1941 United States Senate elections

There were three special elections to the United States Senate in 1941 during the 77th United States Congress.

Race summary

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1941 after January 3; sorted by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Texas
(Class 2)
Andrew Jackson HoustonDemocratic1941 (Appointed)Interim appointee died June 26, 1941.
New senator elected June 28, 1941.
Democratic hold.
Mississippi
(Class 2)
James EastlandDemocratic1941 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected September 29, 1941.
Democratic hold.
South Carolina
(Class 2)
Roger C. PeaceDemocratic1941 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected September 30, 1941.
Democratic hold.

Mississippi (special)

1941 United States Senate special election in Mississippi

← 1936September 29, 19411942 →
 
NomineeWall DoxeyRoss A. Collins
PartyDemocraticDemocratic
Popular vote59,55658,738
Percentage50.35%49.65%

U.S. senator before election

James Eastland
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Wall Doxey
Democratic

Four-term Democratic senator Pat Harrison died June 22, 1941, and Democrat James Eastland was appointed June 30, 1941, to continue the term. Democrat Wall Doxey won the September 29, 1941, special election, but would later lose renomination to Eastland for the next term in 1942.[2]

South Carolina (special)

1941 U.S. Senate Democratic primary runoff in South Carolina

← 1936September 16, 19411942 →
 
NomineeBurnet R. MaybankOlin D. Johnston
PartyDemocraticDemocratic
Popular vote92,10070,687
Percentage56.58%43.42%

County results
Maybank:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Johnston:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Roger C. Peace
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Burnet R. Maybank
Democratic

James F. Byrnes (Democratic) had resigned July 8, 1941, and Alva Lumpkin (Democratic) was appointed July 22, 1941, to continue the term. Lumpkin died, however, August 1, 1941, so Roger C. Peace (Democratic) was then appointed August 5, 1941, to continue the term. Peace was not a candidate in the special election.

Governor Burnet R. Maybank took the most votes in the September 2, 1941, Democratic primary over Governor Olin Johnston and Representative Joseph R. Bryson.[3] Maybank then won the September 16, 1941, primary runoff.[4] Maybank won the general election unopposed[5] and would serve through two general elections (1942 and 1948) until his death in 1954.

Texas (special)

1941 United States Senate special election in Texas

← 1936June 28, 19411942 →
 
NomineePappy O'DanielLyndon B. Johnson
PartyDemocraticDemocratic
Popular vote175,590174,279
Percentage30.49%30.26%

 
NomineeGerald MannMartin Dies Jr.
PartyDemocraticDemocratic
Popular vote140,80780,653
Percentage24.45%14.01%

O'Daniel:      20–30%      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%

Johnson:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      >90%
Mann:      20–30%      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%

Dies:      20–30%      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election

Andrew Jackson Houston
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Pappy O'Daniel
Democratic

Democrat Morris Sheppard died April 9, 1941, and Democrat Andrew Jackson Houston was appointed April 21, 1941, to continue the term. Houston died, however, June 26, 1941, before the August 4, 1941, special election. In a 14-candidate race, "Pappy" W. Lee O'Daniel (Democratic) won a slim plurality over Representative Lyndon Baines Johnson (Democratic), which was sufficient for the election.[1]

References

  • Mississippi: United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997 The Official Results Michael J. Dubin
  • Texas: Southern Primaries and Elections, 1920-1949 (O'Daniel, Johnson, Mann, Dies) and Brownsville Herald, 6/15/1941 (rest)