1942 United States Senate elections
The United States Senate elections of 1942 were held November 3, 1942, midway through Franklin D. Roosevelt's third term as President.
Background
Although this election took place during World War II, the opposition Republican party made major gains, taking eight seats from the Democrats and one from an independent. The Democrats nonetheless retained a significant majority, though the smallest since Roosevelt was first elected in 1932.The New York Times ascribed the results to "voters' dissatisfaction with the conduct of the war, both at home and abroad" but not evidence of a lack of enthusiasm for the war effort. It found that a candidate's stance as isolationist or interventionist before Pearl Harbor had little impact on his success at the polls. The paper's editorial board welcomed a return to normal political alignments after the unbalanced majorities of the previous decade. The election not only changed the numbers of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, but also accomplished an ideological shift, as several longtime enthusiastic supporters of the New Deal were replaced by Republicans of the most conservative sort.
Gains and losses
Republicans had a net gain of nine seats.Nine came from wins over Democrats:
- Delaware: First-term Democrat James H. Hughes lost renomination to E. Ennalls Berl, who then lost the general election to Republican C. Douglass Buck.
- Iowa: First-term Democrat Clyde L. Herring lost re-election to Republican George A. Wilson.
- Michigan: First-term Democrat Prentiss M. Brown narrowly lost re-election to Republican Homer Ferguson.
- New Jersey: First-term Democrat William H. Smathers lost re-election to Republican Albert W. Hawkes.
- Oklahoma: First-term Democrat Joshua B. Lee lost re-election to Republican Edward H. Moore.
- South Dakota: Second-term Democrat William J. Bulow lost renomination to Tom Berry, who then lost the general election to Republican Harlan J. Bushfield.
- West Virginia: First-term Democratic appointee Joseph Rosier retired and Republican Edward H. Moore easily beat Democratic former three-term senator Matthew M. Neely.
- Wyoming: First-term Democrat Henry H. Schwartz lost re-election to Republican Edward V. Robertson.
- Nebraska: Five-term Independent George W. Norris lost re-election to Republican Kenneth S. Wherry, as Democrat Foster May split the vote.
- West Virginia: First-term Democratic appointee Joseph Rosier lost election to finish the term to Republican Hugh Shott, who did not run for the next term.
Change in composition
Before the elections
At the beginning of 1942.Election results
| Key: | Race summariesSpecial elections during the 77th CongressIn these special elections, the winner was seated during 1942 or before January 3, 1943; ordered by election date.Races leading to the 78th CongressIn these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1943; ordered by state.All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats. AlabamaArkansasColoradoThere were 2 elections in Colorado.Colorado (General)Colorado (Special)DelawareGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaThere were two elections to the class 2 seat due to the August 31, 1940 death of Farmer–Laborite Ernest Lundeen. Republican Joseph H. Ball was appointed October 14, 1940 to continue the term, pending the special election. Ball was elected to the next term in the general election, but not to finish the current term in the special election.Minnesota (Special)Minnesota (General)MississippiMontanaNebraskaNevada (Special)New HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNorth CarolinaOklahomaOregonRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasVirginiaWest VirginiaThere were 2 elections to the class 2 seat due to the January 12, 1941 resignation of Democrat Matthew M. Neely who was elected Governor of West Virginia. Democrat Joseph Rosier was appointed January 13, 1941 to continue the term, pending the special election.West Virginia (Special)West Virginia (General)Wyoming |