1956 United States Senate special election in West Virginia

1956 United States Senate special election in West Virginia
← 1952 November 6, 1956 1958 →
 
Nominee Chapman Revercomb William C. Marland
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 432,123 373,051
Percentage 53.67% 46.33%
County results
Revercomb:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Marland:      50–60%      60–70%
U.S. senator before election

William Laird III
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Chapman Revercomb
Republican

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The 1956 United States Senate special election in West Virginia took place on November 6, 1956, to elect a U.S. Senator to complete the unexpired term of Senator Harley M. Kilgore, who died on February 28. 1956. State Tax Commissioner William Laird III was appointed to fill this seat by Governor William C. Marland to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held and assumed office on March 13, 1956.[1]

Laird did not opt to run in the special election to fill the remainder of Kilgore's term through the end of the 85th Congress on January 3, 1959. Republican candidate former Senator Chapman Revercomb defeated the Democratic candidate Governor Marland in the special election.

This was the last time the Republicans won West Virginia's Class 1 seat, until Jim Justice flipped the seat in 2024. This was also the last time until 2014 that the Republicans won a U.S. Senate election in the state.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on May 8, 1956.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[5][6][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William C. Marland 118,159 37.25
Democratic John G. Fox 104,869 33.06
Democratic Byron B. Randolph 56,945 17.95
Democratic Walter G. Crichton 26,972 8.50
Democratic Joseph Arcuri 10,263 3.24
Total votes 317,208 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results[5][8][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chapman Revercomb 79,106 41.53
Republican Thomas Sweeney 57,556 30.22
Republican Philip H. Hill 37,574 19.73
Republican Al J. Carey 11,268 5.92
Republican Esta C. Wilson 4,971 2.61
Total votes 190,475 100.00

General election

Results

1956 United States Senate special election in West Virginia[10][11][12][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chapman Revercomb 432,123 53.67
Democratic William C. Marland 373,051 46.33
Majority 59,072 7.34
Turnout 805,174
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

References

  1. ^ "SENATORS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1789-present, A chronological list of senators since the First Congress in 1789" (PDF). United States Senate. p. 64. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "West Virginia To Certify Ten Candidates For Senate Seat". Cumberland Evening Times. Cumberland, Maryland. April 9, 1956. p. 6. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "First Aid Needed to Heal Intraparty Cuts, Bruises of Campaign". Beckley Post Herald And Raleigh Register. Beckley, West Virginia. May 6, 1956. p. 22. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Eisenhower Gets 60% Of Total Indiana Vote". Evening Star. Washington, D.C. May 9, 1956. p. A-6. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 160.
  6. ^ West Virginia Blue Book 1956, p. 641.
  7. ^ "WV US Senate, 1956 - Special D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  8. ^ West Virginia Blue Book 1956, p. 666.
  9. ^ "WV US Senate, 1956 - Special R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 99.
  11. ^ "WV US Senate, 1956 - Special Election". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  12. ^ Myers, J. Howard (ed.). West Virginia Blue Book 1957 (PDF). Vol. 41. Charleston, West Virginia: Jarrett Printing Company. p. 683.
  13. ^ Clerk of the House of Representatives (1958). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1956" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved October 2, 2022.

Bibliography

  • Congressional Elections, 1946-1996. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-248-4.
  • Myers, J. Howard (ed.). West Virginia Blue Book 1956 (PDF). Vol. 40. Charleston, West Virginia: Jarrett Printing Company.