The 1948 United States Senate elections were held concurrently with the election of Democratic President Harry S. Truman for a full term. The 32 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and one special election was held to fill a vacancy. Truman campaigned against an "obstructionist" Congress that had blocked many of his initiatives, and additionally, the U.S. economy had recovered from the post-World War II Recession of 1945 by election day. The decline in government spending at the end of World War II had led to an enormous drop in gross domestic product, making this technically a recession. This was the result of demobilization and the shift from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy. The post-war years were unusual in a number of ways (unemployment was never high), and this era may be considered a "sui generis end-of-the-war recession".

Thus, Truman was rewarded with a Democratic gain of nine seats in the Senate, enough to give them control of the chamber. This was the first time since 1936 that Democrats posted a net gain of seats in the chamber.

Results summary + ↓ 54 42 Democratic Republican

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row. Parties Total Democratic Republican Other Last elections (1946)Before these elections 45 51 0 96 Not up 30 33 0 63 Up 15 18 0 33 14 18 0 32 1 0 — 1 Incumbent retired 3 5 — 8 3 4 — 7 1 Republican replaced by 1 Democrat — 1 4 4 0 8 Incumbent ran 12 13 — 25 10 5 — 17 8 Republicans replaced by 8 Democrats — 8 2 0 — 2 20 5 0 25 Total elected 24 9 0 33 Net change 9 9 9 Nationwide vote 13,056,944 9,764,384 269,669 23,090,997 Share 56.55% 42.29% 1.17% 100% Result 54 42 0 96

Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives

Gains, losses, and holds Retirements Five Republicans and three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Kansas Louisiana (special) Maine New Jersey New Mexico Oklahoma South Dakota Texas

Defeats Eight Republicans and two Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Delaware Idaho Illinois Iowa Kentucky Minnesota North Carolina Tennessee West Virginia Wyoming

Post election changes StateSenatorReplaced by Connecticut New York New York North Carolina Idaho Kansas Kentucky Rhode Island

Change in composition

Before the elections

  D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R Majority → R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Election results

  D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D Majority → D R R R R D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R Key: D Democratic R Republican

Race summaries

Special elections during the 80th Congress In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1948 or before January 3, 1949; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Louisiana(Class 3) Democratic 1948 Interim appointee retired.Winner elected November 2, 1948.Democratic hold. North Carolina(Class 2) Democratic 1946 Interim appointee lost nomination.Winner elected November 2, 1948.Democratic hold.Winner also elected to the next full term.

Elections leading to the next Congress In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1949; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Alabama Democratic 1946 Incumbent re-elected. Arkansas Democratic 1942 Incumbent re-elected. Colorado Democratic 19361942 Incumbent re-elected. Delaware Republican 1942 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Georgia Democratic 1932 19361942 Incumbent re-elected. Idaho Republican 1946 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Illinois Republican 1940 1942 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Iowa Republican 1942 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Kansas Republican 19181924193019361942 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. Kentucky Republican 1946 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Louisiana Democratic 19361942 Incumbent re-elected. Maine Republican 193019361942 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. Massachusetts Republican 1944 Incumbent re-elected. Michigan Republican 1942 Incumbent re-elected. Minnesota Republican 1940 1942 1942 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic–Farmer–Labor gain. Mississippi Democratic 1941 1941 1942 Incumbent re-elected. Montana Democratic 1934 19361942 Incumbent re-elected. Nebraska Republican 1942 Incumbent re-elected. New Hampshire Republican 19361942 Incumbent re-elected. New Jersey Republican 1942 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. New Mexico Democratic 1933 1934 19361942 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic hold. North Carolina Democratic 1946 Interim appointee lost nomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold.Winner also elected to finish the term, see above. Oklahoma Republican 1942 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Oregon Republican 1944 1944 Incumbent re-elected. Rhode Island Democratic 19361942 Incumbent re-elected. South Carolina Democratic 1941 1942 Incumbent re-elected. South Dakota Republican 1948 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected.Republican hold.Incumbent resigned December 26, 1948, and winner appointed December 31 to finish the term. Tennessee Democratic 1938 Incumbent lost re-nomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Texas Democratic 1941 1942 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Virginia Democratic 1946 Incumbent re-elected. West Virginia Republican 1942 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Wyoming Republican 1942 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain.

Closest races Six races had a margin of victory under 10%:

State Party of winner Margin Idaho Democratic (flip) 1.5% Michigan Republican 2.2% Delaware Democratic (flip) 2.6% New Jersey Republican 2.7% Kentucky Democratic (flip) 3.1% Massachusetts Republican 6.6%

Wyoming is the tipping point state with a margin of 14.2%.

Alabama

Arkansas

Colorado

Delaware

Georgia

Idaho

Democrat Bert H. Miller defeated incumbent Republican Henry Dworshak. As of 2024, this remains the only time that a Democrat would win Idaho's Class 2 Senate seat. Dworshak was appointed back to this seat in October 1949 after Miller died earlier that month and served until he himself died in 1962.

Illinois

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Louisiana (regular)

Louisiana (special)

Maine

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Montana

Incumbent United States Senator James E. Murray, who was first elected to the Senate in a special election in 1934 and was re-elected in 1936 and 1942, ran for re-election. After winning the Democratic primary, he faced Tom J. Davis, an attorney and the Republican nominee, in the general election. Following a narrow re-election in 1936, Murray significantly expanded his margin of victory and comfortably won re-election over Davis, winning his fourth term and his third full term in the Senate.

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

North Carolina

There were 2 elections to the same seat, due to the December 15, 1946 death of three-term Democrat Josiah Bailey. Democratic former congressman William B. Umstead was appointed December 18, 1946 to continue Bailey's term, pending a special election.

Umstead supported the conservative Taft–Hartley Act. The Democratic former Governor of North Carolina J. Melville Broughton was seen as a "rather liberal alternative" to Umstead. Broughton beat Umstead in the Democratic primaries and then won the general elections.

North Carolina (special)

North Carolina (regular)

Broughton was seated December 31, 1948, to finish the current term but died March 6, 1949, just after the new term began. His death lead to another appointment (Democrat Frank Graham) in 1949 and subsequent special election in 1950 of Democrat Willis Smith. Smith also died during the term, leading to yet another appointment (Democrat Alton A. Lennon) and a 1954 special election (of Democrat W. Kerr Scott). In all, five senators held the seat during the 1949–1955 term.

Oklahoma

Oregon

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Senator Burnet R. Maybank was opposed in the Democratic primary by U.S. Representative William Jennings Bryan Dorn and three other candidates. Maybank obtained over 50% in the primary election on August 10 to avoid a runoff election.

Democratic Primary Candidate Votes % Burnet R. Maybank 161,608 51.5 W.J. Bryan Dorn 76,749 24.4 Neville Bennett 43,068 13.7 Alan Johnstone 17,689 5.6 Marcus A. Stone 14,904 4.8

Since the end of Reconstruction in 1877, the Democratic Party dominated the politics of South Carolina and its statewide candidates were never seriously challenged. Maybank did not campaign for the general election as there was no chance of defeat.

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Incumbent Democrat W. Lee O'Daniel decided to retire rather than seek a second full term. Congressman Lyndon Johnson won the highly contested Democratic primary against former governor Coke Stevenson. Johnson went on to win the general election against Republican Jack Porter, but by a closer margin than usual for Texas Democrats.

Virginia

Incumbent Democrat A. Willis Robertson defeated Republican Robert H. Woods and was re-elected to his first full term in office.

West Virginia

Wyoming

See also 1948 United States elections 1948 United States presidential election 1948 United States House of Representatives elections 80th United States Congress 81st United States Congress

References

Sources

Further reading Hartley, Robert E. Battleground 1948: Truman, Stevenson, Douglas, and the Most Surprising Election in Illinois History (Southern Illinois University Press; 2013)