1946 United States Senate election in Virginia

1946 United States Senate election in Virginia

←  1940 November 5, 1946 1952  →

Nominee Harry F. Byrd Sr. Lester S. Parsons Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 163,960 77,005 Percentage 64.84% 30.45%

County and Independent City Results Byrd:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%     90-100% Parsons:     40-50%     50-60%

U.S. senator before election Harry F. Byrd Sr. Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd Sr. Democratic

Not to be confused with 1946 United States Senate special election in Virginia.

The 1946 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 5, 1946. Incumbent Senator Harry F. Byrd was re-elected to a fourth term after defeating Republican Lester S. Parsons.

The first Virginia primary for United States Senate was held on August 6. Byrd defeated challenger Martin A. Hutchinson.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Harry F. Byrd, incumbent Senator since 1933
• Martin A. Hutchinson

Results

1946 Democratic U.S. Senate primary ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Harry F. Byrd (incumbent)	141,923	63.49%
	Democratic	Martin A. Hutchinson	81,605	36.51%
Total votes			223,528	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Thomas E. Boorde (Prohibition)
• Alice Burke (Communist)
• Harry F. Byrd, incumbent Senator since 1933 (Democratic)
• Howard Carwile, Richmond trial lawyer and government watchdog (Independent)
• Lester S. Parsons (Republican)
• Clarke T. Robb (Socialist)

Results

United States Senate election in Virginia, 1946 ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Harry F. Byrd, Sr. (inc.)	163,960	64.84%	−28.48%
	Republican	Lester S. Parsons	77,005	30.45%	+30.45%
	Independent	Howard Carwile	5,189	2.05%
	Communist	Alice Burke	3,318	1.31%	−1.50%
	Prohibition	Thomas E. Boorde	1,764	0.70%	+0.70%
	Socialist	Clarke T. Robb	1,592	0.63%	+0.63%
	Write-ins		35	0.01%	−0.06%
Majority			86,955	34.39%	−55.14%
Turnout			252,863
	Democratic hold

See also

• 1946 United States Senate elections

References

1. "Statement of the Vote for Members of Congress and United States Senator". Richmond: Division of Purchase and Printing. 1946.
2. Graf, William (February 1, 1947). Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 1946 (PDF) (Report). Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 22, 2022.