# 1954 United States Senate elections in Nebraska

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The 1954 United States Senate elections in Nebraska took place on November 2, 1954, for the Class II United States Senate seat. Incumbent Republican Senator Kenneth S. Wherry was elected to a second term in 1948, and died in office on November 29, 1951. Governor Val Peterson appointed Fred A. Seaton to hold the seat until the 1952 election. At the 1952 special election, former Governor Dwight Griswold was elected to serve out the remaining two years of Wherry's term. Griswold was a candidate for a full term, however, Griswold died suddenly on April 12, 1954, prompting another special election. Governor Robert B. Crosby appointed Eva Bowring to fill the seat until the November 2, 1954, special election.
At the same time as the special election, a regular election was held on the same day to elect a Senator to serve for the next six-year term. Senator Bowring did not seek re-election. Hazel Abel, the vice-chairman of the State Republican Central Committee, won the Republican primary for the special election and defeated Democratic nominee William H. Meier in the general election. On the same day, Congressman Carl Curtis, a Republican, defeated former Governor Keith Neville, the Democratic nominee, for the full six-year term.
Coincidentally, on the same day, another special election was held to fill the remaining four years of the term of the late Senator Hugh A. Butler, who was elected at the 1952 regular election and died on July 1, 1954.

## Democratic primary
### Regular election
#### Candidates

* Keith Neville, former Governor of Nebraska
* Joseph V. Benesch, former State Senator
* Edward A. Dosek, Lincoln attorney, 1950 and 1944 Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor

#### Results

Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Keith Neville | 38,114 | 52.83% |
| | Democratic | Joseph V. Benesch | 17,992 | 24.94% |
| | Democratic | Edward A. Dosek | 15,920 | 22.07% |
| | Democratic | Scattering | 116 | 0.16% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 72,142 | 100.00% |

### Special election
#### Candidates

* William H. Meier, Chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party
* Mabel Gillespie, former State Senator
* Charles R. Herrick, former State Senator

#### Results

Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William H. Meier | 26,885 | 39.83% |
| | Democratic | Mabel Gillespie | 21,029 | 31.15% |
| | Democratic | Charles R. Herrick | 19,559 | 28.97% |
| | Democratic | Scattering | 33 | 0.05% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 67,506 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Regular election
#### Candidates

* Carl Curtis, U.S. Representative from Nebraska's 1st congressional district
* Robert B. Crosby, Governor of Nebraska
* Terry Carpenter, State Senator
* David Martin, former Chairman of the Nebraska Republican Party
* James L. Harrison, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel
* Walter A. Nielsen, Omaha attorney, 1952 Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate
* John P. Overgaard, Lincoln real estate broker

#### Results

Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Carl Curtis | 64,410 | 39.42% |
| | Republican | Robert B. Crosby | 43,580 | 26.67% |
| | Republican | Terry Carpenter | 30,767 | 18.83% |
| | Republican | David Martin | 18,283 | 11.19% |
| | Republican | James L. Harrison | 2,782 | 1.70% |
| | Republican | Walter A. Nielsen | 2,592 | 1.59% |
| | Republican | John P. Overgaard | 954 | 0.58% |
| | Republican | Scattering | 20 | 0.01% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 163,388 | 100.00% |

### Special election
#### Candidates

* Hazel Abel, Vice-chairman of the State Republican Central Committee
* Richard R. Dempster, North Platte furniture store owner
* N. W. Anderson, Lincoln insurance salesman
* John R. Jirdon, Morrill businessman
* Hugh Carson, State Senator
* Chris C. Beck, Lincoln businessman
* S. E. Torgeson, Kimball attorney
* Max A. Denny, Fairbury attorney
* Myles Standish, Omaha businessman
* E. W. Gustafson, Scottsbluff accountant
* Mac Baldrige, former U.S. Representative from Nebraska's 2nd congressional district
* Joseph Alexis, University of Nebraska–Lincoln modern languages professor
* William Keeshan, former Boone County Attorney
* H. P. Heiliger, former State Senator
* Gerald Merritt, Lincoln building materials business owner
* John S. Samson, Omaha attorney

#### Results

Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Hazel Abel | 32,321 | 22.63% |
| | Republican | Richard R. Dempster | 13,895 | 9.73% |
| | Republican | N. W. Anderson | 12,862 | 9.01% |
| | Republican | John R. Jirdon | 11,396 | 7.98% |
| | Republican | Hugh Carson | 10,436 | 7.31% |
| | Republican | Chris C. Beck | 8,939 | 6.26% |
| | Republican | S. E. Torgeson | 8,826 | 6.18% |
| | Republican | Max A. Denney | 8,824 | 6.18% |
| | Republican | Myles Standish | 6,846 | 4.79% |
| | Republican | E. W. Gustafson | 6,696 | 4.69% |
| | Republican | Mac Baldrige | 5,937 | 4.16% |
| | Republican | Joseph Alexis | 4,461 | 3.12% |
| | Republican | William Keeshan | 3,193 | 2.24% |
| | Republican | H. P. Heiliger | 2,844 | 1.99% |
| | Republican | Gerald Merritt | 2,729 | 1.91% |
| | Republican | John S. Samson | 2,544 | 1.78% |
| | Republican | Scattering | 65 | 0.05% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 142,814 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Regular election

1954 United States Senate election in Nebraska :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Carl Curtis | 255,695 | 61.07% | −2.50% |
| | Democratic | Keith Neville | 162,990 | 38.93% | +2.51% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 6 | 0.00% | — |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92,705 | 22.14% | −5.01% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 418,691 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### Special election

1954 United States Senate special election in Nebraska :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Hazel Abel | 233,589 | 57.76% | −5.81% |
| | Democratic | William H. Meier | 170,828 | 42.24% | +5.82% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 5 | 0.00% | — |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62,761 | 15.52% | −11.63% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 404,422 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |