The 1920 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 2, 1920. Incumbent Senator Albert B. Cummins was re-elected to a third term in office, defeating challenges from Smith W. Brookhart in the Republican primary and Claude R. Porter in the general election.
Republican primary Candidates Smith W. Brookhart, World War I veteran and marksman Albert B. Cummins, incumbent Senator since 1908
Campaign Albert B. Cummins was a progressive senator from an earlier generation who distrusted both corporate interests and trade unions. Brookhart campaigned against railroad regulations Cummins had co-authored, the Esch–Cummins Act, which Brookhart claimed did too little to wrest ownership and control of railroads away from Wall Street interests."Cummins May Campaign Iowa Before Primary," Waterloo Evening Courier, March 23, 1920 at 7. Brookhart attempted to register rank-and-file blue-collar workers as Republicans so that they could vote for him in the primary, which prompted Cummins to associate Brookhart with radical workers movements such as "the Socialists, reds and Industrial Workers of the World.""Cummins Seems Choice of Black Hawk Co. Voters," Waterloo Evening Courier, June 4, 1920 at 1. Cummins was sidelined by illness in the weeks leading up to the primary but defeated Brookhart."Cummins' Lead over Brookhart is Over 20,000," Waterloo Evening Courier, June 9, 1920, p. 1.
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Claude Porter, former State Senator from Centerville
Results
General election Candidates H. W. Cowles (FarmerLabor) Albert B. Cummins, incumbent Senator since 1908 (Republican) Arthur S. Dowler (Socialist Labor) Claude Porter, former State Senator from Centerville (Democratic)
Results
See also 1920 United States Senate elections
Notes
References