1944 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

1944 United States Senate election in New Hampshire
← 1938 November 7, 1944 1950 →
 
Nominee Charles W. Tobey Joseph J. Betley
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 110,549 106,508
Percentage 50.93% 49.07%
County results
Tobey:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%
Betley:      50–60%      60–70%
Senator before election

Charles W. Tobey
Republican

Elected Senator

Charles W. Tobey
Republican

The 1944 United States Senate election in New Hampshire took place on November 7, 1944. Incumbent Republican Senator Charles W. Tobey won re-election to a second term.

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Campaign

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U.S. Representative Foster W. Stearns, who had succeeded Tobey in the House in 1939, announced a primary challenge to Tobey on July 19, 1943.[2]

Results

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The Associated Press declared Tobey the winner on the basis of partial returns showing him leading Stearns by about 6,400 votes.[1]

1944 Republican U.S. Senate primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles W. Tobey (incumbent) 27,183 57.12%
Republican Foster W. Stearns 20,407 42.88%
Total votes 47,590 100.00%

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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  • Joseph J. Betley, attorney and former state representative from Manchester

Results

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1944 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joseph J. Betley 12,798 100.00%
Total votes 12,798 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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  • Joseph J. Betley, attorney and former state representative from Manchester (Democratic)
  • Charles W. Tobey, incumbent Senator since 1939 (Republican)

Campaign

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Although New Hampshire was considered a close state in the concurrent presidential election, Tobey was expected to win re-election to a third term.[4] During the race, Tobey came under sustained attack from the Democratic Party and state Congress of Industrial Organizations as an "isolationist" and "reactionary".[4]

Tobey's prospects may have been aided by a split in the New Hampshire Democratic Party over the election of former Republican governor Francis P. Murphy as Democratic National Committeeman, and the appointment of a new Democratic nominee for Hillsborough County Sheriff.[4]

Results

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1944 U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Charles W. Tobey (incumbent) 110,549 50.93% Decrease 4.30
Democratic Joseph J. Betley 106,508 49.07% Increase 4.30
Total votes 217,057 100.00%
Republican hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tobey Winning Renomination". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 12, 1944. p. 11. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Stearns to Oppose Tobey for 1944". The New York Times. United Press. July 19, 1944. p. 9. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b Fuller, Enoch D. (1945). Manual for the General Court. Concord, N.H.: Department of State. p. 400.
  4. ^ a b c Hagerty, James A. (October 7, 1944). "CLOSE RACE LOOMS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE; Survey Shows That a Plurality as Low as 5,000 May Decide Choice for President TOBEY VICTORY PROBABLE Election of Republican State Ticket Is Expected, Aided by Local Democratic Splits". The New York Times. Concord, N.H. p. 38. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  5. ^ Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (1945-01-11). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1944" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.
  6. ^ Fuller, Enoch D. (1945). Manual for the General Court. Concord, N.H.: Department of State. p. 490.
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