1932 United States Senate elections

1932 United States Senate elections

← 1930 November 8, 1932 1934 →
← 1931 (VT) 1933 (VA) →
34 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Joseph Robinson James Watson (Lost re-election) Party Democratic Republican Leader since December 3, 1923 March 4, 1929 Leader's seat Arkansas Indiana Seats before 47[a] 48 Seats after 59[2] 36 Seat change 12 12 Seats up 17 17 Races won 28 6   Third party   Party Farmer–Labor Seats before 1 Seats after 1 Seat change Seats up 0 Races won 0
Clickable imagemap for the 1932 US Senate elections Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election
Majority Leader before election James Watson Republican Elected Majority Leader Joseph Robinson Democratic

The 1932 United States Senate elections coincided with

This is also one of only five occasions where 10 or more Senate seats changed hands in an election, with the other occasions being in 1920, 1946, 1958, and 1980.

Gains, losses, and holds

Retirements

Three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

Defeats

Eleven Republicans and three Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

Post-election changes

Change in composition

After the January special election

Before the November elections

Result of the November elections

Race summary

All races are general elections for class 3 seats, unless noted.

Elections during the 72nd Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected and seated during 1932; ordered by election date.

Elections leading to the 73rd Congress

All elections are for Class 3 seats.

Closest races

Eleven races had a margin of victory under 10%:

New York was the tipping point state with a margin of 17.2%.

Alabama

Arizona

1932 United States Senate election in Arizona

← 1926 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Carl Hayden Ralph H. Cameron Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 74,310 35,737 Percentage 66.67% 32.06%

County results Hayden:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Carl Hayden Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Carl Hayden Democratic

Arkansas

There were two elections for the same seat, due to the November 6, 1931 death of two-term Democrat Thaddeus H. Caraway.

Caraway's widow, Democrat

November 13, 1931 to continue his term.

Arkansas (special)

1932 U.S. Senate special election in Arkansas

←  1926 November 8, 1932 November 1932 →

Nominee Hattie Caraway Rex Floyd Sam D. Carson Party Democratic Independent Independent Popular vote 31,133 1,752 1,095 Percentage 91.62% 5.16% 3.22%

Results by county Caraway:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Carson:      70–80% No Vote:

U.S. senator before election Hattie Caraway Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Hattie Caraway Democratic

Arkansas special election (January 12, 1932)^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Hattie Wyatt Caraway (Incumbent)	31,133	91.62%
	Independent	Rex Floyd	1,752	5.16%
	Independent	Sam D. Carson	1,095	3.22%
Majority
Turnout				1.83%
	Democratic hold

Arkansas (regular)

1932 U.S. Senate special election in Arkansas

←  Jan. 1932 (special) November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Hattie Caraway John H. White Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 187,994 21,558 Percentage 89.71% 10.29%

Results by county Caraway:      50–60%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% White:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Hattie Caraway Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Hattie Caraway Democratic

In May 1932, Caraway surprised Arkansas politicians by announcing that she would run for a full term in the upcoming election, joining a field already crowded with prominent candidates who had assumed she would step aside. She told reporters, "The time has passed when a woman should be placed in a position and kept there only while someone else is being groomed for the job."

Mrs. Caraway would never forget nor cease to laugh over the plans we made for caring for obstreperous infants in the audience so that their mothers might listen to the speeches without the crowds being disturbed. I remember when I saw her notice one of our campaigners take charge of the first baby. The child began fretting and then began to cry. One of the young men accompanying us immediately gave it a drink of water. The child quieted for a bit and resumed a whimper, whereupon the same campaign worker handed the baby an all-day sucker, which it immediately grasped and soon fell asleep. Mrs. Caraway did not understand that it was a matter of design until it had been repeated several times.[14]

Caraway went on to win the general election in November, with the accompanying victory of

]

Arkansas general election (November 8, 1932)^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Hattie Wyatt Caraway (Incumbent)	187,994	89.71%
	Republican	John W. White	21,558	10.29%
Majority			166,436	79.42%
Turnout			209,552
	Democratic hold

California

1932 United States Senate election in California

← 1926 November 6, 1932 1938 →

Nominee William Gibbs McAdoo Tallant Tubbs Robert P. Shuler Party Democratic Republican Prohibition Popular vote 943,164 669,676 560,088 Percentage 43.39% 30.81% 25.77%

Election results by county McAdoo:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70% Tubbs:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70% Shuler:      30-40%      40-50%

U.S. senator before election Samuel Morgan Shortridge Republican Elected U.S. Senator William Gibbs McAdoo Democratic

Colorado

There were 2 elections November 8, 1932 for the same seat, due to the death of one-term Republican Charles W. Waterman. The primaries were held September 13, 1932.^[15][16]

Colorado (special)

Democrat Walter Walker was appointed to continue the term, pending the special election, which he then lost.

Republican attorney Karl C. Schuyler was elected finish the term, but he lost the contemporaneous election to the next term. He died in 1933.^[17]

Colorado (regular)

1932 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1926 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Alva B. Adams Karl C. Schuyler Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 226,516 198,519 Percentage 51.91% 45.50%

Results by county Adams:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Schuyler:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Walter Walker Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Alva B. Adams Democratic

Democratic former senator Alva B. Adams was elected to start the new term that would begin in March 1933.

Adams would be re-elected once and serve until his December 1, 1941 death.

Connecticut

1932 United States Senate election in Connecticut

← 1926 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Augustine Lonergan Hiram Bingham III Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 282,327 278,061 Percentage 47.50% 46.78%

County results Bingham:      40–50%      50–60% Lonergan:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election Hiram Bingham III Republican Elected U.S. Senator Augustine Lonergan Democratic

Florida

1932 United States Senate election in Florida

←  1926 November 8, 1932 1936 (special)  →

Nominee Duncan U. Fletcher Party Democratic Popular vote 204,651 Percentage 100.00%

County results Fletcher:      90–100%

U.S. senator before election Duncan U. Fletcher Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Duncan U. Fletcher Democratic

Georgia

There were two elections due to the death of

Georgia (regular)

Georgia (special)

Democratic incumbent William J. Harris died April 18, 1932. Richard Russell Jr., the Democratic Governor of Georgia, appointed fellow-Democrat John S. Cohen April 25, 1932 to continue the term but Cohen was not a candidate for election.

Russell then won the September 14, 1932 Democratic primary over Charles R. Crisp, 57.72% to 42.28%.^[20] Russell was then unopposed in the November 8, 1932 special election.^[6]

Idaho

1932 United States Senate election in Idaho

←  1938  →

Nominee James P. Pope John Thomas Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 103,020 78,325 Percentage 55.64% 42.30%

County results Pope:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Thomas:      50-60%

U.S. senator before election John Thomas Republican Elected U.S. Senator James P. Pope Democratic

Illinois

1932 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1928 (special) November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee William H. Dieterich Otis F. Glenn Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,670,466 1,471,841 Percentage 52.23% 46.02%

Results by county Dieterich:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Glenn:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Otis F. Glenn Republican Elected U.S. senator William H. Dieterich Democratic

Indiana

1932 United States Senate election in Indiana

← 1926 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Frederick Van Nuys James E. Watson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 870,053 661,750 Percentage 55.57% 42.26%

County results Van Nuys:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Watson:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election James E. Watson Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frederick Van Nuys Democratic

Iowa

1932 United States Senate election in Iowa

←  1926 November 8, 1932 1936 (special) →

Nominee Louis Murphy Henry Field Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 538,422 399,929 Percentage 54.15% 40.22%

Murphy:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Field:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Smith W. Brookhart Republican Elected U.S. Senator Louis Murphy Democratic

Primaries were held June 6, 1932.^[22][23]

Murphy served only 3 years until his July 16, 1936 death.

Kansas

1932 United States Senate special election in Kansas

←  1938  →

Nominee George McGill Ben S. Paulsen George A. Brown Party Democratic Republican Independent Popular vote 328,992 302,809 65,583 Percentage 45.67% 42.03% 9.10%

County results McGill:      30–40%     40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Paulsen:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election George McGill Democratic Elected U.S. Senator George McGill Democratic

Kentucky

Kentucky election

← 1926 1938 →

Nominee Alben W. Barkley Maurice H. Thatcher Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 575,077 393,865 Percentage 59.15% 40.51%

County results Barkley:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Thatcher:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Alben W. Barkley Democratic Elected U.S. senator Alben W. Barkley Democratic

Louisiana

Maryland

1932 United States Senate election in Maryland

← 1926 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Millard Tydings Wallace Williams Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 293,389 138,536 Percentage 66.18% 31.25%

County results Tydings:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Williams:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Millard Tydings Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Millard Tydings Democratic

Missouri

1932 United States Senate election in Missouri

← 1926 1938 →

Nominee Bennett Champ Clark Henry Kiel Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,017,046 575,174 Percentage 63.26% 35.77%

County results Clark:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Kiel:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Harry B. Hawes Democratic Elected U.S. senator Bennett Champ Clark Democratic

Nevada

New Hampshire

1932 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

←  1938  →

Nominee Fred H. Brown George H. Moses Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 98,766 96,649 Percentage 50.35% 49.27%

Brown:      50–60% Moses:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election George H. Moses Republican Elected U.S. Senator Fred H. Brown Democratic

New Jersey (special)

New York

1932 United States Senate election in New York

← 1926 November 2, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Robert F. Wagner George Z. Medalie Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,532,905 1,751,186 Percentage 55.77% 38.56%

County Results Wagner:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Medalie:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Senator before election Robert F. Wagner Democratic Elected Senator Robert F. Wagner Democratic

North Carolina

North Carolina had 2 elections for the same seat, due to the December 12, 1930 death of five-term Democrat Lee S. Overman.

North Carolina (special)

Democratic former-Governor of North Carolina Cameron A. Morrison was appointed December 13, 1930 to continue Overman's term, pending a special election. Primaries for both parties were held June 4, 1932^[26][27][28] Morrison lost the primary run-off election.

Reynolds was seated December 5, 1932.

North Carolina (regular)

Primaries for both parties were held June 4, 1932^[29][30] and a Democratic run-off primary was held July 2, 1932.^[31] Interim appointee Cameron A. Morrison lost the primary run-off election.

Reynolds would be re-elected once and serve until his 1945 retirement.

North Dakota

1932 United States Senate election in North Dakota

← 1926 (regular) November 6, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Gerald Nye P. W. Lanier Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 172,796 65,612 Percentage 72.30% 27.45%

County results Nye:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

U.S. senator before election Gerald Nye Republican Elected U.S. Senator Gerald Nye Republican

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

1932 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania

← 1930 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee James J. Davis Lawrence Rupp Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,375,489 1,200,760 Percentage 49.46% 43.18%

County results Davis:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70% Rupp:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election James J. Davis Republican Elected U.S. Senator James J. Davis Republican

South Carolina

South Dakota

1932 United States Senate election in South Dakota

← 1926 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Peter Norbeck Ulysses Simpson Grant Cherry Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 151,845 125,731 Percentage 53.83% 44.57%

County results Norbeck:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Cherry:      40–50%      50–60%      >90%

U.S. senator before election Peter Norbeck Republican Elected U.S. Senator Peter Norbeck Republican

Utah

Vermont

Washington

1932 United States Senate election in Washington

← 1926 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Homer Bone Wesley L. Jones Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 371,535 220,204 Percentage 60.61% 32.70%

Results by county Bone:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Wesley Livsey Jones Republican Elected U.S. Senator Homer Bone[f] Democratic

Wisconsin

1932 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

← 1926 November 8, 1932 1938 →

Nominee F. Ryan Duffy John B. Chapple Emil Seidel Party Democratic Republican Socialist Popular vote 610,236 387,668 65,807 Percentage 56.98% 36.20% 6.14%

County results Duffy:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Chapple:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election John J. Blaine Republican Elected U.S. Senator F. Ryan Duffy Democratic

See also

• 1932 United States elections
  • 1932 United States presidential election
  • 1932 United States House of Representatives elections
• 72nd United States Congress
• 73rd United States Congress

Notes