1946 United States Senate election in Mississippi

The 1946 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held on November 3, 1946. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Theodore G. Bilbo won re-election to his third term.

1946 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Mississippi

← 1940 July 2, 1946 1947 (special) →
 
Nominee Theodore G. Bilbo Tom Ellis
Party Democratic Democratic
Popular vote 97,820 58,005
Percentage 51.00% 30.24%

 
Nominee Ross A. Collins Nelson T. Levings
Party Democratic Democratic
Popular vote 18,875 15,720
Percentage 9.84% 8.20%

County results
Bilbo:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%
Ellis:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election

Theodore G. Bilbo
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Theodore G. Bilbo
Democratic

Because Bilbo was unopposed in the general election, his victory in the July 2 primary was tantamount to election. He defeated a field of candidates with 51% of the vote.

However, the United States Senate, with a Republican majority and at the request of liberal Democratic Senator Glen H. Taylor of Idaho, refused to seat Bilbo based on his adamant opposition to voting rights for black Americans anywhere in the country, incitement of violence against those blacks who tried to vote, and history of accepting bribes. While his re-entry to the Senate was being contested in 1947, Bilbo died of oral cancer.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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  • Theodore G. Bilbo, incumbent Senator since 1935
  • Ross A. Collins, former U.S. Representative from Meridian and candidate for Senate in 1934[1]
  • Tom Ellis, clerk of the Mississippi Supreme Court[1]
  • Frank "Peachtree" Harper, hitchhiker, folk hero, and former state legislator from Hattiesburg[1]
  • Nelson T. Levings, investment banker and Navy Lieutenant Commander during World War II[1]

Withdrew

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  • Douglas Smith, landscaper and greenhouse operator from Jackson[1]

Results

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1946 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Theodore G. Bilbo (incumbent) 97,820 51.00%
Democratic Tom Ellis 58,005 30.24%
Democratic Ross A. Collins 18,875 9.84%
Democratic Nelson T. Levings 15,720 8.20%
Democratic Frank H. Harper 1,386 0.72%
Total votes 191,806 100.00%

General election

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Results

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1946 U.S. Senate election in Mississippi[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Theodore G. Bilbo (incumbent) 46,747 100.00%  
Total votes 46,747 100.00%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Edson, Peter (May 11, 1946). "Peter Edson". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 14. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  2. ^ "MS US Senate - D Primary Race - Jul 02, 1946". Our Campaigns.
  3. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 1946" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  4. ^ "MS US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1946". Our Campaigns.

Further reading

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