The 1926 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate that occurred in the middle of RepublicanPresidentCalvin Coolidge's second term. The 32 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. The Republican majority was reduced by seven seats.
Gains, losses, and holds
Retirements
One Republican and one Democrat retired instead of seeking re-election.
Ten Republicans sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election. One Republican sought election to finish the unexpired term but lost in the general election and one Republican sought election to finish the unexpired term and election to a full term but lost in both the special election and the regular election.
Incumbent lost renomination, then died. New senator elected. Winner appointed to finish term, but was not seated for either appointment or for next term.[f] Republican hold, although the Senate did not consider the winner to be a senator.
Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Senate refused to qualify winner due to charges of corruption and fraud concerning the election. Republican hold, but the Senate would later unseat the winner and declare the seat vacant.
There were 2 elections on the same day for the same seat, due to the May 16, 1925, death of Republican Selden P. Spencer.
Republican George H. Williams was appointed May 25, 1925, to continue the term, epending a special election. Williams ran in both the special election to finish the term and the regular election to the next term, but lost both races to Democrat Harry B. Hawes.
There were two elections due to the June 22, 1925, death of one-term Republican Edwin F. Ladd. Republican Gerald Nye was appointed November 14, 1925, to continue the term, pending a special election. Nye later won the June 1926 special election to finish the term and the November 1926 general election to the next term.
North Dakota (special)
1926 United States Senate special election in North Dakota
^ abFrank L. Smith defeated William B. McKinley for the 1926 Republican nomination in Illinois and won the subsequent general election. McKinley died shortly before the end of his term, so Smith was appointed to replace him. When Smith presented his credentials to serve the remainder of McKinely's term, the Senate refused to seat him based on what it saw as an election rife with fraud and corruption. When Smith returned with his credentials for the term he was elected to, the Senate again refused to seat him for the same reasons. Smith and the Governor considered him to be the rightful senator, but he resigned February 9, 1928.