1952 United States Senate elections
The 1952 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower to the presidency by a large margin. The Republicans took control of the senate by managing to make a net gain of two seats, which was reduced to one when Wayne Morse (R-OR) became an independent. The Republicans still held a majority after Morse's switch. This election was the second time in history (after 1932) that the party in power lost their majority and the Senate Majority Leader lost his  own re-election bid. (In addition, this was the second consecutive election in which a sitting Democratic Senate leader lost his seat.) This was the last time the Senate changed hands in a presidential election year until 1980 and the last time the Republicans won control of the Senate until 1980. Results summary. "Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row." Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives Retirements. Republican holds. Both Republican holds were in special elections. Change in composition. Before the elections. Going into the November elections. Race summaries. Special elections during the 82nd Congress . In these special elections the winners were seated before January 3, 1953; ordered by election date, then state. Races leading to the 83rd Congress. In these general elections, the winner was seated on January 3, 1953; ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats. Connecticut. There were two elections on the same day due to the July 28, 1952 death of two-term Democrat Brien McMahon. Republican businessman William Purtell was appointed August 29, 1952 to continue the class 3 term, pending a special election in which he was not a candidate. Purtell was already the  Republican nominee in the regular election for the class 1 seat, a race he then won. Michigan. There were two elections to the same seat on the same day due to the April 18, 1951 death of five-term Republican Arthur Vandenberg. Democratic journalist Blair Moody was appointed April 23, 1951 to continue the term pending a special election. The primary elections were held August 5, 1952. Moody lost both the special and the regular elections to Republican congressman Charles E. Potter. New Jersey. As of 2020, this was the last time that Republicans have won the Class 1 U.S  Senate seat from New Jersey. New York. In New York, the Liberal State Committee met on August 28, and nominated Dr. George S. Counts, Professor of Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, for the U.S. Senate. The Republican State Committee re-nominated the incumbent U.S. senator Irving M. Ives. The Democratic State Committee met on August 28, and nominated Brooklyn Borough President John Cashmore for the U.S. Senate. The Republican incumbent Ives was re-elected with the then largest plurality in state history.