1950 United States Senate election in New Hampshire
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The 1950 United States Senate election in New Hampshire took place on November 7, 1950. Incumbent Republican Senator Charles W. Tobey won re-election to a third full term.
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November 7, 1950
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Tobey: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Kelley: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Kelley: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Primary elections were held on September 12. Tobey narrowly survived a challenge from Manchester attorney and future governor Wesley Powell.[1]
Republican primary
Candidates
- Wesley Powell, Manchester attorney and aide to Styles Bridges[2]
- Charles W. Tobey, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1939
Wesley Powell, making his first bid for elective office of an eventual twelve, was an assistant to Tobey's Senate colleague Styles Bridges.[2]
Campaign
Tobey's fourth campaign for the Republican nomination for Senate was among the bitterest of his thirty-year political career.[3] Powell waged an aggressively critical campaign, referring to Tobey as a "Truman Republican".[3] Tobey fought back hard, relishing his reputation as a political maverick and arguing that whether he was a loyal Republican or not, he had always voted "for the best interests of New Hampshire and all the people regardless of party."[3]
Styles Bridges remained officially neutral in the campaign.[3]
Results
The results were unclear through election night, with Tobey declared the winner by the Associated Press after the final tabulation in the early hours of September 13.[3] Powell showed unexpected strength in communities which had historically backed Tobey.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles W. Tobey (incumbent) | 39,203 | 50.85% | |
| Republican | Wesley Powell | 39,203 | 49.15% | |
| Total votes | 77,096 | 100.00% | ||
| {{{party}}} | Blank ballots | 1,906 | 2.48% | |
| Turnout | 79,002 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Emmet J. Kelley | 20,095 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 20,095 | 100.00% | ||
| {{{party}}} | Blank ballots | 9,090 | 31.15% | |
| Turnout | 29,185 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Candidates
- Emmet J. Kelley, state senator from Berlin and member of the New Hampshire racing commission[4] (Democratic)
- Wesley Powell, Manchester attorney and aide to Styles Bridges (write-in)
- Charles W. Tobey, incumbent Senator since 1939 (Republican)
Campaign
Following his narrow loss in the Republican primary, Wesley Powell attempted to run an independent campaign, which threatened to split the Republican vote and elect the first Democratic senator from New Hampshire in over twenty years. However, the New Hampshire State Ballot Law Commission ruled in favor of Tobey on October 6, who argued that Powell's nominating petitions were "invalid and illegal" because they had not been "filed forty days prior to the election as required by law." Powell acquiesced to the ruling.[5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles W. Tobey (incumbent) | 106,142 | 55.99% |  5.06 | |
| Democratic | Emmet J. Kelley | 72,473 | 38.23% |  10.84 | |
| Independent | Wesley Powell (write-in) | 10,943 | 5.77% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 189,558 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||