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United States Senate election, 1958

Overview

The U.S. Senate election, 1958 was an election for the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...

which
occurred in the middle of President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was a five-star general in the United States Army and the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. During the Second World War, he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe, with responsibility for planning and supervising the...

's second term. As is common in midterm elections, the party in the White House lost seats, but in this year it was on a huge scale, perhaps due to high unemployment. The Eisenhower Administration's position on right-to-work issues galvanized labor unions which supported Democrats. The launch of Sputnik may also have been a factor.

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Encyclopedia

The U.S. Senate election, 1958 was an election for the United States Senate

United States Senate

which
occurred in the middle of President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

. Senate elections in 1959 in the new state of Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...

were split between the two parties, yielding an aggregate gain of 16 seats for the Democrats and giving a party balance of 65-35.

Democrats gained three open seats in California

California

California is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...

, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a U.S. state, the 19^th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16^th in population and 17^th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38^th in land area, and is the...

, and New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...

, and defeated ten Republican incumbents:

William C. Revercomb (R-WV)
John D. Hoblitzell, Jr.
John D. Hoblitzell, Jr.
John Dempsey Hoblitzell, Jr. was an American politician from West Virginia. He was a member of the Republican Party....

(R-WV)
John W. Bricker
John W. Bricker
John William Bricker was a United States Senator and Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he was the Republican nominee for Vice President in 1944.-Early life:...

(R-OH)
Edward John Thye
Edward John Thye
Edward John Thye was an American politician from the state of Minnesota. He was a Republican.-Background:Thye was born near Frederick, South Dakota, the son of Andrew J. Thye, a Norwegian immigrant farmer. His family moved to a farm near Northfield, Minnesota, when he was a young boy...

(R-MN)
William A. Purtell
William A. Purtell
William Arthur Purtell was an American politician from Connecticut. He served as a Republican member of the United States Senate from Connecticut, serving from August 29, 1952, to November 4, 1952 as the class 3 senator, and from January 3, 1953, to January 3, 1959 as the class 1 senator...

(R-CT)
Frederick G. Payne
Frederick G. Payne
Frederick George Payne was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Maine. He was born in Lewiston, Maine....

(R-ME)
Charles E. Potter
Charles E. Potter
Charles Edward Potter was a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.Potter was born in Lapeer, Michigan and attended the public schools there. He received an AB degree from Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1938...

(R-MI)
Arthur V. Watkins (R-UT)
Frank A. Barrett
Frank A. Barrett
Frank Aloysius Barrett was an American soldier, lawyer and politician. He is best known as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and as Governor of Wyoming....

(R-WY)
George W. Malone
George W. Malone
George Wilson Malone was an American civil engineer and Republican politician.-Biography:Malone was born in Fredonia, Kansas...

(R-NV)

West Virginia's delegation thus changed from two Republicans to two Democrats in the same election night.

Notable freshmen were future Democratic presidential contenders Eugene McCarthy

Eugene McCarthy

Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first...

(D-MN) and Ed Muskie (D-ME), as well as future Democratic Chairman Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), who as of 2009 is the longest-serving Senator in the history of the Senate making this the least recent election to still have a member of congress.

Senate contests in 1958

State	Incumbent	Party	Status	Opposing Candidates
Alaska Alaska Alaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait... ¹	None		Democratic victory, 83.8 - 15.0	Bob Bartlett Bob Bartlett Edward Lewis "Bob" Bartlett was an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party.Bartlett was born in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from the University of Alaska in 1925, Bartlett began his career in politics... (Democrat) R. E. Robertson R. E. Robertson Ralph E. Robertson was an American politician from the state of Alaska. He was a member of the Republican Party.... (Republican)
Alaska Alaska Alaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait... ²	None		Democratic victory, 52.6 - 47.4	Ernest Gruening Ernest Gruening Ernest Henry Gruening was an American journalist and Democrat who was the Governor of the Alaska Territory from 1939 until 1953, and a United States Senator from Alaska from 1959 until 1969.-Early life:... (Democrat) Mike Stepovich (Republican)
Arizona Arizona The State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...	Barry Goldwater Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. He was also a Major General in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He was known as "Mr...	Republican	Re-elected, 56.1 - 43.9	Ernest W. McFarland (Democrat)
California California California is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...	William F. Knowland William F. Knowland William Fife Knowland was a United States politician, newspaperman, and Republican Party leader. He was a U.S. Senator from California, 1945 to 1959. He served as Senate Majority Leader in 1953-1955, as Minority Leader in 1955-1959. He succeeded his father, Joseph R...	Republican	Retired: Democratic victory, 57.0 - 42.9	Clair Engle Clair Engle Clair Engle was an American politician of the Democratic Party and a United States Senator from California.- Early Years :Engle was born in Bakersfield, California... (Democrat) Goodwin J. Knight (Republican)
Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut is a state in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and New York to the west and south ....	William A. Purtell William A. Purtell William Arthur Purtell was an American politician from Connecticut. He served as a Republican member of the United States Senate from Connecticut, serving from August 29, 1952, to November 4, 1952 as the class 3 senator, and from January 3, 1953, to January 3, 1959 as the class 1 senator...	Republican	Defeated, 57.5 - 42.5	Thomas J. Dodd Thomas J. Dodd Thomas Joseph Dodd was a United States Senator and Representative from Connecticut, He was the first Senator censured by the US Senate since Joseph McCarthy in 1954, and was one of only six people censured by the Senate in the 20th century. He is the father of U.S... (Democrat)
Delaware Delaware Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The state takes its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, a British nobleman and Virginia's first colonial governor, after whom Cape Henlopen was originally named.Delaware is located in...	John J. Williams John J. Williams (senator) John James Williams was an American businessman and politician from Millsboro, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, who served four terms as U.S. Senator from Delaware....	Republican	Re-elected, 53.3 - 46.7	Elbert N. Carvel Elbert N. Carvel Elbert Nostrand "Bert" Carvel was an American businessman and politician from Laurel, in Sussex County, Delaware... (Democrat)
Florida Florida Florida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...	Spessard Holland Spessard Holland Spessard Lindsey Holland was an American politician. He was the 28th governor of Florida from 1941 until 1945, during World War II. After finishing his term as governor, he was a United States Senator from Florida from 1946 until 1971...	Democrat	Re-elected, 71.2 - 28.8	Leland Hyzer (Republican)
Indiana Indiana Indiana is a U.S. state, the 19^th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16^th in population and 17^th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38^th in land area, and is the...	William E. Jenner William E. Jenner William Ezra Jenner was a U.S. Republican Indiana State and U.S. Senator.Jenner was born in Marengo, Crawford County, Indiana. He graduated with a Law degree from Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington in 1930, and set up practice in Paoli, Indiana...	Republican	Retired: Democratic victory, 56.5 - 42.4	Vance Hartke Vance Hartke Rupert Vance Hartke was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana from 1959 until 1977.-Early life, education, military service:Born in Stendal, Pike County, Indiana on May 31 1919, Hartke attended public schools in Stendal... (Democrat) Harold W. Handley Harold W. Handley Harold Willis Handley was a Republican governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1957 to 1961. A veteran of World War II, and furniture salesman by trade, Handley began his political career as a state senator. Thanks to his longtime friendship with state party leader and United States Senator... (Republican)
Maine Maine The State of Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, New Hampshire to the southwest, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is the northernmost portion of...	Frederick G. Payne Frederick G. Payne Frederick George Payne was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Maine. He was born in Lewiston, Maine....	Republican	Defeated, 60.8 - 39.2	Edmund S. Muskie (Democrat)
Maryland Maryland Maryland is a state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east. It is comparable in size to the European country of Belgium. According to the U.S...	James Glenn Beall James Glenn Beall James Glenn Beall was a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Maryland from 1953–1965. He was also a United States Congressman, representing the sixth district of Maryland from 1943–1953.-Biography:Beall was born in Frostburg, Maryland, and attended...	Republican	Re-elected, 51.0 - 49.0	Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. was an American politician who was a U.S. Representative from Maryland's 3rd congressional district and subsequently the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland.... (Democrat)
Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...	John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....	Democrat	Re-elected, 73.2 - 26.2	Vincent J. Celeste (Republican)
Michigan Michigan Michigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....	Charles E. Potter Charles E. Potter Charles Edward Potter was a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.Potter was born in Lapeer, Michigan and attended the public schools there. He received an AB degree from Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1938...	Republican	Defeated, 53.6 - 46.1	Philip A. Hart (Democrat)
Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.2 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the...	Edward John Thye Edward John Thye Edward John Thye was an American politician from the state of Minnesota. He was a Republican.-Background:Thye was born near Frederick, South Dakota, the son of Andrew J. Thye, a Norwegian immigrant farmer. His family moved to a farm near Northfield, Minnesota, when he was a young boy...	Republican	Defeated, 52.9 - 46.6	Eugene McCarthy Eugene McCarthy Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first... (Democrat)
Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...	John C. Stennis John C. Stennis John Cornelius Stennis was a U.S. Senator from the state of Mississippi. He was a Democrat who served in the Senate for over 41 years, becoming its most senior member by his retirement.-Early life:...	Democrat	Re-elected, unopposed
Missouri Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....	Stuart Symington Stuart Symington William Stuart Symington was a businessman and political figure from Missouri. He served as the first Secretary of the Air Force and was a Democratic United States Senator from Missouri .-Education and business career:Symington was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland...	Democrat	Re-elected, 66.5 - 33.6	Hazel Palmer (Republican)
Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of the state contains numerous mountain ranges; other 'island' ranges are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	Mike Mansfield Mike Mansfield Michael Joseph Mansfield was an American Democratic politician and the longest-serving Majority Leader of the United States Senate, serving from 1961 to 1977. Born in New York City to Irish Catholic immigrants, he was raised in Montana, where he graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula...	Democrat	Re-elected, 76.2 - 23.8	Lou W. Welch (Republican)
Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....	Roman L. Hruska	Republican	Re-elected, 55.6 - 44.4	Frank B. Morrison Frank B. Morrison Frank Brenner Morrison served as the Governor of the U.S. state of Nebraska from 1961 to 1967, representing the Democratic Party. He also ran for United States Senate in 1958, 1966 and 1970 but lost all three elections. He lost to Roman L. Hruska in 1958 and 1970 while in 1966 he lost to Carl T.... (Democrat)
Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state located in the western region of the United States. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas. The state's nickname is Silver State, due to the large number of silver deposits that were discovered and mined there...	George W. Malone George W. Malone George Wilson Malone was an American civil engineer and Republican politician.-Biography:Malone was born in Fredonia, Kansas...	Republican	Defeated, 57.7 - 42.3	Howard W. Cannon (Democrat)
New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...	H. Alexander Smith	Republican	Retired: Democratic victory, 51.4 - 46.9	Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (Democrat) Robert W. Kean (Republican)
New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, it has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S...	Dennis Chavez Dennis Chavez Dionisio "Dennis" Chavez was a Democratic politician from the U.S. State of New Mexico who served in the United States House of Representatives, and in the United States Senate from 1935 to 1962.-Early life:...	Democrat	Re-elected, 62.7 - 37.3	Forrest S. Atchley (Republican)
New York New York New York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...	Irving M. Ives	Republican	Retired: Republican victory, 50.8 - 48.4	Kenneth B. Keating (Republican) Frank S. Hogan (Democrat)
North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties... ³	Benjamin Everett Jordan	Democrat	Re-elected, 70.0 - 30.0	Richard C. Clarke, Jr. (Republican)
North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America; on the Canadian border halfway between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. North Dakota is the 19th largest state by area in the U.S.; it is the 3^rd least populous, with just over 641,481 residents as...	William Langer William Langer William "Wild Bill" Langer was a prominent American politician from North Dakota. Langer is one of the most colorful characters in North Dakota history, most famously bouncing back from a scandal that forced him out of the governor's office and into prison. He served as the Governor of North...	Republican	Re-elected, 57.2 - 41.5	Raymond Vensdel (Democrat)
Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...	John W. Bricker John W. Bricker John William Bricker was a United States Senator and Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he was the Republican nominee for Vice President in 1944.-Early life:...	Republican	Defeated, 52.5 - 47.5	Stephen M. Young Stephen M. Young Stephen Marvin Young was an American politician of the Democratic Party from Ohio. He was a United States Senator from Ohio from 1958 until 1971.... (Democrat)
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...	Edward Martin Edward Martin Edward Martin was an American lawyer and Republican party politician from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. Martin served as a General in the United States National Guard and later retired from military service and went on to serve as Governor of Pennsylvania and then United States Senator...	Republican	Retired: Republican victory, 51.2 - 48.4	Hugh Scott Hugh Scott Hugh Doggett Scott, Jr. was a politician from Pennsylvania who served in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and who also served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee.-Early life:He was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on November 11, 1900 and... (Republican) George M. Leader George M. Leader George Michael Leader is a former governor of Pennsylvania serving from January 18, 1955 until January 20, 1959. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and a native of York County, Pennsylvania. Currently he is the only person from that county ever to be elected governor of the state.-Early... (Democrat)
Rhode Island Rhode Island Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...	John O. Pastore John O. Pastore John Orlando Pastore was a Rhode Island Democratic Party politician who was a United States Senator from Rhode Island and the Governor of Rhode Island , and was the first Italian American to hold either position....	Democrat	Re-elected, 64.5 - 35.5	Bayard Ewing (Republican)
Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...	Albert Gore, Sr. Albert Gore, Sr. Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Sr. was an American politician, serving as a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator for the Democratic Party from Tennessee....	Democrat	Re-elected, 79.0 - 19.0	Hobart F. Atkins (Republican)
Texas Texas Texas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...	Ralph Yarborough Ralph Yarborough Ralph Webster Yarborough was a Texas Democratic politician who served in the United States Senate and was a leader of the progressive or liberal wing of his party in his many races for statewide office. As a U.S...	Democrat	Re-elected, 74.6 - 23.6	Roy Whittenburg (Republican)
Utah Utah Utah is a western state of the United States. It was the 45th state admitted to the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80 percent of Utah's 2,736,424 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering around Salt Lake City. In contrast, vast expanses of the state are nearly uninhabited, making...	Arthur V. Watkins	Republican	Defeated, 38.7 - 34.8 - 26.4	Frank E. Moss (Democrat) J. Bracken Lee J. Bracken Lee Joseph Bracken Lee was a political figure in the state of Utah, United States. He served two terms as governor of Utah , six two-year terms as mayor of Price, Utah , and three terms as mayor of Salt Lake City ., Lee is the last Governor of Utah who was not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of... (Independent)
Vermont Vermont The State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...	Ralph E. Flanders	Republican	Retired: Republican victory, 52.2 - 47.8	Winston L. Prouty Winston L. Prouty Winston Lewis Prouty was a United States Representative and Senator from Vermont.Winston Lewis Prouty was born in Newport, Vermont, September 1, 1906 to Willard Robert Prouty and Margaret Prouty... (Republican) Frederick J. Fayette (Democrat)
Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The geography and climate of the state are shaped by the Blue...	Harry F. Byrd Harry F. Byrd Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. of Berryville in Clarke County, Virginia was an American newspaper publisher, farmer and politician. He was a descendant of one of the First Families of Virginia...	Democrat	Re-elected, 69.3 - 26.3	Louise Wensel Louise Wensel Louise Wensel M.D., born Mary Louise Oftedal , ran as an independent Senate candidate against incumbent Harry Byrd in the U.S. state of Virginia in 1958. Byrd was widely regarded as playing the role not only of United States Senator, but also as effective political boss of the entire state... (Independent)
Washington Washington Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute. It was admitted to the Union as the...	Henry M. Jackson Henry M. Jackson Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson was a U.S. Congressman and Senator from the state of Washington from 1941 until his death...	Democrat	Re-elected, 67.3 - 31.4	William B. Bantz (Republican)
West Virginia West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, and Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast...	Chapman Revercomb	Republican	Defeated, 59.2 - 40.8	Robert C. Byrd (Democrat)
West Virginia West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, and Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast... ⁴	John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. John Dempsey Hoblitzell, Jr. was an American politician from West Virginia. He was a member of the Republican Party....	Republican	Defeated, 59.3 - 40.7	Jennings Randolph Jennings Randolph Jennings Randolph was an American politician from West Virginia. He was a member of the Democratic Party and was the last surviving member of the United States Congress to have served during the first 100 days of Franklin D... (Democrat)
Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin is one of the fifty U.S. states. Located in the north-central United States, Wisconsin is considered part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the...	William Proxmire William Proxmire Edward William Proxmire was a member of the Democratic Party, who served in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1957 to 1989.-Personal life:...	Democrat	Re-elected, 57.1 - 42.7	Roland J. Steinle (Republican)
Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming is a state in the Western United States. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountain West, while the easternmost section of the state includes part of a high elevation prairie region known as the High Plains. While the tenth largest...	Frank A. Barrett Frank A. Barrett Frank Aloysius Barrett was an American soldier, lawyer and politician. He is best known as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and as Governor of Wyoming....	Republican	Defeated, 50.8 - 49.2	Gale McGee (Democrat)

¹ special election held due to Alaska's admission as a state.

² special election held due to Alaska's admission as a state.

³ special election held due to death of William Kerr Scott (D-NC)

⁴ special election held due to death of Matthew M. Neely

Matthew M. Neely

Matthew Mansfield Neely was a Democratic politician from West Virginia. He is the only West Virginian to serve in both houses of the United States Congress and as Governor. He is also the only person to have held a full term in both Senate seats from the state.He was born in a rural area in...

(D-WV)

Senate composition before and after elections

85th Congress

85th United States Congress

The Eighty-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1957 to January 3, 1959, during the fifth and sixth...

Senate Composition

86th Congress

86th United States Congress

The Eighty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1959 to January 3, 1961, during the last two years...

Senate Composition

Note that there are 24 columns at left (pre-Alaska and Hawaii) and 25 at right

Color Key:		= Republican		= Democratic