The 1948 United States Senate elections were held concurrently with the election of Democratic President Harry S. Truman for a full term. The 32 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and one special election was held to fill a vacancy. Truman campaigned against an "obstructionist" Congress that had blocked many of his initiatives, and additionally, the U.S. economy recovered from the postwar recession of 1946–1947 by election day. Thus, Truman was rewarded with a Democratic gain of nine seats in the Senate, enough to give them control of the chamber.^[1][2] This was the last time until 2020 that Democrats flipped a chamber of Congress in a presidential election cycle.

Quick Facts 33 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1948 United States Senate elections

← 1946 November 2, 1948 1950 →
← 1947 (MS) 1949 (NY) →
33 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Alben Barkley Wallace White (retired) Party Democratic Republican Leader since July 22, 1937 February 25, 1944 Leader's seat Kentucky Maine Seats before 45 51 Seats after 54 42 Seat change 9 9 Popular vote 13,056,944 9,764,384 Percentage 56.5% 42.3% Seats up 15 18 Races won 24 9
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election Rectangular inset (Louisiana): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Wallace White Republican Elected Majority Leader Scott Lucas Democratic

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Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

More information Parties, Total ...

Parties					Total
		Democratic	Republican	Other
Last elections (1946) Before these elections		45	51	0	96
Not up		30	33	0	63
Up		15	18	0	33
	Class 2 (1942→1948)	14	18	0	32
	Special: Class 3	1	0	—	1
Incumbent retired		3	5	—	8
	Held by same party	3	4	—	7
	Replaced by other party	1 Republican replaced by 1 Democrat		—	1
	Result	4	4	0	8
Incumbent ran		12	13	—	25
	Won re-election	10	5	—	17
	Lost re-election	8 Republicans replaced by 8 Democrats		—	8
	Lost renomination but held by same party	2	0	—	2
	Result	20	5	0	25
Total elected		24	9	0	33
Net change		9	9		9
Nationwide vote		13,056,944	9,764,384	269,669	23,090,997
	Share	56.55%	42.29%	1.17%	100%
Result		54	42	0	96

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Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives^[3]

Six races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Wyoming is the tipping point state with a margin of 14.2%.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2020)

Democrat Bert H. Miller defeated incumbent Republican Henry Dworshak. As of 2024, this remains the only time that a Democrat would win Idaho's Class 2 Senate seat. Dworshak was appointed back to this seat in October 1949 after Miller died earlier that month and served until he himself died in 1962.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

1948 United States Senate election in Montana

← 1942 November 2, 1948 1954 →

Nominee James E. Murray Tom J. Davis Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 125,193 94,458 Percentage 56.65% 42.74%

County results Murray:      50–60%      60–70% Davis:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election James E. Murray Democratic Elected U.S. Senator James E. Murray Democratic

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Incumbent United States Senator James E. Murray, who was first elected to the Senate in a special election in 1934 and was re-elected in 1936 and 1942, ran for re-election. After winning the Democratic primary, he faced Tom J. Davis, an attorney and the Republican nominee, in the general election. Following a narrow re-election in 1936, Murray significantly expanded his margin of victory and comfortably won re-election over Davis, winning his fourth term and his third full term in the Senate.

There were 2 elections to the same seat, due to the December 15, 1946 death of three-term Democrat Josiah Bailey. Democratic former congressman William B. Umstead was appointed December 18, 1946 to continue Bailey's term, pending a special election.

Umstead supported the conservative Taft–Hartley Act. The Democratic former Governor of North Carolina J. Melville Broughton was seen as a "rather liberal alternative" to Umstead. Broughton beat Umstead in the Democratic primaries and then won the general elections.

Senator Burnet R. Maybank was opposed in the Democratic primary by U.S. Representative William Jennings Bryan Dorn and three other candidates. Maybank obtained over 50% in the primary election on August 10 to avoid a runoff election.

Since the end of Reconstruction in 1877, the Democratic Party dominated the politics of South Carolina and its statewide candidates were never seriously challenged. Maybank did not campaign for the general election as there was no chance of defeat.