1936 United States Senate elections

The 1936 United States Senate elections coincided with the reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The 32 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. The Great Depression continued and voters backed progressive candidates favoring Roosevelt's New Deal in races across the country. The Democrats gained 5 net seats during the election, and in combination with Democratic and Farmer–Labor interim appointments and the defection of George W. Norris from the Republican Party to become independent, the Republicans were reduced to 16 seats. Democrats gained a further two seats due to midterm vacancies. The Democrats' 77 seats and their 62-seat majority remain their largest in history.

This was the last of four consecutive election cycles where Republicans suffered losses due to the ongoing effects of the Great Depression. This was also the last Senate election cycle until 2012 in which a Democratic candidate who won two terms also made net gains in the Senate on both occasions. Additionally, this is the last time any party held three-fourths of all Senate seats. In contrast, this was the first time since 1930 (which also involved the Class 2 seats) where the Republicans were able to flip a Senate seat despite suffering net losses during this period.

Gains, losses, and holds

Retirements

One Republican, one Farmer-Labor, and five Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" |State

! scope="col" |Senator

! scope="col" |Replaced by

! Colorado

| |

! Florida (special, class 1)

| |

! Florida (special, class 3)

| |

! Louisiana

| |

! Massachusetts

| |

! Minnesota (special)

| |

! Minnesota

| |

! New Hampshire

| |

Defeats

Six Republicans and one Democrat sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" |State

! scope="col" |Senator

! scope="col" |Replaced by

! Delaware

| |

! Iowa

| |

! Michigan

| |

! New Jersey

| |

! Oklahoma

| |

! Rhode Island

| |

! Wyoming

| |

Death

One Democrat died on July 16, 1936, and his seat remained vacant until the election.

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" |State

! scope="col" |Senator

! scope="col" |Replaced by

! Iowa (special)

| |

Independent gain

One Republican won re-election as an Independent.

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" |State

! scope="col" |Senator

! scope="col" |Replaced by

! Nebraska

| |

Post-election changes

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" |State

! scope="col" |Senator

! scope="col" |Replaced by

! Alabama

| |

! Arkansas

| |

! New Jersey

| |

! New York

| |

! Oregon

| |

! Tennessee

| |

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the April 1936 special election.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

| colspan=2 |

| | D

| width=10% | D

| | D

| | D

| colspan=9 align=right | Majority →

| rowspan=2 | D

| | D

| | D

| | D

| | R

| | FL

| | FL

| | P

| | V

| | D

| | R

| | R

| colspan=2 |

| | R

Result of the elections

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

| colspan=2 |

| | D

| width=10% | D

| | D

| | D

| colspan=9 align=right | Majority →

| rowspan=2 | D

| | D

| | FL

{| align=center

| |

|}

| | P

| | D

| | I

| | R

| | R

| colspan=2 |

| | R

Beginning of the next Congress

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

| colspan=2 |

| | D

| width=10% | D

| | D

| colspan=9 align=right | Majority →

| rowspan=2 | D

| | D

| | FL

| | P

| | D

| | D

| | FL

| | I

| | R

| colspan=2 |

| | R

|- valign=top

! Key

{| class=wikitable

| align=center | D

| Democratic

| align=center | FL

| Farmer–Labor

| align=center | I

| Independent

| align=center | P

| Progressive

| align=center | R

| Republican

| align=center | V

| Vacant

frame|Composition of the Senate after the Election

Race summaries

Elections during the 74th Congress

In these special elections the winners were seated once they qualified; ordered by election date.

{| class=wikitable

|- valign=bottom

! rowspan=2 | State

! colspan=3 | Incumbent

! rowspan=2 | Results

! rowspan=2 | Candidates

! Senator

! Party

! Electoral history

! Louisiana (Class 2)

| Rose McConnell Long

| | Democratic

| 1936

| Interim appointee elected April 21, 1936. Winner was later not elected to the next term; see below.

| nowrap |

! Florida (Class 1)

| Scott Loftin

| | Democratic

| 1936

| | Interim appointee retired. New senator elected November 3, 1936. Democratic hold.

| nowrap |

! Florida (Class 3)

| William Luther Hill

| | Democratic

| 1936

| | Interim appointee retired. New senator elected November 3, 1936. Democratic hold.

| nowrap |

! Iowa (Class 3)

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| | Louis Murphy (D) had died July 16, 1936. New senator elected November 3, 1936. Democratic hold

| nowrap |

! Minnesota (Class 2)

| Elmer A. Benson

| | Farmer–Labor

| 1935

| | Interim appointee retired. New senator elected November 3, 1936. Republican gain. Winner was not a candidate for the next term; see below.

| nowrap |

! New Mexico (Class 1)

| Dennis Chávez

| | Democratic

| 1935

| Interim appointee elected November 3, 1936.

| nowrap |

Elections leading to the 75th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1937; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

{| class=wikitable

|- valign=bottom

! rowspan=2 | State

! colspan=3 | Incumbent

! rowspan=2 | Results

! rowspan=2 | Candidates

! Senator

! Party

! Electoral history

! Alabama

| John H. Bankhead II

| | Democratic

| 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Arkansas

| Joseph T. Robinson

| | Democratic

| 1913 1918 1924 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Colorado

| Edward P. Costigan

| | Democratic

| 1930

| | Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Democratic hold.

| nowrap |

! Delaware

| Daniel O. Hastings

| | Republican

| 1928 1930

| | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain.

| nowrap |

! Georgia

| Richard Russell Jr.

| | Democratic

| 1932

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Idaho

| William Borah

| | Republican

| 1907 1913 1918 1924 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Illinois

| J. Hamilton Lewis

| | Democratic

| 1913 1918 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Iowa

| L. J. Dickinson

| | Republican

| 1930

| | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain.

| nowrap |

! Kansas

| Arthur Capper

| | Republican

| 1918 1924 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Kentucky

| M. M. Logan

| | Democratic

| 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Louisiana

| Rose McConnell Long

| | Democratic

| 1936 1936

| | Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Democratic hold.

| nowrap |

! Maine

| Wallace H. White

| | Republican

| 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Massachusetts

| Marcus A. Coolidge

| | Democratic

| 1930

| | Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican gain.

| nowrap |

! Michigan

| James Couzens

| | Republican

| 1922 1924 1924 1930

| | Incumbent lost renomination then died October 22, 1936. New senator elected. Democratic gain. Winner was later appointed to finish term.

| nowrap |

! Minnesota

| Elmer A. Benson

| | Farmer–Labor

| 1935

| | Interim appointee retired to run for Governor of Minnesota. New senator elected. Farmer–Labor hold. Winner was not a candidate to finish the current term.

| nowrap |

! Mississippi

| Pat Harrison

| | Democratic

| 1918 1924 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Montana

| James E. Murray

| | Democratic

| 1934

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Nebraska

| George W. Norris

| | Republican

| 1913 1918 1924 1930

| | Incumbent re-elected as an Independent. Independent gain.

| nowrap |

! New Hampshire

| Henry W. Keyes

| | Republican

| 1918 1924 1930

| | Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican hold.

| nowrap |

! New Jersey

| W. Warren Barbour

| | Republican

| 1931 1932

| | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain.

| nowrap |

! New Mexico

| Carl Hatch

| | Democratic

| 1933 1934

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! North Carolina

| Josiah Bailey

| | Democratic

| 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Oklahoma

| Thomas Gore

| | Democratic

| 1907 1909 1914 1920 1930

| | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Democratic hold.

| nowrap |

! Oregon

| Charles L. McNary

| | Republican

| 1917 1918 1918 1918 1924 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Rhode Island

| Jesse H. Metcalf

| | Republican

| 1924 1924 1930

| | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain.

| nowrap |

! South Carolina

| James F. Byrnes

| | Democratic

| 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! South Dakota

| William J. Bulow

| | Democratic

| 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Tennessee

| Nathan L. Bachman

| | Democratic

| 1933 1934

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Texas

| Morris Sheppard

| | Democratic

| 1913 1913 1918 1924 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Virginia

| Carter Glass

| | Democratic

| 1920 1920 1924 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! West Virginia

| Matthew M. Neely

| | Democratic

| 1930

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Wyoming

| Robert D. Carey

| | Republican

| 1930 1930

| | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain.

| nowrap |

Closest races

Eleven races had a margin of victory under 10%:

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! State

! Party of winner

! Margin

! Maine

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Republican

| 1.5%

! Kansas

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Republican

| 2.6%

! Oregon

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Republican

| 2.6%

! South Dakota

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Democratic

| 2.0%

! Iowa

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Democratic (flip)

| 3.4%

! New Hampshire

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Republican

| 4.2%

! Rhode Island

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Democratic (flip)

| 4.2%

! Iowa (special)

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Democratic (flip)

| 5.3%

! Nebraska

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Independent (flip)

| 6.0%

! Massachusetts

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Republican (flip)

| 7.5%

! Wyoming

| data-sort-value=-0.5 | Democratic (flip)

| 8.4%

There is no tipping point state.