1956 United States Senate election in Kentucky

This article is about the Class III regular election to the United States Senate for the open term beginning in 1957. For the simultaneous special Class II election to complete Alben Barkley's unexpired term, see 1956 United States Senate special election in Kentucky.

The regular-term 1956 United States Senate election in Kentucky took place on November 6, 1956. Democratic Sen. Earle Clements was defeated for re-election by Republican U.S. Representative Thruston B. Morton.

1956 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1950 November 6, 1956 1962 →

Nominee Thruston Ballard Morton Earle Clements Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 506,903 499,922 Percentage 50.35% 49.65%

County results Morton:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Clements:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Earle Clements Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Thruston Ballard Morton Republican

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on May 29, 1956.^[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Earle Clements, incumbent U.S. Senator
• Joe B. Bates, former U.S. Representative from Raceland
• Rev. James L. Delk, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 1946 and 1950

Results

Democratic primary results^[2][3][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Earle Clements (incumbent)	218,353	60.89
	Democratic	Joe B. Bates	136,533	38.08
	Democratic	James L. Delk	3,703	1.03
Total votes			358,589

Republican primary

Candidates

• Julian H. Golden, former State Senator,^[1] former attorney for the National Park Service^[5]
• Thruston B. Morton, former U.S. Representative, former Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs
• Granville P. Thomas, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for Kentucky's 8th congressional district in 1954

Results

Republican primary results^[2][6][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thruston B. Morton	42,038	70.64
	Republican	Julian H. Golden	12,976	21.81
	Republican	Granville P. Thomas	4,495	7.55
Total votes			59,509

General election

Results

1956 United States Senate election in Kentucky^{[8][9][10][11]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thruston B. Morton	506,903	50.35
	Democratic	Earle Clements (Incumbent)	499,922	49.65
Majority			6,981	0.70
Turnout			1,006,825
	Republican gain from Democratic

See also

• 1956 United States Senate elections

References

1. "Clements Easily Defeats Chandler Man in Primary". Evening star. Washington, D.C. May 30, 1956. p. A-8. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
2. Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 122.
3. Kentucky Votes 1963, p. 70-71.
4. "KY US Senate, 1956 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
5. "Florida and Kentucky Voters Go to Polls Today". Evening star. Washington, D.C. May 29, 1956. p. A-5. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
6. Kentucky Votes 1963, p. 72-73.
7. "KY US Senate, 1956 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
8. Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 87.
9. Kentucky Votes 1963, p. 74-75.
10. "KY US Senate, 1956". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
11. Clerk of the House of Representatives (1958). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1956" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved October 2, 2022.

Bibliography

• Congressional Elections, 1946-1996. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-248-4.
• Jewell, Malcolm E. (1963). Kentucky Votes. Vol. 1. University of Kentucky Press.