish the current term; see above. South Carolina Nathaniel B. Dial Democratic 1918 Incumbent lost renomination.Democratic hold. South Dakota Thomas Sterling Republican 19131918 Incumbent lost renomination.Republican hold. Tennessee John K. Shields Democratic 19131918 Incumbent lost renomination.Democratic hold. Texas Morris Sheppard Democratic 1913 19131918 Incumbent re-elected. Virginia Carter Glass Democratic 19201920 Incumbent re-elected. West Virginia Davis Elkins Republican 1911 1911 1918 Incumbent retired.Republican hold. Wyoming Francis E. Warren Republican 18951901190719131918 Incumbent re-elected.

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

State Party of winner Margin Iowa Republican 0.1% Minnesota Republican (flip) 1.0% Massachusetts Republican (flip) 1.7% New Mexico Democratic (flip) 2.5% Kentucky Republican (flip) 3.12% West Virginia Republican 3.2% Colorado (regular) Republican 6.3% Colorado (special) Republican (flip) 6.5%

The tipping point state was Wyoming, with a margin of 10.4%.

Alabama

Arkansas

Colorado

Colorado (special)

Colorado (regular)

Connecticut (special)

Delaware

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Iowa

Democrat Daniel F. Steck successfully challenged the election, and the Senate awarded Steck the seat on April 12, 1926.

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Massachusetts

Michigan

Michigan (special)

Michigan (regular)

Minnesota

Mississippi

Montana

Incumbent Democrat Thomas J. Walsh, who was first elected to the Senate in 1912 by the state legislature (as was the practice then), and re-elected in 1918 by popular vote (in accordance with the 17th Amendment), ran for re-election. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

He faced former State Representative Frank Bird Linderman and several other opponents in the general election. Walsh ultimately won re-election to his third term by a solid margin.

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Oregon

Rhode Island

Rhode Island (special)

Rhode Island (regular)

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

Wyoming

See also 1924 United States elections 1924 United States presidential election 1924 United States House of Representatives elections 68th United States Congress 69th United States Congress

Notes

References