1936 United States Senate elections

← 1934 November 3, 1936 1938 →
1937 (AR) →
32 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Joseph Robinson Charles McNary Party Democratic Republican Leader since December 3, 1923 March 4, 1933 Leader's seat Arkansas Oregon Seats before 70 22 Seats after 75 17 Seat change 5 5 Seats up 19 11 Races won 24 6   Third party Fourth party   Party Farmer–Labor Progressive Seats before 2 1 Seats after 2 1 Seat change Seats up 1 0 Races won 1 0   Fifth party   Party Independent Seats before 0 Seats after 1 Seat change 1 Seats up 0 Races won 1
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      Farmer–Labor hold      Independent gain      No election
Majority Leader before election Joseph Robinson Democratic Elected Majority Leader Joseph Robinson Democratic

The 1936 United States Senate elections coincided with the reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The 32 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and special elections were held to fill vacancies. The Great Depression continued and voters backed progressive candidates favoring Roosevelt's New Deal in races across the country. The Democrats gained 5 net seats during the election, and in combination with Democratic and Farmer–Labor interim appointments and the defection of George W. Norris from the Republican Party to become independent, the Republicans were reduced to 16 seats. Democrats gained a further two seats due to mid-term vacancies. The Democrats' 77 seats and their 62-seat majority remain their largest in history.

This was the last of four consecutive election cycles where Republicans suffered losses due to the ongoing effects of the Great Depression. This was also the last Senate election cycle until 2012 in which a Democratic candidate who won two terms also made net gains in the Senate on both occasions (although Roosevelt won a third term and fourth term, he lost Senate seats on both occasions). Additionally, this is the last time any party held three-fourths of all Senate seats.

One Republican, one Farmer-Labor, and five Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

Six Republicans and one Democrat sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

One Democrat died on July 16, 1936, and his seat remained vacant until the election.

One Republican won re-election as an Independent.

After the April 1936 special election.

In these special elections the winners were seated once they qualified; ordered by election date.

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1937; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

Eleven races had a margin of victory under 10%:

There is no tipping point state.

1936 United States Senate election in Alabama

← 1930 November 2, 1936 1942 →

Nominee John H. Bankhead II H. E. Berkstresser Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 239,632 33,698 Percentage 87.03% 12.24%

County results Bankhead:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Berkstresser:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election John H. Bankhead II Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John H. Bankhead II Democratic

1936 United States Senate election in Arkansas

← 1930 November 3, 1936 1937 (special) →

Nominee Joe T. Robinson G.C. Ledbetter Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 170,336 27,746 Percentage 84.08% 15.06%

County results Robinson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Ledbetter:      50–60% Williams:      50–60% Tie:      40-50%

U.S. senator before election Joseph T. Robinson Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Joseph T. Robinson Democratic

1936 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1930 November 3, 1936 1942 →

Nominee Ed Johnson Ray Sauter Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 299,376 166,308 Percentage 63.45% 35.25%

Results by county Johnson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Sauter:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Edward P. Costigan Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Edwin C. Johnson Democratic

There were two special elections in Florida, due to the May 8, 1936, death of four-term Democrat Park Trammell and the June 17, 1936, death of five-term Democrat Duncan U. Fletcher.

1936 Florida U.S. Senate special election

← 1934 November 3, 1936 1940 →

Nominee Charles O. Andrews Howard C. Babcock Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 241,528 57,016 Percentage 80.90% 19.10%

Results by county Andrews:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

U.S. senator before election Scott Marion Loftin Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Charles O. Andrews Democratic

Democrat Scott M. Loftin was appointed May 26, 1936, to continue the term, pending a special election. Primaries were held August 11, 1936.^[5]

Andrews would be re-elected once and serve until his death September 18, 1946.

Democrat William Luther Hill was appointed July 1, 1936, to continue the term, pending a special election. Democrat Claude Pepper, who had lost to Trammell in 1934 won this election.

Pepper would be re-elected twice and serve until he lost renomination in 1950. He would later be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and serve there for 26 years.

1936 United States Senate election in Idaho

← 1930 November 3, 1936 1940 (special) →

Nominee William Borah C. Ben Ross Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 128,723 74,444 Percentage 63.36% 36.64%

County results Borah:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Ross:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election William Borah Republican Elected U.S. Senator William Borah Republican

1936 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1930 November 3, 1936 1940 (special) →

Nominee J. Hamilton Lewis Otis F. Glenn Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,142,887 1,545,170 Percentage 56.47% 40.72%

Results by county Lewis:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Glenn:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election J. Hamilton Lewis Democratic Elected U.S. senator J. Hamilton Lewis Democratic

1936 United States Senate election in Iowa

← 1930 November 3, 1936 1942 →

Nominee Clyde Herring L. J. Dickinson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 539,554 504,535 Percentage 50.26% 47.34%

County Results Herring:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Dickinson:     40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Lester J. Dickinson Republican Elected U.S. Senator Clyde Herring Democratic

1936 United States Senate Special Election

← 1932 Tuesday, November 3, 1936 1938 →

Majority party Minority party   Candidate Guy M. Gillette Berry F. Halden Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 536,075 478,521 Percentage 51.91% 46.43%

County Results Gillette:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Halden:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Vacant Elected U.S. Senator Guy M. Gillette Democratic

1936 United States Senate election in Kansas

← 1930 November 3, 1936 1942 →

Nominee Arthur Capper Omar B. Ketchum Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 417,873 386,685 Percentage 51.63% 47.78%

County results Capper:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Ketchum:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Arthur Capper Republican Elected U.S. Senator Arthur Capper Republican

1936 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1930 November 3, 1936 1940 (special) →

Nominee M. M. Logan Robert H. Lucas Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 539,968 365,850 Percentage 58.80% 39.84%

County results Logan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Lucas:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election M. M. Logan Democratic Elected U.S. Senator M. M. Logan Democratic

Democrat Rose McConnell Long was elected April 21, 1936, to finish the term to which she was appointed on January 31, 1936. She was not a candidate, however, to the next term on November 3, 1936, see above.

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1936 United States Senate special election in Louisiana

← 1930 April 21, 1936 1936 →

Nominee Rose McConnell Long Party Democratic Popular vote 131,930 Percentage 100.00%

Parish results Long      90–100%

U.S. senator before election Rose McConnell Long Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Rose McConnell Long Democratic

Maine election

← 1936 September 14, 1942 1948 →

Nominee Wallace White Fulton J. Redman Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 158,068 153,420 Percentage 50.75% 49.25%

County Results White:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Wallace H. White Jr. Republican Elected U.S. Senator Wallace H. White Jr. Republican