# 1946 United States Senate election in Montana

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The 1946 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 5, 1946. Incumbent United States Senator Burton K. Wheeler, who was first elected to the Senate in 1922, and was re-elected in 1928, 1934, and 1940, ran for re-election. He was challenged in the Democratic primary by Leif Erickson, the Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court, and, following a close election, was narrowly defeated by Erickson. In the general election, Erickson faced State Senator Zales Ecton, the Republican nominee. Ultimately, Ecton defeated Erickson by a fairly wide margin, winning his first and only term in the Senate. Another Republican would not be elected Senator from Montana until 42 years later, when Conrad Burns narrowly won the 1988 election.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates

* Leif Erickson, Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court
* Burton K. Wheeler, incumbent United States Senator

### Results

Democratic Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Leif Erickson | 49,419 | 52.61 |
| | Democratic | Burton K. Wheeler (incumbent) | 44,513 | 47.39 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 93,932 | 100.00 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Zales Ecton, State Senator, former State Representative
* R. E. Skeen, railroad brakeman

### Results

Republican Primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Zales Ecton | 22,731 | 66.94 |
| | Republican | R. E. Skeen | 11,226 | 33.06 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 33,957 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Results

United States Senate election in Montana, 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Zales Ecton | 101,901 | 53.47% | +26.91% |
| | Democratic | Leif Erickson | 86,476 | 45.38% | −28.06% |
| | Socialist | Floyd P. Jones | 2,189 | 1.15% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,425 | 8.09% | −38.78% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 190,566 | | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |