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1920 United States Senate elections

← 1918 November 2, 1920 1922 →
1921 (NM) →
34 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Henry Cabot Lodge Oscar Underwood Party Republican Democratic Leader since March 4, 1919 April 27, 1920 Leader's seat Massachusetts Alabama Seats before 49 47 Seats after 59 37 Seat change 10 10 Seats up 15 19 Races won 25 9
Results of the elections:      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      No election
Majority Leader before election Henry Cabot Lodge Republican Elected Majority Leader Henry Cabot Lodge Republican

The 1920 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate that coincided with the presidential election of Warren G. Harding. The 32 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. Democrat Woodrow Wilson's unpopularity allowed Republicans to win races across the country, winning ten seats from the Democrats and providing them with an overwhelming 59-to-37 majority. The Republican landslide was so vast that Democrats lost over half of the contested seats this year and failed to win a single race outside the South. In fact, this is the most recent occasion where every race decided by under 10 points all voted for the same party, showcasing the sheer strength of Republicans' performance in this election.

Since the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment, these elections were the closest when the winning party in almost every Senate election mirrored the winning party for their state in the presidential election, with Kentucky being the only Senate race not to mirror their presidential result. No other Senate election cycle in a presidential year would come close to repeating this feat until 2016, in which the result of every Senate race mirrored the corresponding state's result in the presidential election. Coincidentally, that election cycle involved the same class of Senate seats, Class 3. This is one of only five occasions where 10 or more Senate seats changed party in an election, with the other occasions being in 1932, 1946, 1958, and 1980.

As of 2024, the 59 seats held after this election cycle remains the highest number of seats that the Republican Party has held as the result of an election cycle. This number rose to 60, the highest number of seats the Republicans have ever held, after Democrat senator Josiah O. Wolcott of Delaware accepted an offer from Republican governor William D. Denney to become Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery, allowing Denney to name Republican T. Coleman du Pont to replace Wolcott, a seat du Pont held until the next election, in which both a special election was held for the remainder of the term and a regular election was held as the seat was normally up then, both of which du Pont lost narrowly to Democrat Thomas F. Bayard Jr. In addition, the 22-seat majority is the largest majority that the Republicans have achieved in any election since.

Gains, losses, and holds

Retirements

Two Republicans and three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election. One Democrat retired instead of seeking election to finish the unexpired term.

Defeats

Ten Democrats and one Republican sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

Post election changes

Change in composition

Before the elections

Elections result

Race summary

Special elections during the 66th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1920 or before March 4, 1921; ordered by election date.

Elections leading to the 67th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1921; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

Closest races

Nine races had a margin of victory under 10%:

The tipping point state is Colorado with a margin of 15.2%.

Alabama

Alabama (regular)

1920 United States Senate election in Alabama

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Oscar Underwood L. H. Reynolds Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 154,664 77,337 Percentage 66.10% 33.05%

County Results Underwood:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Reynolds:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Oscar Underwood Democratic Elected U.S. senator Oscar Underwood Democratic

Alabama (special)

1920 United States Senate special election in Alabama

← 1918 November 2, 1920 1924 →

Nominee J. Thomas Heflin C. P. Lunsford Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 160,680 68,460 Percentage 69.27% 29.51%

County Results Heflin:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Lunsford:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election B. B. Comer Democratic Elected U.S. senator J. Thomas Heflin Democratic

Arizona

1920 United States Senate election in Arizona

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Ralph H. Cameron Marcus A. Smith Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 35,893 29,169 Percentage 55.17% 44.83%

County results Cameron:      50–60%      60–70% Smith:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Marcus A. Smith Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ralph H. Cameron Republican

Arkansas

1920 United States Senate election in Arkansas

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Thaddeus H. Caraway Charles F. Cole Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 126,477 65,381 Percentage 65.92% 34.08%

County results Caraway:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Cole:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election William F. Kirby Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Thaddeus H. Caraway Democratic

California

1920 United States Senate election in California

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Samuel M. Shortridge James Duval Phelan James S. Edwards Party Republican Democratic Prohibition Popular vote 447,835 371,580 57,768 Percentage 49.01% 40.67% 6.32%

County results Shortridge:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      80–90% Phelan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election James Duval Phelan Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Samuel Morgan Shortridge Republican

Colorado

1920 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1924 (special) →

Nominee Samuel D. Nicholson Tully Scott Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 157,577 112,890 Percentage 54.52% 39.31%

Results by county Nicholson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Scott:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election Charles S. Thomas Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Samuel D. Nicholson Republican

Connecticut

1920 United States Senate election in Connecticut

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Frank B. Brandegee Augustine Lonergan Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 216,792 131,824 Percentage 59.36% 36.10%

County results Municipality resultsBrandegee:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      90-100% Lonergan:      40–50%      50–60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election Frank B. Brandegee Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank B. Brandegee Republican

Florida

1920 United States Senate election in Florida

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Duncan U. Fletcher John Moses Cheney Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 98,957 37,065 Percentage 69.50% 26.03%

County results Fletcher:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      90-100%

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

Georgia

1920 United States Senate election in Georgia

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Thomas E. Watson Harry S. Edwards Party Democratic Independent Popular vote 124,630 6,700 Percentage 94.50% 5.10%

U.S. senator before election M. Hoke Smith Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Thomas E. Watson Democratic

Idaho

1920 United States Senate election in Idaho

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Frank R. Gooding John F. Nugent Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 75,985 64,513 Percentage 54.08% 45.92%

County results Gooding:      50-60%      60-70% Nugent:      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election John F. Nugent Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Frank R. Gooding Republican

Illinois

1920 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee William B. McKinley Peter A. Waller Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,381,384 554,372 Percentage 66.83% 26.82%

Results by county McKinley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Waller:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Lawrence Yates Sherman Republican Elected U.S. senator William B. McKinley Republican

Indiana

1920 United States Senate election in Indiana

← 1916 (special) November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee James E. Watson Thomas Taggart Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 681,851 514,191 Percentage 54.57% 41.15%

County results Watson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Taggart:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election James E. Watson Republican Elected U.S. Senator James E. Watson Republican

Iowa

1920 United States Senate election in Iowa

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Albert B. Cummins Claude R. Porter Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 528,499 322,015 Percentage 61.42% 37.42%

County results Cummins:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Porter:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Albert B. Cummins Republican Elected U.S. Senator Albert B. Cummins Republican

Kansas

1920 United States Senate election in Kansas

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Charles Curtis George H. Hodges Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 327,072 170,443 Percentage 64.01% 33.36%

County results Curtis:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Charles Curtis Republican Elected U.S. Senator Charles Curtis Republican

Kentucky

1920 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Richard P. Ernst J. C. W. Beckham Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 454,226 449,244 Percentage 50.28% 49.72%

County results Ernst:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Beckham:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election J. C. W. Beckham Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Richard P. Ernst Republican

Louisiana

1920 United States Senate Election in Louisiana Democratic primary

← 1914 September 14, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Edwin Broussard Jared Sanders Donelson Caffery III Party Democratic Democratic Democratic Popular vote 49,718 43,425 15,563 Percentage 45.74% 39.95% 14.32%

U.S. senator before election Edward J. Gay Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Edwin S. Broussard Democratic

Maryland

1920 United States Senate election in Maryland

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Ovington Weller John Walter Smith George Iverson Jr. Party Republican Democratic Independent Popular vote 184,999 169,200 21,345 Percentage 47.29% 43.25% 5.46%

County results Weller:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Smith:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election John Walter Smith Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ovington Weller Republican

Missouri

1920 United States Senate election in Missouri

← 1918 (special) November 2, 1920 1926 (special) →

Nominee Selden P. Spencer Breckinridge Long Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 711,161 589,498 Percentage 53.65% 44.47%

County results Spencer:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Long:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Selden P. Spencer Republican Elected U.S. senator Selden P. Spencer Republican

Nevada

1920 United States Senate election in Nevada

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Tasker Oddie Charles Henderson Anne Henrietta Martin Party Republican Democratic Independent Popular vote 11,550 10,402 4,981 Percentage 42.11% 37.93% 18.16%

County results Oddie:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Henderson:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Charles Henderson Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Tasker Oddie Republican

New Hampshire

1920 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

← 1918 (special) November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee George H. Moses Raymond Bartlett Stevens Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 90,173 65,038 Percentage 57.72% 41.63%

County results Moses:      50–60%      60–70%

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

New York

1920 United States Senate election in New York

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee James W. Wadsworth Harry C. Walker Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,434,393 901,310 Percentage 52.37% 32.90%   Nominee Jacob Panken Ella A. Boole Party Socialist Prohibition Popular vote 208,155 159,623 Percentage 7.60% 5.83%

County Results Wadsworth:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Senator before election James W. Wadsworth Republican Elected Senator James W. Wadsworth Republican

North Carolina

1920 United States Senate election in North Carolina

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Lee Slater Overman A. E. Holton Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 310,504 229,343 Percentage 57.52% 42.48%

County Results Overman:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100% Holton:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Lee Slater Overman Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Lee Slater Overman Democratic

North Dakota

1920 United States Senate election in North Dakota

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Edwin F. Ladd H. H. Perry Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 130,614 88,495 Percentage 59.61% 40.39%

County Results Ladd:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Perry:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Gerald Nye Republican Elected U.S. Senator Edwin F. Ladd Republican

Ohio

1920 United States Senate election in Ohio

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Frank B. Willis William Alexander Julian Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,134,953 782,650 Percentage 59.10% 40.76%

County Results Willis:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Julian:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Warren G. Harding Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank B. Willis Republican

Oklahoma

1920 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee John W. Harreld Scott Ferris Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 247,719 217,783 Percentage 50.64% 44.52%

County results Harreld:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Ferris:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Thomas Gore Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John W. Harreld Republican

Oregon

1920 United States Senate election in Oregon

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Robert N. Stanfield George Earle Chamberlain Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 116,696 100,133 Percentage 50.73% 43.53%

County Results Stanfield:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Chamberlain:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election George Earle Chamberlain Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Robert N. Stanfield Republican

Pennsylvania

1920 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1922 (special) →

Nominee Boies Penrose John A. Farrell Leah C. Marion Party Republican Democratic Prohibition Popular vote 1,067,989 484,362 132,610 Percentage 59.94% 27.18% 7.44%

County results Penrose:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Farrell:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Boies Penrose Republican Elected U.S. Senator Boies Penrose Republican

South Carolina

1920 South Carolina Democratic Senate primary runoff

← 1914 September 14, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Ellison D. Smith George Warren Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 65,880 42,735 Percentage 60.7% 39.3%

First round results by countyRunoff results by countySmith:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Warren:      30–40%      40–50%      50-60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Ellison D. Smith Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ellison D. Smith Democratic

South Dakota

1920 United States Senate election in South Dakota

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Peter Norbeck Tom Ayres Party Republican Nonpartisan League Popular vote 92,267 44,309 Percentage 50.10% 24.06%   Nominee U. S. G. Cherry R. O. Richards Party Democratic Independent Popular vote 36,833 10,032 Percentage 20.00% 5.45%

County results Norbeck:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Ayres:      30-40%      40–50%      50–60% Richards:      30–40% No Vote:

U.S. senator before election Edwin S. Johnson Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Peter Norbeck Republican

Utah

1920 United States Senate election in Utah

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Reed Smoot Milton H. Welling Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 82,566 56,280 Percentage 56.57% 38.56%

County results Smoot:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Reed Smoot Republican Elected U.S. Senator Reed Smoot Republican

Vermont

1920 United States Senate election in Vermont

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1923 →

Nominee William P. Dillingham Howard Shaw Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 69,650 19,580 Percentage 78.1% 21.9%

U.S. senator before election William P. Dillingham Republican Elected U.S. Senator William P. Dillingham Republican

Virginia (special)

1920 United States Senate special election in Virginia

← 1918 November 2, 1920 1924 →

Nominee Carter Glass J. R. Pollard Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 184,646 17,576 Percentage 91.3% 8.7%

U.S. senator before election Carter Glass Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Carter Glass Democratic

Washington

1920 United States Senate election in Washington

← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Wesley L. Jones Clemens J. France George F. Cotterill Party Republican Farmer–Labor Democratic Popular vote 164,130 99,309 68,488 Percentage 56.40% 25.80% 17.80%

Results by county Jones:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Wesley Livsey Jones Republican Elected U.S. Senator Wesley Livsey Jones Republican

Wisconsin

1920 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

← 1918 (special) November 2, 1920 1926 →

Nominee Irvine Lenroot James Thompson [no] Party Republican Independent Republican Popular vote 281,576 235,029 Percentage 41.58% 34.71%   Nominee Paul S. Reinsch Frank J. Weber Party Democratic Socialist Popular vote 89,265 66,172 Percentage 13.18% 9.77%

County results Lenroot:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Thompson:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Weber:      20–30%

U.S. senator before election Irvine Lenroot Republican Elected U.S. Senator Irvine Lenroot Republican

See also

• 1920 United States elections
  • 1920 United States presidential election
  • 1920 United States gubernatorial elections
  • 1920 United States House of Representatives elections
• 66th United States Congress
• 67th United States Congress

Notes

1. ^ as Republican Conference Chairman and unofficial majority leader
2. Appointee elected

References

1. Enten, Harry (November 10, 2016). "There Were No Purple* States On Tuesday". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
2. Johnson, Willis Fletcher; Brown, Roscoe Conkling Ensign; Spooner, Walter Whipple; Holly, Willis (1922). History of the State of New York, Political and Governmental. The Syracuse Press. pp. 347–348, 350.
3. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1920" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
4. Compilation of Primary Election Returns of the Democratic Party. Baton Rouge: Hamires-Jones Printing Company. 1920. pp. 88–89. Retrieved June 19, 2022 – via HathiTrust.

• Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy (ed.). The Senate, 1789–1989: Historical Statistics, 1789–1992. United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160632563 – via Google Books.

• 1920 United States Senate elections