Kentucky Oregon 69 25 3 4 Start date November 5, 1940 | 69 seats 23 seats 66 28 19,715,831 19,831,926 | |
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Winner Alben W Barkley | ||
The United States Senate elections of 1940 coincided with the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt to his third term as President.
Contents
Summary
Although Roosevelt was re-elected, support for his administration had dropped somewhat after eight years, and the Republican opposition gained three seats from the Democrats. However, the New Dealers regained firm control of both the US House of Representative and US Senate because Progressives dominated the election. The Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party also disappeared from the Senate, as Henrik Shipstead joined the Republican party and Ernest Lundeen had died during the preceding term.
Gains and losses
Incumbent John G. Townsend, Jr. (R-DE) was defeated by a Democrat, but Republicans defeated two incumbents James M. Slattery (D-IL) and Sherman Minton (D-IN), and took two open seats in Nebraska and Ohio.
Notable frehmen were future Governor of Arizona Ernest W. McFarland (D-AZ), future Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler (D-KY) and future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harold H. Burton (R-OH).