1930 United States Senate elections

The 1930 United States Senate elections occurred in the middle of Republican President Herbert Hoover's term. The 32 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. With the Great Depression beginning to take hold, Republican incumbents became unpopular, and Democrats picked up a net of eight seats, erasing the Republican gains from the previous election cycle, however, Republicans retained control of the chamber. This was the first of four consecutive Senate elections during the Depression in which Democrats made enormous gains, achieving a cumulative pick-up of 34 seats.

In Louisiana, Democratic senator-elect Huey Long chose not to take his Senate seat until January 25, 1932, so he could remain as Governor of Louisiana. The Republicans therefore retained the plurality of seats at the beginning of the next Congress (with Vice President Charles Curtis (R) able to cast tie-breaking votes, the Republicans would have majority control).

Gains, losses, and holds Retirements Four Republicans retired instead of seeking re-election. Two Republicans retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired term and instead of seeking election to full term. One Democrat retired instead of seeking election to a full term.

StateSenatorReplaced by Colorado Maine Massachusetts New Jersey Tennessee (regular) West Virginia Wyoming

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

StateSenatorReplaced by Alabama Illinois Iowa Kansas (special) Kentucky (special) Kentucky Louisiana North Carolina Oklahoma Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota

Post-election changes

StateSenatorReplaced by New Jersey Arkansas Georgia Georgia Vermont Missouri

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 FL R R R R R 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

After 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 D D FL Majority with Republican vice president ↓ 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

Key D Democratic FL Farmer–Labor R Republican

Race summary

Special elections during the 71st Congress In these special elections, the winner were seated during 1930; ordered by election date (then by state).

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Delaware(Class 2) Daniel O. Hastings Republican 1928 Interim appointee elected November 4, 1930.Winner was also elected on the same ballot to the next term; see below. Kansas(Class 3) Henry J. Allen Republican 1929 Interim appointee lost election.New senator elected November 4, 1930.Democratic gain. Kentucky(Class 2) John M. Robsion Republican 1930 Interim appointee lost election.New senator elected November 4, 1930.Democratic gain.Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. New Jersey(Class 2) David Baird Jr. Republican 1929 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected November 4, 1930.Republican hold.Winner also elected to the next term, see below. Ohio(Class 3) Roscoe C. McCulloch Republican 1929 Interim appointee lost election.New senator elected November 4, 1930.Democratic gain. Pennsylvania(Class 3) Joseph R. Grundy Republican 1929 Interim appointee lost nomination.New senator elected November 4, 1930.Republican hold. Tennessee(Class 2) William E. Brock Democratic 1929 Interim appointee elected November 4, 1930.Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. Wyoming(Class 2) Patrick J. Sullivan Republican 1929 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected November 4, 1930.Republican hold.Winner also elected to the next term; see below.

Elections leading to the 72nd Congress In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1931; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Alabama J. Thomas Heflin Democratic 1920 1924 Incumbent lost renomination.Incumbent lost general election as an independent.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Arkansas Joseph T. Robinson Democratic 191319181924 Incumbent re-elected. Colorado Lawrence C. Phipps Republican 19181924 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Delaware Daniel O. Hastings Republican 1928 Interim appointee elected.Winner was also elected on the same ballot to finish the current term; see above. Georgia William J. Harris Democratic 19181924 Incumbent re-elected. Idaho William Borah Republican 1907191319181924 Incumbent re-elected. Illinois Charles S. Deneen Republican 19241925 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Iowa Daniel F. Steck Democratic 1926 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. Kansas Arthur Capper Republican 19181924 Incumbent re-elected. Kentucky John M. Robsion Republican 1930 Interim appointee lost election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Louisiana Joseph E. Ransdell Democratic 191219181924 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Maine Arthur R. Gould Republican 1926 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. Massachusetts Frederick H. Gillett Republican 1924 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Michigan James Couzens Republican 1922 1924 1924 Incumbent re-elected. Minnesota Thomas D. Schall Republican 1924 Incumbent re-elected. Mississippi Pat Harrison Democratic 19181924 Incumbent re-elected. Montana Thomas J. Walsh Democratic 191319181924 Incumbent re-elected. Nebraska George W. Norris Republican 191319181924 Incumbent re-elected. New Hampshire Henry W. Keyes Republican 19181924 Incumbent re-elected. New Jersey David Baird Jr. Republican 1929 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected.Republican hold.Winner also elected to finish the term; see above. New Mexico Sam G. Bratton Democratic 1924 Incumbent re-elected. North Carolina F. M. Simmons Democratic 19011907191319181924 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Oklahoma William B. Pine Republican 1924 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Oregon Charles L. McNary Republican 1917 1918 1918 19181924 Incumbent re-elected. Rhode Island Jesse H. Metcalf Republican 1924 1924 Incumbent re-elected. South Carolina Cole L. Blease Democratic 1924 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. South Dakota William H. McMaster Republican 1924 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Tennessee William E. Brock Democratic 1929 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Texas Morris Sheppard Democratic 1913 191319181924 Incumbent re-elected. Virginia Carter Glass Democratic 1920 1920 1924 Incumbent re-elected. West Virginia Guy D. Goff Republican 1924 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Wyoming Patrick J. Sullivan Republican 1929 Interim appointee retired.New senator elected.Republican hold.Winner was also elected to finish the term; see above.

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

State Party of winner Margin Rhode Island Republican 1.1% Minnesota Republican 1.5% Kansas (special) Democratic (flip) 2.0% South Dakota Democratic (flip) 3.2% Kentucky (regular) Democratic (flip) 4.2% Kentucky (special) Democratic (flip) 4.6% Oklahoma Democratic (flip) 4.8% Delaware Republican 9.1% Massachusetts Democratic (flip) 9.3% Ohio Democratic (flip) 9.6%

Alabama

Arkansas

Colorado

Delaware

Interim appointee Daniel O. Hastings was elected both to finish the current term and to the next term on the same November 4 ballot.

Delaware (regular)

Delaware (special)

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Iowa

Kansas

Kansas (regular)

Kansas (special)

Democratic nominee George McGill defeated Republican incumbent United States Senator Henry Justin Allen by a very narrow margin. McGill was the first non-Republican to win this seat since 1896. As of 2025, McGill was the last Democrat to be elected senator in Kansas.

Kentucky

Kentucky (regular)

Kentucky (special)

Louisiana

Maine

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Montana

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Jersey (regular)

New Jersey (special)

New Mexico

North Carolina

Ohio (special)

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania (special)

Rhode Island

Incumbent Republican Senator Jesse H. Metcalf successfully sought reelection to a 2nd term in office. , this is the last time a Republican has won the Class 2 Senate seat in Rhode Island, and it would be the last time a Republican would win any Senate seat in the state at all until John Chafee in 1976.

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

One-term Democrat Lawrence D. Tyson died August 24, 1929, and Democrat William E. Brock was appointed September 2, 1929, to continue the term, pending a special election.

Tennessee (special)

Interim Democrat William E. Brock easily won election to finish the term.

Tennessee (regular)

William E. Brock was not a candidate to the next term, instead choosing to return to his Chattanooga candy manufacturing business. Instead, former Democratic congressman Cordell Hull was swept into the seat.

Hull was appointed United States Secretary of State and served there for 11 years, and in 1945, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "co-initiating the United Nations."

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

Wyoming

Six-term Republican Francis E. Warren had died November 24, 1929, and Republican Patrick J. Sullivan was appointed to continue the term, pending a special election in which he was not a candidate.

Wyoming (special)

Wyoming (regular)

See also 1930 United States elections 1930 United States House of Representatives elections 71st United States Congress 72nd United States Congress

Notes

References