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1942 United States Senate election in Nebraska

←  1936 November 3, 1942 1948 →
 
Nominee Kenneth Wherry George Norris Foster May
Party Republican Independent Democratic
Popular vote 186,207 108,899 83,763
Percentage 48.97% 28.64% 22.03%

County results
Wherry:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Norris:      30–40%      30–40%
May:      30–40%

U.S. senator before election

George W. Norris
Independent

Elected U.S. Senator

Kenneth Wherry
Republican

The 1942 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 3, 1942.

Incumbent Independent George W. Norris lost re-election to a sixth term to Republican Kenneth Wherry.

Norris, a former Republican, was quoted as remarking, “I would rather go down to my political grave with a clear conscience than ride in the chariot of victory.” In part for his honesty with constituents even if it meant defeat, Norris was later featured in John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning Profiles in Courage. [1]

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Hugh Ashmore
  • Voyle Rector
  • Kenneth Wherry, former state senator and mayor of Pawnee City; candidate for U.S. Senate in 1934 and governor in 1932

Results

General election results [2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kenneth Wherry 61,915 66.29%
Republican Hugh Ashmore 20,868 22.34%
Republican Voyle Rector 10,624 11.37%

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Terry Carpenter, former U.S. Representative from Scottsbluff, nominee for Senator in 1936, and perennial candidate
  • Harry B. Coffee, U.S. Representative from Chadron
  • Foster May, radio newsman and candidate for U.S. Representative in 1936
  • Lawrence Moore
  • John C. Mullin
  • George Olsen
  • William Ritchie

Results

General election results [3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Foster May 36,684 41.10%
Democratic Harry Coffee 25,953 29.08%
Democratic Terry Carpenter 13,752 15.41%
Democratic William Ritchie 5,774 6.47%
Democratic John C. Mullen 5,211 5.84%
Democratic George W. Olsen 1,105 1.24%
Democratic Lawrence W. Moore 784 0.88%

Independents

General election

Results

General election results [4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kenneth Wherry 186,207 48.97%
Independent George W. Norris (incumbent) 108,899 28.64%
Democratic Foster May 83,763 22.03%
Independent Albert F. Ruthven 1,348 0.36%

See also

References

  1. ^ "U.S. Senate: George Norris".
  2. ^ "NE US Senate – R Primary, 1942". OurCampaigns. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  3. ^ "NE US Senate – D Primary, 1942". OurCampaigns. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  4. ^ "NE US Senate, 1942". OurCampaigns. Retrieved October 10, 2018.