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The United States Senate elections of 1944 coincided with the re-election of Franklin D. Roosevelt to his fourth term as President. The Democrats retained their large majority, although they lost a net of one seat to the Republicans.

Results summary[edit]

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives[1]

Incumbents defeated in re-election[edit]

Democrats defeated three Republican incumbents:

  1. Connecticut: John A. Danaher, who was replaced by Brien McMahon.
  2. North Dakota: Gerald P. Nye, who was replaced by John Moses.
  3. Pennsylvania: James J. Davis, who was replaced by Francis J. Myers.

Republicans defeated one Democratic incumbent:

  1. Iowa: Guy M. Gillette, who was replaced by Bourke B. Hickenlooper.

Incumbents who lost renomination[edit]

Democratic holds[edit]

  1. Arkansas: Hattie Wyatt Caraway lost to J. William Fulbright, who won the general election.
  2. Idaho: David Worth Clark lost to Glen H. Taylor, who won the general election.
  3. South Carolina: Ellison D. Smith lost to Olin D. Johnston, who won the general election.

Republican hold[edit]

  1. Oregon: Rufus C. Holman lost to Wayne Morse, who won the general election.

Republican gain from Democrat[edit]

  1. Missouri: Bennett Champ Clark failed to attain renomination and was replaced by Forrest C. Donnell.

Retirements[edit]

Republicans took two seats from retiring appointee Democrats:

  1. Indiana: Samuel D. Jackson was replaced by William E. Jenner to complete the remainder of the term ending January 3, 1945, and Homer E. Capehart to serve the next term.
  2. New Jersey: Arthur Walsh was replaced by Howard Alexander Smith. However, Walsh was appointed in place of the deceased Republican William Warren Barbour, meaning the seat's party effectively did not change from the last election.

Change in composition[edit]

Before the elections[edit]

At the beginning of 1944.

Election results[edit]

Race summaries[edit]

Special elections during the 78th Congress[edit]

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1944 or before January 3, 1945; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the 79th Congress[edit]

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1945; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

Alabama[edit]

Arizona[edit]

Three-term Democrat Carl T. Hayden was easily re-elected.

Hayden would be re-elected three more times before retiring in 1962.

Arkansas[edit]

California[edit]

Colorado[edit]

Connecticut[edit]

Florida[edit]

Georgia[edit]

Idaho[edit]

Illinois[edit]

Senator Scott W. Lucas

Indiana[edit]

There were 2 elections in Indiana, due to the January 25, 1944 death of Democrat Frederick Van Nuys.

Democrat Samuel D. Jackson was appointed to continue the term, pending a special election. Republican William E. Jenner won the special election to finish the term, and Republican Homer E. Capehart won the general election to the next term.

Indiana (Special)[edit]

Indiana (Regular)[edit]

Iowa[edit]

Kansas[edit]

Kentucky[edit]

Louisiana[edit]

Senator John H. Overton

Maryland[edit]

Senator Millard Tydings

Massachusetts (Special)[edit]

Senator Leverett Saltonstall

Republican Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. resigned February 3, 1944 to return to active duty in the U.S. Army during World War II. Republican Sinclair Weeks was appointed February 8, 1944 to continue the term until an election was held. A special election was held on November 7, 1944 with Republican Massachusetts Governor Leverett Saltonstall defeating his challengers. He didn't take office until January 4, 1945, when his term as Governor ended.

Missouri[edit]

Nevada[edit]

New Hampshire[edit]

New Jersey (Special)[edit]

New York[edit]

Senator Robert F. Wagner

The Socialist Labor state convention met on April 2 at the Cornish Arms Hotel, the corner of Eighth Avenue and Twenty-eighth Street, in New York City. They nominated Eric Hass for the U.S. Senate.[3] At that time, the party used the name "Industrial Government Party" on the ballot, but was also referred to as the "Industrial Labor Party".

The Liberal Party was organized by a state convention with about 1,100 delegates who met on May 19 and 20 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. They endorsed the incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert F. Wagner for re-election.[4] The party filed a petition to nominate candidates which was allowed by Secretary of State Curran on August 25.[5]

The Republican State Committee met on August 8 at Albany, New York. They nominated Secretary of State Thomas J. Curran for the U.S. Senate.[6]

The Democratic State Committee met on August 8 at the National Democratic Club at 233, Madison Avenue in New York City. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Robert F. Wagner.[7]

The American Labor state convention met on August 10. They endorsed the Democratic nominee Wagner.[8]

The Democratic/American Labor/Liberal ticket was elected and incumbent Wagner was re-elected.

North Carolina[edit]

North Dakota[edit]

Ohio[edit]

Oklahoma[edit]

Oregon[edit]

Oregon (Special)[edit]

Oregon (Regular)[edit]

Pennsylvania[edit]

South Carolina[edit]

Senator Olin D. Johnston

South Dakota[edit]

Utah[edit]

Vermont[edit]

Senator George Aiken

Washington[edit]

Wisconsin[edit]

See also[edit]

  • 1944 United States elections
    • 1944 United States presidential election
    • 1944 United States gubernatorial elections
    • 1944 United States House of Representatives elections
  • 78th United States Congress
  • 79th United States Congress

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b National vote totals for the Democratic Party do not include a combined 808,841 votes for the American Labor Party and the Liberal Party of New York, which endorsed and voted for the Democratic candidate, Robert F. Wagner.
  2. ^ Appointee elected

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (March 1, 1945). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1944" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 16–17, 25–26, 36, 54.
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - AZ US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1944". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  3. ^ "2 CANDIDATES NAMED BY SOCIALIST LABOR". The New York Times. April 3, 1944.
  4. ^ "NEW PARTY FIXES 400,000-VOTE GOAL FOR ROOSEVELT". The New York Times. May 21, 1944.
  5. ^ "LIBERAL PARTY WINS; Curran Overrules Objections by O'Connor to Petitions". The New York Times. August 26, 1944.
  6. ^ "CURRAN IS NAMED". The New York Times. August 9, 1944.
  7. ^ "DEMOCRATS NAME WAGNER AND DYE". The New York Times. August 9, 1944.
  8. ^ "ROOSEVELT NAMED AT ALP CONVENTION; Wagner, Also Renominated". The New York Times. August 11, 1944.
  9. ^ "General Election Results - U.S. Senator - 1914-2014" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved June 17, 2015.