The 1958 Alabama Senate election took place on Tuesday, November 4, 1958, to elect 35 representatives to serve four-year terms in the Alabama Senate. Across the 35 districts, only one, District 13 in Jefferson County, was actually at stake in the November general election. As the Democratic Party was dominant in the state, state legislative seats were generally decided at the Democratic primary election. This was the last time an Alabama Senate general election used the original 1901 district map, as district boundaries would be adjusted in July 1962.
This election saw numerous senators aligned with incumbent governor Jim Folsom lose their primaries, whether they were running for re-election or to some other office. Among this group was president pro tempore Broughton Lamberth of Tallapoosa County, who unsuccessfully ran for the state house.
The Democratic primary election was held on May 6 with runoff elections on June 3. The sole Republican candidate, John F. Dyer, was nominated by party convention on May 30.
At the beginning of the 1959 session, Vaughan Hill Robison of Montgomery County was unanimously elected president pro tempore.
Summary
Party Candidates SeatsNum.Vote%BeforeWon +/– Democratic 35 229,542 97.48% 35 35 Republican 1 5,941 2.52% 0 0 Total 36 235,483 100% 35 35
Incumbents Every incumbent senator in a multi-county district chose not to seek re-election, as a gentlemen's agreement compelled state senators to give up their seats to allow a candidate from another county to serve. Won re-election
District 7: A. C. Shelton (Democratic) won re-election. District 8: G. Kyser Leonard (Democratic) won re-election. District 20: E. O. Eddins (Democratic) won re-election. District 22: Roland Cooper (Democratic) won re-election. District 28: Vaughan Hill Robison (Democratic) won re-election. District 30: Walter C. Givhan (Democratic) won re-election.
Eliminated in primary
District 4: T. Herman Vann (Democratic) lost renomination to Dave Archer. District 16: Joe Davis (Democratic) lost renomination to Carl C. Golson. District 33: Garet Van Antwerp (Democratic) lost re-nomination to Will G. Caffey.
Did not seek re-election
District 1: Milton C. Grisham (Democratic) did not seek re-election. District 2: Joe Calvin (Democratic) did not seek re-election. District 3: Harlan G. Allen (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for probate judge of Cullman County. District 5: Smith C. Dyar (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for probate judge of Marshall County. District 6: Escar Roberts (Democratic) did not seek re-election. District 9: George W. Yarbrough (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the state house seat in Randolph County. District 10: President pro tempore Broughton Lamberth (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the state house seat in Tallapoosa County. District 11: E. W. Skidmore (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor. District 12: Reuben L. Newton (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the first state house seat in Walker County. District 13: Albert Boutwell (Democratic) successfully ran for lieutenant governor. District 14: Albert Davis (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for probate judge of Pickens County. District 15: Dave L. Yarbrough (Democratic) did not seek re-election. District 17: Tulley Goodwin (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the state house seat in Covington County. District 18: H. P. James (Democratic) did not seek re-election. District 19: Gerald Bradford (Democratic) did not seek re-election. District 21: Ralph L. Jones (Democratic) successfully ran for the state house seat in Monroe County. District 23: Neil Metcalf (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the state house seat in Geneva County. District 24: George E. Little (Democratic) successfully ran for probate judge of Clayton County. District 25: Ben Reeves (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for probate judge of Pike County. District 26: Sam M. Engelhardt (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor. District 27: Joseph W. Smith (Democratic) successfully ran for the second state house seat in Russell County. District 29: M. H. Moses (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the state house seat in DeKalb County. District 31: Berry Lynchmore Cantrell (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the state house seat in Colbert County. District 32: David M. Hall (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the State Executive Democratic Committee from the 6th congressional district. District 34: Staten Tate (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for the state house seat in Coosa County. District 35: Richmond Flowers Sr. (Democratic) unsuccessfully ran for attorney general.
General election results District 13 (Jefferson County)
Elected without opposition Every candidate elected with no opponents was a Democrat.
District 1: Elbert Bertram Haltom Jr. (Democratic) received 5,917 votes. District 2: Robert R. Berryman (Democratic) received 6,597 votes. District 3: Elwood Rutledge (Democratic) received 10,792 votes. District 4: Dave Archer (Democratic) received 4,752 votes. District 5: D. Donald Word (Democratic) received 6,804 votes. District 6: Ray Wyatt (Democratic) received 12,088 votes. District 7: A. C. Shelton (inc., Democratic) received 5,874 votes. District 8: G. Kyser Leonard (inc., Democratic) received 4,919 votes. District 9: Bill Hines (Democratic) received 5,027 votes. District 10: Bud Woodall (Democratic) received 7,810 votes. District 11: Ryan deGraffenried Sr. (Democratic) received 5,664 votes. District 12: Woodrow Roberts (Democratic) received 10,287 votes. District 14: Aubrey Green (Democratic) received 2,788 votes. District 15: Joe Graham (Democratic) received 8,052 votes. District 16: Carl Golson (Democratic) received 822 votes. District 17: R. G. Kendall (Democratic) received 7,903 votes. District 18: Norman R. Crawford (Democratic) received 2,819 votes. District 19: Dennis Porter (Democratic) received 4,475 votes. District 20: E. O. Eddins (inc., Democratic) received 1,694 votes. District 21: Douglas Webb (Democratic) received 8,238 votes. District 22: Roland Cooper (inc., Democratic) received 1,031 votes. District 23: Rufus Barnett (Democratic) received 3,500 votes. District 24: Jimmy Clark (Democratic) received 1,510 votes. District 25: Alton Turner (Democratic) received 6,504 votes. District 26: Snag Andrews (Democratic) received 2,229 votes. District 27: Yetta Samford (Democratic) received 4,270 votes. District 28: Vaughan Hill Robison (inc., Democratic) received 9,333 votes. District 29: George Godfrey (Democratic) received 8,252 votes. District 30: Walter C. Givhan (inc., Democratic) received 2,353 votes. District 31: Hugh Moses (Democratic) received 9,753 votes. District 32: W. F. Wilson (Democratic) received 2,296 votes. District 33: Will G. Caffey (Democratic) received 10,185 votes. District 34: John E. Gaither (Democratic) received 4,401 votes. District 35: Carl S. Farmer (Democratic) received 3,401 votes.
Democratic primary results
Runoff results by district Candidates in boldface advanced to the general election. An asterisk (*) denotes a runoff winner who trailed in the first round.
District Winner Loser Total Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes % Votes 12th Woodrow Roberts 13,973 55.37% Thomas Veasey 11,263 44.63% 25,236 +2,710 +10.74% 19th Dennis Porter 7,250 52.98% Jack Miller 6,435 47.02% 13,685 +815 +5.96% 20th E. O. Eddins (inc.) 2,142 52.44% Edward W. Drinkhard 1,943 47.56% 4,085 +199 +4.87% 21st Douglas S. Webb 10,356 53.52% Claude D. Kelley 8,992 46.48% 19,348 +1,364 +7.05% 29th George E. Godfrey 7,576 51.84% J. B. Burkhalter 7,038 48.16% 14,614 +538 +3.68% 31st Hugh Moses 11,634 51.29% Solon Gregg 11,050 48.71% 22,684 +584 +2.57% 33rd Will G. Caffey 17,625 50.45% John M. Tyson 17,314 49.55% 34,939 +311 +0.89% Source: Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1959 (p. 594) Additionally, runoffs in District 3, District 10, and District 24 were planned, but were canceled after candidates withdrew from their races. All three withdrawals were from candidates who placed second in the first round. District 3: Elwood Rutledge won the Democratic nomination after Raymond Lowery withdrew. District 10: W. Carvel Woodall won the Democratic nomination after Upshaw G. Jones withdrew. District 24: Jimmy Clark won the Democratic nomination after Charles L. Weston withdrew.
First round results by district Candidates in boldface advanced to either the general election or a runoff, first-place winners with an asterisk (*) did not face a runoff.
District First place Runners-up Others Total Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes % Votes 2nd Robert R. Berryman* 11,140 63.52% J. B. Richardson 6,399 36.48% — — — 17,539 +4,741 +27.03% 3rd Elwood Rutledge 7,394 39.59% Raymond Lowery 6,744 36.11% Claude B. McCurry 4,540 24.31% 18,678 +650 +3.48% 4th Dave Archer* 5,991 53.82% Herman Vann (inc.) 5,141 46.18% — — — 11,132 +850 +7.64% 5th D. Donald Word* 13,203 69.81% Robert Sebring 5,710 30.19% — — — 18,913 +7,493 +39.62% 6th Ray Wyatt* 21,394 86.74% L. R. Johnston 3,271 13.26% — — — 24,665 +18,123 +73.48% 7th A. C. Shelton (inc.)* 7,513 52.66% R. J. Holley 5,104 35.77% Elvin McCary 1,650 11.57% 14,267 +2,409 +16.89% 8th G. Kyser Leonard (inc.)* 6,401 51.92% Graham Wright 5,928 48.08% — — — 12,329 +473 +3.84% 9th W. C. Hines* 8,744 67.79% E. O. Noel 2,272 17.62% H. O. Humphrey 1,882 14.59% 12,898 +6,472 +50.18% 10th W. Carvel Woodall 7,060 43.37% Upshaw G. Jones 4,615 28.35% Mac W. Freeman 4,605 28.29% 16,280 +2,445 +15.02% 12th J. Thomas Veazey 9,437 37.89% Woodrow Roberts 8,752 35.14% 2 others 6,719 26.98% 24,908 +685 +2.75% 13th Larry Dumas* 47,128 56.58% John A. Jenkins 36,172 43.42% — — — 83,300 +10,956 +13.15% 14th Aubrey Green* 3,670 61.40% Marcus McConnell 2,307 38.60% — — — 5,977 +1,363 +22.80% 15th Joe W. Graham* 9,157 58.40% Alex Hayes 6,524 41.60% — — — 15,681 +2,633 +16.79% 16th Carl C. Golson* 1,138 59.58% Joe Davis (inc.) 772 40.42% — — — 1,910 +366 +19.16% 18th Norman R. Crawford* 4,377 68.25% Judson C. Locke 2,036 31.75% — — — 6,413 +2,341 +36.50% 19th Dennis Porter 6,141 42.12% Jack Miller 4,558 31.26% Grady W. Hurst 3,882 26.62% 14,581 +1,583 +10.86% 20th E. O. Eddins (inc.) 1,709 40.50% Edward W. Drinkard 1,383 32.77% W. Clyde Waldrop 1,128 26.73% 4,220 +326 +7.73% 21st Douglas S. Webb 8,562 38.89% Claude D. Kelley 7,708 35.01% Malcolm Edwards 5,747 26.10% 22,017 +854 +3.88% 22nd Roland Cooper (inc.)* 1,595 64.47% Josiah R. Bonner 879 35.53% — — — 2,474 +716 +28.94% 23rd Rugus Barnett* 6,140 55.62% Mike Sollie III 4,899 44.38% — — — 11,039 +1,241 +11.24% 24th Jimmy Clark 2,140 40.74% Charles L. Weston 1,546 29.43% 2 others 1,567 29.83% 5,253 +594 +11.31% 25th Alton L. Turner* 8,776 51.65% Vernon Summerlin 8,216 48.35% — — — 16,992 +560 +3.30% 27th Yetta Samford* 6,462 54.36% Ealon M. Lambert 5,426 45.64% — — — 11,888 +1,036 +8.71% 28th Vaughan H. Robison (inc.)* 17,388 81.78% Ed Brown 3,875 18.22% — — — 21,263 +13,513 +63.55% 29th J. B. Burkhalter 5,232 34.90% George E. Godfrey 3,745 24.98% 2 others 6,013 40.11% 14,990 +1,487 +9.92% 31st Solon Gregg 10,156 45.78% Hugh Moses 9,844 44.37% J. Marvin Davis 2,184 9.84% 22,184 +312 +1.41% 33rd John M. Tyson 14,502 41.34% Will G. Caffey 12,798 36.48% Garet Van Antwerp (inc.) 7,780 22.18% 35,080 +1,704 +4.86% 34th John E. Gaither* 6,375 56.23% Ed H. McBryde 4,963 43.77% — — — 11,338 +1,412 +12.45% 35th Carl S. Farmer* 7,841 62.92% M. W. Espy Jr. 4,621 37.08% — — — 12,462 +3,220 +25.84% Source: The Montgomery Advertiser
Nominated without opposition The following candidates automatically won the Democratic nomination, as no opponent filed to run against them. District 1: Elbert Bertram Haltom Jr. District 11: Ryan deGraffenried Sr. District 17: R. G. Kendall District 26: Snag Andrews District 30: Walter C. Givhan (inc.) District 32: W. F. Wilson
Republican convention