1942 United States Senate special election in Colorado

1942 United States Senate special election in Colorado

←  1938 November 3, 1942 1944  →

Nominee Eugene Millikin James A. Marsh Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 191,517 143,817 Percentage 56.12% 42.14%

Results by county Millikin:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Marsh:     40–50%     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Eugene Millikin Republican Elected U.S. Senator Eugene Millikin Republican

The 1942 United States Senate special election in Colorado took place on November 3, 1942. Democratic senator Alva B. Adams died in office on December 1, 1941, and Republican Governor Ralph L. Carr appointed Denver oilman Eugene Millikin to fill the vacancy. Millikin ran for election for the remainder of Adams's term. He was opposed in the general election by James A. Marsh, the former chairman of the state Democratic Party. Aided in part by the nationwide Republican landslide, Millikin easily defeated Marsh to serve out the remainder of the term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• James A. Marsh, former chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party

Campaign

Most of the competitive Democratic primaries in 1942 emerged in the races for the regular Senate seat and for Governor. Former state party chairman James A. Marsh was seen as the frontrunner for the special election, along with Oscar Chapman, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Interior and Alva Adams's former campaign manager. ^[1] However, Chapman ultimately announced that he would not run, and Marsh won the nomination unopposed. ^[2]

Results

Democratic primary results ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James A. Marsh	54,606	100.00
Total votes			54,606	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Eugene Millikin, incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

Republican primary results ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Eugene D. Millikin (inc.)	41,660	100.00
Total votes			41,660	100.00

General election

Results

1942 United States Senate election in Colorado ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Eugene Millikin (inc.)	191,517	56.12%	+15.94%
	Democratic	James A. Marsh	143,817	42.14%	−16.10%
	Independent	Lewis Harley Tiley	4,262	1.25%	—
	Socialist	Edgar P. Sherman	1,664	0.49%	−0.31%
Majority			47,700	13.98%	−4.09%
Turnout			341,260
	Republican hold

References

1. "Colorado Will Have Hard-Fought Primary Contests". Craig Empire Courier. Craig, Colorado. April 1, 1942. p. 2. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
2. Kimball, Neil West (June 24, 1942). "Capitol Comment". Craig Empire Courier. Craig, Colorado. p. 10. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
3. Morrison, Walter F. (1942). State of Colorado Abstract of Votes Cast at the Primary Election Held on the Eighth Day of September, A. D. 1942 and at the General Election Held on the Third Day of November, A. D. 1942 (PDF). Denver, Colorado: Colorado Secretary of State.