1938 United States Senate special election in Tennessee

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1938 United States Senate special election in Tennessee
Flag of Tennessee.svg
  1936 November 8, 1938 1942  
  Arthur Thomas Stewart (1892-1972) - S000901.jpg Blank2x3.svg
Nominee Tom Stewart Harley G. Fowler
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote194,02872,098
Percentage70.50%26.20%

1938 United States Senate special election in Tennessee results map by county.svg
County results
Stewart:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Fowler:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Senator before election

George L. Berry
Democratic

Elected Senator

Tom Stewart
Democratic

The 1938 United States Senate special election in Tennessee took place on November 8, 1938, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The special election came upon the death of incumbent Democratic Senator Nathan L. Bachman who had died in office.

Contents

Democratic Governor Gordon Browning appointed George L. Berry after Bachman's death. Berry ran for a full term but was defeated in the Democratic primary to Tom Stewart. [1] In the general election, Tom Stewart defeated Republican candidate Harvey G. Fowler with 70.5% of the vote. [2]

Eligible to begin serving immediately, Tom Stewart instead waited until the expiry of his term as district attorney on January 16, 1939, to take his Senate seat. [3]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic Party primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Tom Stewart 174,940 49.26%
Democratic George L. Berry (incumbent)101,96628.71%
Democratic John Ridley Mitchell 70,39319.82%
Democratic John Randolph Neal Jr. 4,6891.32%
Democratic C. L. Powell3,1710.89%
Total votes355,159 100.00%

Republican primary

The Tennessee Republican Party chose to hold a convention instead of a primary election. Harley G. Fowler, a former president of the Tennessee Bar Association, of Knoxville was declared the party's nominee for U.S. Senate by its executive committee. [5] [6]

General election

General election results [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Tom Stewart 194,028 70.50%
Republican Harley G. Fowler72,09826.20%
Independent John Randolph Neal Jr. 9,1063.31%
Majority21,93044.30%
Turnout 275,232
Democratic hold

See also

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References

  1. Hill, Ray. "The 1938 Senate Primary in Tennessee". The Knoxville Focus. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  2. "Our Campaigns - TN US Senate - Special Election Race - Nov 08, 1938". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  3. Although eligible and elected, he did not "take his seat" as he preferred to remain as district attorney general. Nevertheless, his service in the Senate begins on the date of election and eligibility, not on the date of an oath.
  4. "Our Campaigns - TN US Senate - Special D Primary Race - Aug 04, 1938". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  5. "G.O.P. Primary Off". The Evening Star. Washington, D.C. August 4, 1938. Retrieved September 25, 2024 via Library of Congress.
  6. "Fowler Accepts Nomination" . The Kingsport Times. Vol. 23, no. 221. September 15, 1938. p. 2. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  7. "Our Campaigns - TN US Senate - Special Election Race - Nov 08, 1938". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.