1918 United States Senate elections

The 1918 United States Senate elections were held throughout 1918, the midpoint of Woodrow Wilson's second term as president. This was the first election since the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913 that all 32 Class 2 senators were subject to direct or popular election, making them the final class under the old system of being selected by state legislatures. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies.

Republicans gained a slim 2-seat control after picking a net of 6 seats up. This came after an April 1918 special election where they flipped a seat in Wisconsin.

Gains, losses, and holds Retirements Three Republicans and one Democrat retired instead of seeking re-election. Two Republicans retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired terms, one Democrat retired instead of seeking election to a full term and two Democrats retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired terms.

StateSenatorReplaced by Kentucky Louisiana (special) Michigan New Hampshire (special) New Hampshire New Jersey Oregon (special) South Carolina (special) West Virginia

Defeats Eight Democrats and one Republican sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Colorado Delaware Georgia Illinois Kansas Massachusetts Mississippi Missouri South Carolina (special)

Deaths One Democrat died on October 21, 1917, and his seat remained vacant until an April 1918 election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Wisconsin

Post-election changes

StateSenatorReplaced by Alabama Virginia

Source: United States Senate Official Website

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 R R R R R R R D D 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 D 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 R Republican

Complete list of races

Special elections during the 65th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1918 or before March 4, 1919; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Wisconsin(Class 3) Paul O. Husting Democratic 1914 Incumbent died October 21, 1917.New senator elected April 2, 1918.Republican gain. Idaho(Class 3) John F. Nugent Democratic 1918 Interim appointee elected November 5, 1918. Louisiana(Class 3) Walter Guion Democratic 1918 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected November 5, 1918.Democratic hold. Missouri(Class 3) Xenophon P. Wilfley Democratic 1918 Interim appointee lost nomination.New senator elected November 5, 1918.Republican gain. Nevada(Class 3) Charles Henderson Democratic 1918 Interim appointee elected November 5, 1918. New Hampshire(Class 3) Irving W. Drew Republican 1918 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected November 5, 1918.Republican hold. New Jersey(Class 2) David Baird Republican 1918 Interim appointee elected November 5, 1918.Interim appointee was not a candidate for the next term; see below. Oregon(Class 2) Charles L. McNary Republican 1917 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected November 5, 1918.Republican hold.Interim appointee was instead elected to the next term; see below.Mulkey took the seat but subsequently resigned so McNary could be re-appointed ahead of the term. South Carolina(Class 2) Christie Benet Democratic 1918 Interim appointee lost renomination.New senator elected November 5, 1918.Democratic hold.Neither the interim appointee nor the winner were elected to the next term; see below.

Elections leading to the 66th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1919; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Alabama John H. Bankhead Democratic 1907 1907 1911 Incumbent re-elected. Arkansas Joseph T. Robinson Democratic 1913 Incumbent re-elected. Colorado John F. Shafroth Democratic 1913 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. Delaware Willard Saulsbury Jr. Democratic 1913 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. Georgia Thomas W. Hardwick Democratic 1914 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Idaho William Borah Republican 19071913 Incumbent re-elected. Illinois J. Hamilton Lewis Democratic 1913 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. Iowa William S. Kenyon Republican 1911 1913 Incumbent re-elected. Kansas William H. Thompson Democratic 1913 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. Kentucky George B. Martin Democratic 1918 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Louisiana Joseph E. Ransdell Democratic 1912 Incumbent re-elected. Maine Bert M. Fernald Republican 1916 Incumbent re-elected September 9, 1918. Massachusetts John W. Weeks Republican 1913 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Michigan William Alden Smith Republican 19111913 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. Minnesota Knute Nelson Republican 1895190119071913 Incumbent re-elected. Mississippi James K. Vardaman Democratic 1912 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected. Montana Thomas J. Walsh Democratic 1913 Incumbent re-elected. Nebraska George W. Norris Republican 1913 Incumbent re-elected. New Hampshire Henry F. Hollis Democratic 1913 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican gain. New Jersey David Baird Republican 1918 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected.Republican hold.Interim appointee (Baird) was elected to finish the current term; see above. New Mexico Albert B. Fall Republican 1912 1912 1913 Incumbent re-elected. North Carolina F. M. Simmons Democratic 190119071913 Incumbent re-elected. Oklahoma Robert L. Owen Democratic 1907 1913 Incumbent re-elected. Oregon Charles L. McNary Republican 1917 Interim appointee elected to the next term but not to finish the term.Winner appointed to begin next term early when winner of the special election (see above) resigned. Rhode Island LeBaron B. Colt Republican 1913 Incumbent re-elected. South Carolina Christie Benet Democratic 1918 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected.Democratic hold.Neither the interim appointee nor the winner were elected to finish the current term; see above. South Dakota Thomas Sterling Republican 1913 Incumbent re-elected. Tennessee John K. Shields Democratic 1913 Incumbent re-elected. Texas Morris Sheppard Democratic 1913 Incumbent re-elected. Virginia Thomas S. Martin Democratic 1893 1899 19061912 Incumbent re-elected. West Virginia Nathan Goff Jr. Republican 1913 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. Wyoming Francis E. Warren Republican 18901893 1895190119071913 Incumbent re-elected.

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

State Party of winner Margin Idaho (special) Democratic 1.0% New Hampshire (special) Republican 1.52% Kentucky Democratic 1.54% Colorado Republican (flip) 1.55% Michigan Republican 1.72% Delaware Republican (flip) 3.34% Wisconsin (special) Republican (flip) 3.61% New Mexico Republican 3.92% New Jersey (special) Republican 4.53% Massachusetts Democratic (flip) 4.6% Montana Democratic 5.28% Rhode Island Republican 5.52% Illinois Republican (flip) 5.58% Missouri (special) Republican (flip) 6.1% New Hampshire Republican (flip) 7.08% New Jersey Republican 7.11% West Virginia Republican 8.13% Nebraska Republican 9.03%

Alabama

Arkansas

Colorado

Delaware

Georgia

Idaho

Idaho (regular)

Idaho (special)

Incumbent Democratic Senator John Frost Nugent defeated Republican nominee Frank Robert Gooding by a very narrow margin of 1.00% and by 970 votes. Upon his election, John Frost Nugent became the first Democrat ever to have been elected to the United States Senate in Idaho or from Idaho and the first non-Republican to win a United States Senate seat in Idaho or from Idaho since 1901 and the first non-Republican to win the Class 3 Senate seat in Idaho or from Idaho since 1897.

Illinois

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Louisiana (regular)

Louisiana (special)

Maine

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri (special)

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada (special)

New Hampshire

New Hampshire (regular)

New Hampshire (special)

New Jersey

New Jersey (regular)

New Jersey (special)

New Mexico

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Oregon

Oregon (regular)

Oregon (special)

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Carolina (regular)

South Carolina (special)

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin (special)

Wyoming

See also 1918 United States elections 1918 United States House of Representatives elections 65th United States Congress 66th United States Congress

Notes

References