The 1952 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 4, 1952. Incumbent Democratic Senator and President pro tempore of the Senate Kenneth D. McKellar ran for re-election to a seventh term in office but was defeated in the Democratic primary by U.S. Representative Al Gore Sr. Gore easily won the general election against Republican Hobart Atkins.

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1952 United States Senate election in Tennessee

← 1946 November 4, 1952 1958 →

Nominee Albert Gore Sr. Hobart F. Atkins Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 545,432 153,479 Percentage 74.19% 20.88%

County results Gore:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Atkins:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Kenneth McKellar Democratic Elected U.S. senator Albert Gore Sr. Democratic

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In the primary, Incumbent Senator McKellar stood for a seventh term (the first Senator to do so), despite being 83. He was opposed for renomination by Middle Tennessee Congressman Albert Gore. McKellar's re-election slogan was "Thinking Feller? Vote McKellar," which Gore countered with "Think Some More – Vote for Gore." Gore defeated McKellar for the Democratic nomination in August in what was widely regarded as an upset.^[1]

McKellar's defeat was part of a statewide trend of change in 1952. That year, the incumbent governor, Gordon Browning, was defeated by Frank G. Clement in the primary.

• 1952 United States Senate elections