1944 United States Senate election in Kansas

1944 United States Senate election in Kansas

←  1938 November 7, 1944 1950 (special)  →

Nominee Clyde M. Reed Thurman Hill Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 387,090 272,053 Percentage 57.84% 40.65%

County results Reed:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Hill:     50–60%

U.S. senator before election Clyde M. Reed Republican Elected U.S. Senator Clyde M. Reed Republican

The 1944 United States Senate election in Kansas was held on November 7, 1944. Incumbent Republican Senator Clyde M. Reed ran for re-election to a second term. He was initially challenged by former Senator George McGill, whom he had defeated in 1938. However, after winning the Democratic nomination, McGill withdrew from the race to accept an appointment to the U.S. Tariff Commission. McGill was replaced as the Democratic nominee by Thurman Hill, an Independence attorney and former Public Service Commissioner. ^[1] Reed defeated Hill in a landslide as Republican presidential nominee Thomas E. Dewey handily won the state over President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• George McGill, former U.S. Senator

Results

Democratic primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	George McGill	40,568	100.00%
Total votes			40,568	100.00%

After McGill won the primary, he withdrew from the race upon his nomination to the U.S. Tariff Commission. He was replaced as the Democratic nominee by Thurman Hill, an attorney from Independence, former member of the Kansas Public Service Commission, and counsel to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. ^[1]

Republican primary

Candidates

• Clyde M. Reed, incumbent U.S. Senator
• Carl E. Friend, former Lieutenant Governor of Kansas
• Chauncey Dewey, Brewster rancher ^[3]

Results

Republican primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Clyde M. Reed (inc.)	86,107	55.89%
	Republican	Carl E. Friend	54,490	35.37%
	Republican	C. Dewey	13,460	8.74%
Total votes			154,057	100.00%

Prohibition primary

Candidates

• L. B. Dubbs

Results

Prohibition primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Prohibition	L. B. Dubbs	116	100.00%
Total votes			116	100.00%

Socialist primary

Candidates

• Arthur Goodwin Billings

Results

Socialist primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Socialist	Arthur Goodwin Billings	26	100.00%
Total votes			26	100.00%

General election

Results

1944 United States Senate election in Kansas ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Clyde M. Reed (inc.)	387,090	57.84%	+1.64%
	Democratic	Thurman Hill	272,053	40.65%	−3.13%
	Socialist	Arthur Goodwin Billings	2,374	0.35%	—
	Prohibition	L. B. Dubbs	7,674	1.15%	—
Majority			115,037	17.19%	+4.76%
Total votes			669,191	100.00%
	Republican hold

See also

• 1944 United States Senate elections

References

1. "Name Thurman Hill as Reed's Opponent". The Wichita Eagle . Wichita, Kansas. August 19, 1944. p. 1. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
2. Ryan, Frank J. (1944). Thirty-Fourth Biennial Report of the Secretary of State 1943-1944. Topeka, Kansas: Kansas State Printing Plant. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
3. "Chauncey Dewey Comes Back Into Headelines". Manhattan Mercury . Manhattan, Kansas. July 16, 1944. p. 7. Retrieved March 3, 2025.