The 1956 United States Senate special election in Kentucky was held on November 6, 1956, to fill the vacant seat left by Alben Barkley. Former Senator John Sherman Cooper was elected to complete the term ending in 1961, defeating Democratic former Governor Lawrence Wetherby.
Background
Senator Alben Barkley, whose death precipitated the special election.
Alben Barkley served as U.S. Senator from Kentucky from 1927 to 1949 and Vice President of the United States from 1949 to 1953. After leaving the vice presidency in 1953, he was elected to the Senate for the term ending in 1961, defeating incumbent John Sherman Cooper in 1954.[a]
On April 30, 1956, Barkley died of a heart attack during a speech at Washington and Lee University. Governor Happy Chandler appointed Robert Humphreys to fill the vacant seat until a successor could be duly elected to complete the remainder of Barkley's term.
Former Senator Cooper, who was serving as Ambassador to India, resigned his post to run for his old seat at the request of President Eisenhower.
General election
Candidates
John Sherman Cooper, U.S. Ambassador to India and former U.S. Senator (1946–1949 and 1952–1955) (Republican)
Lawrence Wetherby, former Governor of Kentucky (1950–1955) (Democratic)
^Cooper himself had won two prior special elections in 1946 (to succeed Happy Chandler, who resigned to become Commissioner of Baseball) and 1952 (to succeed Virgil Chapman, who died).
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