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United States Senate elections, 1956

United States Senate elections, 1956 and 1957
United States
← 1954 November 6, 1956
(And other dates for special elections)
1958 →

35 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate
49 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
  Senator Lyndon Johnson.jpg William F. Knowland headshot.jpg
Leader Lyndon Johnson Bill Knowland
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat Texas California
Seats before 49 47
Seats won 17 15
Seats after 49 47
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 2
Popular vote 22,199,789 21,248,822
Percentage 50.6% 48.5%
Swing Decrease 4.9% Increase 5.5%
Seats up 15 17

Us 1956 senate election map.svg
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      Republican gain

Majority Leader before election

Lyndon Johnson
Democratic

Elected Majority Leader

Lyndon Johnson
Democratic


Lyndon Johnson
Democratic

Lyndon Johnson
Democratic

The United States Senate elections of 1956 (and subsequent special elections in 1957) were elections for the United States Senate that coincided with the re-election of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Although the Democrats gained two seats in regular elections, the Republicans gained back two seats in special elections, leaving the party balance of the chamber remained unchanged.

Democrats defeated incumbents Herman Welker (R-ID), George H. Bender (R-OH), and James H. Duff (R-PA), as well as winning a Republican-held seat in Colorado. Republicans defeated incumbent Earle C. Clements (D-KY) as well as winning Democratic-held seats in Kentucky, New York, and West Virginia.

Thus, this election caused Kentucky's U.S. Senate delegation to change from two Democrats to two Republicans.

During the next Congress, Republican John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. was appointed to the seat of deceased Senator Matthew M. Neely (D-WV), and Democrat William Proxmire won a special election to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-WI). Also, Price Daniel (D-TX) left the Senate to become governor of Texas, and Democrat Ralph Yarborough won a special election for that Senate seat. The net result was to leave the party balance unchanged.


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