1944 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

1944 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

←  1938 November 7, 1944 1950  →

Nominee Charles W. Tobey Joseph J. Betley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 110,549 106,508 Percentage 50.93% 49.07%

County results Tobey:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80% Betley:     50–60%     60–70%

Senator before election Charles W. Tobey Republican Elected Senator Charles W. Tobey Republican

The 1944 United States Senate election in New Hampshire took place on November 7, 1944. Incumbent Republican Senator Charles W. Tobey won re-election to a second term.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Foster W. Stearns, U.S. Representative from Hancock ^[1]
• Charles W. Tobey, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1939

Campaign

U.S. Representative Foster W. Stearns, who had succeeded Tobey in the House in 1939, announced a primary challenge to Tobey on July 19, 1943. ^[2]

Results

The Associated Press declared Tobey the winner on the basis of partial returns showing him leading Stearns by about 6,400 votes. ^[1]

1944 Republican U.S. Senate primary ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles W. Tobey (incumbent)	27,183	57.12%
	Republican	Foster W. Stearns	20,407	42.88%
Total votes			47,590	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Joseph J. Betley, attorney and former state representative from Manchester

Results

1944 Democratic U.S. Senate primary ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joseph J. Betley	12,798	100.00%
Total votes			12,798	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Joseph J. Betley, attorney and former state representative from Manchester (Democratic)
• Charles W. Tobey, incumbent Senator since 1939 (Republican)

Campaign

Although New Hampshire was considered a close state in the concurrent presidential election, Tobey was expected to win re-election to a third term. ^[4] During the race, Tobey came under sustained attack from the Democratic Party and state Congress of Industrial Organizations as an "isolationist" and "reactionary". ^[4]

Tobey's prospects may have been aided by a split in the New Hampshire Democratic Party over the election of former Republican governor Francis P. Murphy as Democratic National Committeeman, and the appointment of a new Democratic nominee for Hillsborough County Sheriff. ^[4]

Results

1944 U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire ^{[5] [6]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Charles W. Tobey (incumbent)	110,549	50.93%	4.30
	Democratic	Joseph J. Betley	106,508	49.07%	4.30
Total votes			217,057	100.00%
	Republican hold		Swing

References

1. "Tobey Winning Renomination". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 12, 1944. p. 11. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
2. "Stearns to Oppose Tobey for 1944". The New York Times. United Press. July 19, 1944. p. 9. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
3. Fuller, Enoch D. (1945). Manual for the General Court. Concord, N.H.: Department of State. p. 400.
4. Hagerty, James A. (October 7, 1944). "CLOSE RACE LOOMS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE; Survey Shows That a Plurality as Low as 5,000 May Decide Choice for President TOBEY VICTORY PROBABLE Election of Republican State Ticket Is Expected, Aided by Local Democratic Splits". The New York Times. Concord, N.H. p. 38. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
5. Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (1945-01-11). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1944" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.
6. Fuller, Enoch D. (1945). Manual for the General Court. Concord, N.H.: Department of State. p. 490.