1926 United States Senate election in Illinois

The 1926 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 2, 1926.^[1]

1926 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1920 November 2, 1926 1928 (special) →

Nominee Frank L. Smith George E. Brennan Hugh S. McGill Party Republican Democratic Independent Popular vote 842,273 774,943 156,245 Percentage 46.86% 43.12% 8.69%

Results by county Smith:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Brennan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election William B. McKinley Republican Elected U.S. senator Frank L. Smith^[note 1] Republican

Incumbent first-term Republican senator William B. McKinley, lost renomination in the Republican primary.

The U.S. Senate ultimately refused to seat the election's winner, Republican Frank L. Smith, due to allegations of election fraud.^[2][3][4]

Election information

The primaries and general election coincided with those for House and those for state elections.^[1] Primaries were held April 13, 1926.^[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• George E. Brennan, chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party
• James T. McDermott, former U.S. Representative from Chicago
• James O. Monroe, attorney and perennial candidate^[5]

Results

Democratic primary^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	George E. Brennan	201,857	68.23
	Democratic	James O. Monroe	55,965	18.92
	Democratic	James T. McDermott	38,030	12.85
	Write-in	Others	14	0.00
Total votes			295,866	100

Republican primary

Candidates

• William B. McKinley, incumbent U.S. senator
• Frank L. Smith, former U.S. Representative from Dwight and candidate for Senate in 1920

Results

Republican primary^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank L. Smith	624,023	54.41
	Republican	William B. McKinley (incumbent)	522,771	45.59
	Write-in	Others	4	0.00
Total votes			1,146,798	100

Progressive primary

Candidates

• Parley Parker Christensen, chairman of the Illinois Progressive Party and 1920 Farmer–Labor Party presidential nominee

Results

Progressive primary^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Parley Parker Christensen	495	99.20
	Write-in	Others	4	0.80
Total votes			499	100

General election

Candidates

• George E. Brennan, chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party (Democratic)
• Parley P. Christensen, chairman of the Illinois Progressive Party and 1920 Farmer–Labor Party presidential nominee (Progressive)
• J. Louis Engdahl, journalist and newspaper editor, candidate for U.S. Senate in 1924 (Workers)
• Samuel C. Irving (Independent)
• G. A. Jenning (Socialist Labor)
• James H. Kirby (Independent Democrat)
• James A. Logan (High Life)
• Morris Lynchenheim (Commonwealth Land)
• Hugh S. Magill, former Illinois state senator and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1912^[6] (Independent)
• Raymond T. O’Keefe (Light Wines and Beer)
• Frank L. Smith, former U.S. Representative from Dwight (Republican)
• John T. Whitlock (Socialist)

Results

1926 United States Senate election in Illinois^[1][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank L. Smith	842,273	46.86%
	Democratic	George E. Brennan	774,943	43.12%
	Independent	Hugh S. Magill	156,245	8.69%
	Progressive	Parley P. Christensen	6,526	0.36%
	Light Wines and Beer	Raymond T. O’Keefe	4,596	0.26%
	Independent Democrat	James H. Kirby	4,203	0.23%
	Socialist	John T. Whitlock	2,998	0.17%
	Socialist Labor	G. A. Jenning	1,977	0.11%
	Workers (Communist)	J. Louis Engdahl	1,309	0.07%
	High Life	James A. Logan	1,161	0.06%
	Independent	Samuel C. Irving	701	0.04%
	Commonwealth Land	Morris Lynchenheim	427	0.02%
Majority			67,330	3.74%
Turnout			1,797,359
	Republican hold

See also

• 1926 United States Senate elections

Notes

1. Due to allegations of election fraud, Smith was never seated by the U.S. Senate

References

1. "OFFICIAL VOTE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS CAST AT THE GENERAL ELECTION, NOV. 2, 1926 JUDICIAL ELECTIONS, 1925-1926 AND PRIMARY ELECTION, APRIL 13, 1926" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 18, 2020.^{[permanent dead link]}
2. Frank Lloyd Wright Library September 17, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Frank L. Smith photographs, US Senate campaign brochure, accessed September 16, 2017
3. Senate Historical Office, United States Senate. "The Election Case of Frank L. Smith of Illinois (1928)". senate.gov.
4. "Congressional Record - Senate" (PDF). January 19, 1927.
5. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - James O. Monroe". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
6. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Hugh S. Magill". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
7. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1926" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2019.