# 1956 United States Senate election in Idaho

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The 1956 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on November 6, 1956. Incumbent Republican Senator Herman Welker was defeated for re-election by Democratic nominee Frank Church.

## Primary elections

Primary elections were held on August 14, 1956.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Frank Church, attorney, chairman of the Young Democrats of Idaho and unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the state legislature
* Glen H. Taylor, former U.S. Senator and former Progressive Vice Presidential candidate
* Claude J. Burtenshaw, teacher, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in 1950 special election and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 1954
* Alvin McCormack, farmer, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 1954
The primary race was described as "the most colorful primary in the history of the state". Taylor was the last to enter the race and although he had a certain amount of popular support, he was unpopular with Democratic office holders because of his left wing beliefs and idiosyncratic style.
Taylor contested the close defeat, claiming irregularities but the State Board of Canvassers confirmed Church's narrow victory over Taylor on August 25.

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Frank Church | 27,942 | 37.75 |
| | Democratic | Glen H. Taylor | 27,742 | 37.48 |
| | Democratic | Claude J. Burtenshaw | 11,738 | 15.86 |
| | Democratic | Alvin McCormack | 6,596 | 8.91 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 74,018 | |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Herman Welker, incumbent U.S. Senator
* William S. Holden, attorney
* Ray J. Davis, teacher
* John C. Sanborn, former U.S. Representative
* Mark L. Streeter, farmer

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Herman Welker (incumbent) | 31,399 | 42.51 |
| | Republican | William S. Holden | 21,081 | 28.54 |
| | Republican | Ray J. Davis | 12,349 | 16.72 |
| | Republican | John C. Sanborn | 8,261 | 11.18 |
| | Republican | Mark Streeter | 774 | 1.05 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 73,864 | |

## General election
### Campaign

Church's campaign contrasted his fitness with that of Welker. His slogan, "Idaho Will Be Proud of Frank Church", was a major asset to his campaign. Church also campaigned on an internationalist plank, in favor of a publicly owned Hells Canyon Dam and was conservative on money matters.
Welker's campaign, which focused heavily on anti-Communism, a decision that proved to be a weak political foundation. The Welker campaign also ran on his record, as well as the "Herman letter", in which President Eisenhower endorsed Welker's candidacy, although he pointedly refused to campaign in person for Welker.
One of the issues was whether the proposed Hells Canyon Dam would be a single "high dam" (which would have been publicly built and owned) or a private three dam project. Welker wanted a private dam with one of Church's aides saying "The campaign was Frank Church against Idaho Power. They fought him tooth and nail." Church was for a high dam, although the Western Political Quarterly described his support for the high dam as "mild", Lyndon Johnson's biographer Robert Caro says that this was the central issue in this election and the Governor's election in the same year, and noted that Church's maiden speech was on the dam.
Taylor decided to run as a write-in candidate and labelled Church a candidate of "corporate interests".
1956 should have been a good year for a Republican candidate with Eisenhower winning a plurality of 61,111 in Idaho.
The defeat increased Democratic control of the Senate and led to much anger within the Republican Party, with Joseph McCarthy even accusing President Dwight Eisenhower of not supporting Welker's reelection campaign enough.

### Endorsements

Federal officials
* Estes Kefauver, United States Senator from Tennessee, Democratic candidate for Vice President

### Results

1956 United States Senate election in Idaho :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Frank Church | 149,096 | 56.20 |
| | Republican | Herman Welker (Incumbent) | 102,781 | 38.74 |
| | Write-in | Glen H. Taylor | 13,415 | 5.06 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46,315 | 17.46 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 265,292 | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |