The 1958 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's second term. Thirty-two seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections, the new state of Alaska held its first Senate elections for its Class 2 and 3 seats, and two special elections were held to fill vacancies.

Quick Facts 36 of the 98 seats in the United States Senate 50 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1958 United States Senate elections

← 1956 November 4, 1958[lower-alpha 1] 1960 →
← 1957 (TX, WI) 1959 (HI) →
36 of the 98 seats in the United States Senate 50 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Lyndon Johnson William Knowland (retired) Party Democratic Republican Leader since January 3, 1953 August 4, 1953 Leader's seat Texas California Seats before 49 47 Seats after 64 34 Seat change 15 13 Popular vote 21,426,124[1][lower-alpha 2] 16,622,338[1] Percentage 55.3% 42.9% Seats up 13 21 Races won 28 8
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election Rectangular inset (Alaska and W. V.): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Lyndon Johnson Democratic Elected Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson Democratic

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As is common in mid-term elections, the party in the White House lost seats, but losses this year were heavy due to the Recession of 1958, the Eisenhower Administration's position on right-to-work issues that galvanized labor unions which supported Democrats, and the launch of Sputnik. This was the first time since 1934 that Democrats gained seats in this class of Senators. Democrats won both seats in West Virginia, making the last time that Democrats simultaneously flipped both of a state's Senate seats until Georgia's elections in 2020 and 2021.

The Democratic Party gained a record 15 seats in this election, defeating 10 Republican incumbents, gaining three open Republican seats, and winning both seats from the new state of Alaska. This gave the Democrats a strong Senate majority of 64–34 over the Republicans, and the largest swing in the history of the Senate. After the new state of Hawaii elected its first Senators in 1959, the Senate's balance changed to 65–35.

This is only one of two occasions in U.S. history that 10 or more Senate seats changed hands in a mid-term election (the other being in 1946), and also one of five occasions where 10 or more Senate seats changed hands in an election, with the other occasions being in 1920, 1932, 1946, and 1980.

For the November 5 and 25, 1958 regular and special elections.

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

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Parties					Total
		Democratic	Republican	Other
Last elections (1956) Before these elections		49	47	0	96
Not up		36	26	0	62
	Class 2 (1954)	19	11	0	30
	Class 3 (1956)	17	15	0	32
Up		13	21	—	34
	Class 1 (1952→1958)	12	20	—	32
	Special: Class 2	1	1	—	2
Incumbent retired		0	6	—	6
	Held by same party	0	3	—	3
	Replaced by other party	3 Republicans replaced by 3 Democrats		—	3
	Result	3	3	0	6
Incumbent ran		13	15	—	28
	Won re-election	13	5	—	18
	Lost re-election	10 Republicans replaced by 10 Democrats		—	10
	Lost renomination, but held by same party	0	0	—	0
	Result	23	5	0	28
New state		2	0	0	2
Total elected		28	8	0	36
Net gain/loss		15	13		15
Nationwide vote		21,426,124[lower-alpha 2]	16,622,338	678,147	38,726,609
	Share	55.33%	42.92%	1.75%	100%
Result		64	34	0	98

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Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives^[1]

Eleven races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Maine was the tipping point state with a margin of 21.6%.

Alaska would become a new state January 3, 1959, and it elected two initial senators November 25, 1958, in advance of statehood. The Democratic Party thereby picked up 2 more seats.

In their next elections, Alaska's senators would be elected to 6-year terms.

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1958 class 2 Senate election

November 25, 1958 1960 →

Nominee Bob Bartlett R. E. Robertson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 40,939 7,299 Percentage 83.83% 14.95%

Results by election district Bartlett:      70–80%      80–90%

Elected U.S. Senator Bob Bartlett Democratic

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The class 2 race, for the 2-year term ending in 1961, was between the Democratic incumbent territorial delegate Bob Bartlett, and the Republican Juneau attorney R. E. Robertson.

Bartlett would be re-elected twice and serve until his death in 1968.

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1958 class 3 Senate election

November 25, 1958 1962 →

Nominee Ernest Gruening Mike Stepovich Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 26,045 23,464 Percentage 52.61% 47.39%

Results by election district Gruening:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Stepovich:      50–60%      60–70%

Elected U.S. Senator Ernest Gruening Democratic

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The class 3 race, for the 4-year term ending in 1963, pitted two former territorial governors, Democrat Ernest Gruening against Republican Mike Stepovich. Gruening won a close race.

Gruening would be re-elected in 1962 and serve until losing renomination in 1968.

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1958 United States Senate election in Connecticut

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Thomas J. Dodd William A. Purtell Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 554,841 410,622 Percentage 57.29% 42.40%

County results Municipality results Dodd:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Purtell:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Tie:      50%

U.S. senator before election William A. Purtell Republican Elected U.S. Senator Thomas J. Dodd Democratic

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In Connecticut, Democrat Thomas J. Dodd defeated incumbent senator William A. Purtell who ran for a second term.

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1958 United States Senate election in Delaware

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee John J. Williams Elbert Carvel Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 82,280 72,152 Percentage 53.28% 46.72%

County results Williams:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election John J. Williams Republican Elected U.S. Senator John J. Williams Republican

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Two-term Republican John J. Williams was re-elected to a third term.

Williams would be re-elected in 1964, serving four terms until his 1970 retirement.

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1958 United States Senate election in Florida

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Spessard Holland Leland Hyzer Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 386,113 155,956 Percentage 71.23% 28.77%

County results Holland:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

U.S. senator before election Spessard Holland Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Spessard Holland Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Senator Holland, a conservative, was challenged by former senator Claude Pepper, who had been unseated in 1950. Holland had played a role in recruiting George A. Smathers to run against the liberal Pepper in that election. The two served as colleagues in the Senate from 1947 to 1951.^[5]

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General election results^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Spessard Holland (Incumbent)	386,113	71.23	28.59
	Republican	Leland Hyzer	155,956	28.77	28.77
Majority			230,157	42.46
Turnout			542,069
	Democratic hold

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1958 United States Senate election in Indiana

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Vance Hartke Harold W. Handley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 973,636 731,635 Percentage 56.46% 42.42%

County results Hartke:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Handley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election William E. Jenner Republican Elected U.S. Senator Vance Hartke Democratic

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Incumbent Republican William E. Jenner did not seek a second full term in office and was replaced by Democrat Vance Hartke, the mayor of Evansville. Hartke defeated incumbent Republican Governor of Indiana Harold W. Handley.

Jenner resigned shortly before the election and urged Handley, Jenner's political protégé, to seek his seat. A plan was proposed whereby Handley would resign the governorship, his lieutenant would appoint him senator, and he would finish the term and run as an incumbent. When the plan was revealed to the party leadership, they strongly advised him to not implement it because they feared it would hurt the party and be perceived as a scandal.^[8]

Handley did not resign from the governorship during his campaign and was widely criticized for the unprecedented action. Hartke accused Handley of raising taxes, breaking of his campaign promise, his reluctance in supporting right-to-work, and rising state unemployment. Statewide unemployment was just above 10% in April, but dropped to 6.9% by the end of September.^[8]

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1958 United States Senate election in Maine

← 1952 September 8, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Edmund Muskie Frederick G. Payne Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 172,704 111,522 Percentage 60.76% 39.24%

County Results Muskie:      50–60%      50–60% Payne:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Frederick G. Payne Republican Elected U.S. Senator Edmund Muskie Democratic

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Maine held its election September 8, 1958, in keeping with its routine practice of holding elections before the November national Election Day. Democrat Edmund Muskie defeated one-term Republican incumbent, Frederick G. Payne by a wide margin, 61–39%.

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1958 United States Senate election in Minnesota

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Eugene J. McCarthy Edward John Thye Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Popular vote 608,847 535,629 Percentage 52.95% 46.58%

County results McCarthy:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Thye:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Edward John Thye Republican Elected U.S. Senator Eugene J. McCarthy Democratic (DFL)

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In Minnesota, Democratic Representative Eugene McCarthy defeated incumbent senator Edward John Thye who ran for a third term.

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1958 United States Senate election in Mississippi

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee John C. Stennis Party Democratic Popular vote 61,039 Percentage 100.00%

County results Stennis:      100%

U.S. senator before election John C. Stennis Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John C. Stennis Democratic

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Two-term Democrat John C. Stennis was re-elected with no opposition.

Stennis would be re-elected four more times, serving until his retirement in 1989.

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1958 United States Senate election in Missouri

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Stuart Symington Hazel Palmer Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 780,083 393,847 Percentage 66.45% 33.55%

County results Symington:      50–60%      60–70%      80–90%      >90% Palmer:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Stuart Symington Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Stuart Symington Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Stuart Symington was re-elected to a second term. Hazel Palmer was the first woman ever nominated for United States senator in Missouri.

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General election^[1][14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Stuart Symington (Incumbent)	780,083	66.45%	12.46
	Republican	Hazel Palmer	393,847	33.55%	12.39
Majority			386,236	32.90%
Turnout			1,173,930
	Democratic hold		Swing

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1958 United States Senate election in Montana

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Mike Mansfield Lou Welch Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 174,910 54,573 Percentage 76.22% 23.78%

County results Mansfield:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80-90%

U.S. senator before election Mike Mansfield Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Mike Mansfield Democratic

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Incumbent Mike Mansfield, who was first elected to the Senate in 1952, ran for re-election. Mansfield won the Democratic primary comfortably, and moved on to the general election, where he was opposed by Lou W. Welch, a millworker and the Republican nominee. In contrast to the close campaign in 1952, Mansfield defeated Welch in a landslide and won his second term in the Senate easily.

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General election^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Mike Mansfield (Incumbent)	174,910	76.22%	25.47%
	Republican	Lou W. Welch	54,573	23.78%	24.77%
Majority			120,337	52.44%	50.25%
Turnout			229,483
	Democratic hold		Swing

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Republican Roman Hruska had won a 1954 special election and ran for a full term. He beat Democratic attorney Frank B. Morrison, who had previously lost his challenger bid for Nebraska's 1st congressional district.

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1958 United States Senate election in Nebraska

← 1954 (special) November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Roman Hruska Frank B. Morrison Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 232,227 185,152 Percentage 55.64% 44.36%

County results Hruska:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Morrison:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Roman Hruska Republican Elected U.S. Senator Roman Hruska Republican

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Hruska would be re-elected two more times and serve until his 1976 retirement.

Morrison would be elected Governor of Nebraska in 1960 and serve there for six years from 1961 to 1967, and was re-elected twice while running unsuccessfully for U.S. senator.

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1958 United States Senate election in Nevada

← 1952 November 4, 1958 1964 →

Nominee Howard Cannon George W. Malone Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 48,732 35,760 Percentage 57.65% 42.32%

County results Cannon:      50–60%      70–80% Malone:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election George W. Malone Republican Elected U.S. Senator Howard Cannon Democratic

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In Nevada, incumbent Republican George W. Malone ran for re-election to a third term, but was defeated by Democrat Howard Cannon.

The campaign was considered^{[by whom?]} one of the most competitive and highly watched in the nation in 1958. Senator Malone was known nationally as a leader within the Republican Party's right wing and held key appointments on the Senate Finance and Interior Committees.^[18]

Malone campaigned on his experience and seniority in the Senate, using the slogan "He Knows Nevada Best." He received support from Eisenhower cabinet secretaries Fred Seaton and Ezra Taft Benson. Benson, one of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was especially influential among Nevada's large Mormon population. His endorsement was seen as particularly important in light of Cannon's Mormon faith. Late in the campaign, Malone published full-page ads touting his effort to save Nevada from a federal gambling tax.^[18]

Cannon focused his attacks on Malone's absentee record in the Senate and his reputation on Capitol Hill as an unpopular extremist.^[18]

Cannon won the election by a safe margin owing to his overwhelming support in his native Clark County, which contained 47 percent of the state's registered voters. He was the first candidate from southern Nevada elected to the United States Senate.^[18]

Senator Malone was unopposed for re-nomination by the Republican Party.

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General election^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Howard Cannon, City Attorney of Las Vegas	48,732	57.65%	7.63%
	Republican	George W. Malone (Incumbent)	35,760	42.32%	9.35%
Majority			12,972	15.35%	12.00%
Turnout			84,492
	Democratic gain from Republican		Swing

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New Jersey election

← 1952 1964 →

Nominee Harrison Williams Robert Kean Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 966,832 882,287 Percentage 51.39% 46.90%

County results Williams:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Kean:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election H. Alexander Smith Republican Elected U.S. senator Harrison Williams Democratic

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Incumbent Republican H. Alexander Smith chose not to seek a third term in office. Democratic U.S. Representative Harrison Williams won the open seat over U.S. Representative Robert Kean.

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General election^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Harrison A. Williams	966,832	51.39%	7.77
	Republican	Robert Kean	882,287	46.90%	8.61
	Socialist Workers	Daniel Roberts	11,669	0.62%	0.40
	Politicians Are Jokers	Henry Krajewski	6,013	0.32%	N/A
	Independent	John J. Winberry	5,481	0.29%	N/A
	Conservative	Winifred O. Perry	3,062	0.16%	N/A
	People's Choice	John M. D'Addetta	3,024	0.16%	N/A
	Socialist Labor	Albert Ronis	2,935	0.16%	0.09
Total votes			1,881,303	100.00%
	Democratic gain from Republican

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