54 seats 42 seats 5 5 47.2% 49.9% Start date November 7, 1950 | 49 47 15,297,854 16,166,439 9.0% 7.3% | |
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Winner Ernest McFarland | ||
The United States Senate elections of 1950 occurred in the middle of Harry S. Truman's second term as President. As with most 20th-century second-term mid-terms, the party out of the Presidency made significant gains. The Republican opposition made a net gain of five seats, taking advantage of the Democratic administration's declining popularity during the Cold War and the aftermath of the Recession of 1949. The Democrats held a narrow 49 to 47 seat majority after the election. This became the first time since 1932 that the Senate Majority Leader lost his seat.
Contents
Gains and losses
The Republicans defeated four incumbent Democrats:
- Illinois: Democrat Scott W. Lucas (the incumbent Majority Leader), lost to Everett Dirksen (R).
- Maryland: Millard Tydings (D) lost to John M. Butler (R).
- Pennsylvania: Francis J. Myers (D) lost to James H. Duff (R).
- Utah: Elbert B. Thomas (D) lost to Wallace F. Bennett (R).
Republicans also won two open seats:
- Idaho: Glen H. Taylor (D) lost renomination to David Worth Clark, who ended up losing the general election to Herman Welker (R).
- California: Sheridan Downey (D) retired, citing ill health and facing a tough renomination fight against Helen Gahagan Douglas, who ended up losing the general election to Richard Nixon (R).
Democrats defeated one incumbent Republican:
- Missouri: Forrest C. Donnell (R) lost to Thomas C. Hennings, Jr. (D)
Subsequent changes
During the next Congress, three states would have party changes to deaths and appointments.
- Kentucky: Virgil Chapman (D) died March 8, 1951.
- Thomas R. Underwood (D) was appointed March 19, 1951 to continue his term.
- John S. Cooper (R), then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Republican gain.
- Michigan: Arthur H. Vandenberg (R) died April 18, 1951.
- Blair Moody (D) was appointed April 23, 1951 to continue his term.
- Charles E. Potter (R) then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Democratic gain, then Republican gain: overall Republican hold.
- Connecticut: Brien McMahon (D) died July 28, 1952.
- William A. Purtell (R) was appointed August 29, 1952 to continue his term.
- Prescott Bush (R), who had lost in this (1950) special election, then won a special election November 4, 1952 to finish the term. Republican gain.
Special elections during the 81st Congress
In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1950 or before January 3, 1951; ordered by election date.
Races leading to the 82nd Congress
In these general elections, the winner was seated on January 3, 1951; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
Special elections during the 82nd Congress
There were no elections in 1951 to the 82nd Congress.
Florida
Democratic incumbent Senator Claude Pepper lost renomination May 2, 1950 to George A. Smathers, who easily won the general election.