1928 United States Senate election in Texas

The 1928 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 6, 1928. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Earle Mayfield ran for re-election to a second term.

1928 United States Senate election in Texas

← 1922 November 6, 1928 1934 →

Nominee Tom Connally T. M. Kennerly Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 566,139 129,910 Percentage 81.24% 18.64%

County Results^[1] Connally:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Kennerly:      50–60%      60–70% No vote:

U.S. senator before election Earle Mayfield Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Tom Connally Democratic

Mayfield drew several primary challengers, including former governor Oscar Branch Colquitt and U.S. Representatives Tom Connally and Thomas L. Blanton.^[2][3] The candidates ran on issues such as public utilities, transportation infrastructure, immigration, and agriculture, as well as several of the candidates' records in the House and Senate.^[4][5] The number of high-profile candidates in the race made a runoff almost certain. Mayfield campaigned very little prior to the runoff, which he was confident he would make, as to not alienate the supporters of the candidates who might be eliminated in the first round.^[6] Mayfield won a plurality of the vote in the first round, but he failed to win a majority, forcing him into a runoff with the second place finisher, Tom Connally.^[7]

Mayfield, who in his previous race had been supported by the Ku Klux Klan, was very ideologically similar to Connally. Despite having been defeated by him in the Democratic primary six years prior, former Governor Pa Ferguson endorsed Mayfield against Connally, considering him to be the lesser of two evils.^[8] Despite this endorsement, Connally defeated Mayfield in the primary.^[9] The Texas Republican Party nominated attorney T. M. Kennerly to run against him.^[10] Connally easily defeated Kennerly in the general election, despite Republican Herbert Hoover carrying the state in the concurrent presidential election.^[11][12][13]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Thomas L. Blanton, U.S. Representative from Albany
• Tom Connally, U.S. Representative from Marlin
• Minnie Fisher Cunningham, suffragette and Executive Secretary of the League of Women Voters
• Earle B. Mayfield, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1923
• A. Jeff McLemore, newspaper publisher, former U.S. Representative representing Texas at-large, and State Representative from Corpus Christi (1892–96)
• Alvin M. Owsley, attorney and former National Commander of the American Legion

Withdrew

• Oscar Branch Colquitt, former Governor of Texas

Results

1928 Democratic U.S. Senate primary^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Earle B. Mayfield (incumbent)	200,246	29.66%
	Democratic	Tom Connally	178,091	26.38%
	Democratic	Alvin M. Owsley	131,755	19.52%
	Democratic	Thomas L. Blanton	126,758	18.78%
	Democratic	Minnie Fisher Cunningham	28,944	4.29%
	Democratic	A. Jeff McLemore	9,244	1.37%
Total votes			675,038	100.00%

Runoff

1928 Democratic U.S. Senate runoff^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tom Connally	320,071	55.39%
	Democratic	Earle B. Mayfield (incumbent)	257,747	44.61%
Total votes			577,818	100.00%

General election

Results

1928 United States Senate election in Texas^[16][17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Tom Connally	566,139	81.24%	14.34
	Republican	T. M. Kennerly	129,910	18.64%	14.46
	Socialist	David Curran	690	0.10%	N/A
	Communist	John Rust	114	0.02%	N/A
Total votes			696,853	100.00%
	Democratic hold

See also

• 1928 United States Senate elections

References

1. Heard, Alexander; Strong, Donald (1950). Southern Primaries and Elections 1920-1949. University of Alabama Press. pp. 170–172. ISBN 9780836955248.
2. "BLANTON, COLQUITT FOR SENATE: 2 ANNOUNCE THEY OPPOSE MAYFIELD". The Austin Statesman. January 18, 1928. p. 1. ProQuest 1611273079. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via ProQuest.
3. "WET PLANNING RACE AGAINST MAYFIELD". The Austin Statesman. January 20, 1928. p. 1. ProQuest 1643860738. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via ProQuest.
4. Shearer, Gordon K (January 31, 1928). "MAYFIELD READY FOR HOT RACE FOR SENATE". The Austin Statesman. p. 9. ProQuest 1611274298. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via ProQuest.
5. "Texas Senatorial Race to Thresh National Issues: Immigration and Utility Fight Enliven Race For Mayfield's Job". The Austin American. February 19, 1928. p. 1. ProQuest 1620924251. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via ProQuest.
6. "Mayfield to Let Others Fight In First Primaries: Earle Avoids Alienating Any Opponent's Run-Off Votes". The Austin American. February 26, 1928. p. 1. ProQuest 1611550136. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via ProQuest.
7. "Connally Vote Near Mayfield's In Texas Race: Run-Off for Senator Sure Moody Renominated and Smith Enemies Defeated". July 30, 1928. p. 12. ProQuest 1113467238. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via ProQuest.
8. "FERGUSON BACKS MAYFIELD: EARLE PICKED AS LESSER OF 2 EVILS". The Austin Statesman. August 4, 1928. p. 1. ProQuest 1611322373. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via ProQuest.
9. "Connally Beats Mayfield in Texas Primary; Wins Senate Seat Choice; Leading by 50,000". The New York Times. August 27, 1928. p. 3. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
10. "Kennerly Named by Texas G.O.P. to Run for Senate: Holmes Nominated to Oppose Moody for Governor". The Christian Science Monitor. August 15, 1928. p. 4. ProQuest 512395315. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via ProQuest.
11. "REPUBLICAN GRIP ON CONGRESS FIRM". The New York Times. November 11, 1928. pp. 33–34. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
12. "CONNALLY REPORTS INEXPENSIVE RACE". The Austin Statesman. November 30, 1928. p. 1. ProQuest 1611343494. Retrieved May 3, 2023 – via ProQuest.
13. "Texas Gives Hoover Lead in Early Returns: With 132 Counties of 253 In, His Vote Is 95,158 to 95,020 for Smith Moody Wins by 300,000 Close Race for President First in State's History". New York Herald Tribune. November 7, 1928. p. 2. ProQuest 1113399638. Retrieved May 3, 2023 – via ProQuest.
14. "Our Campaigns – TX US Senate – D Primary Race – July 28, 1928". www.ourcampaigns.com.
15. "Our Campaigns – TX US Senate – D Primary Race – August 25, 1928". www.ourcampaigns.com.
16. Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (1929). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1928" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.
17. "Our Campaigns – TX US Senate Race – Nov 04, 1928". www.ourcampaigns.com.