1956 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
April 12, 2024
The 1956 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 6, 1956. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator James H. Duff sought re-election to another term, but was defeated by the Democratic nominee, Joseph S. Clark, Jr.
1956 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
The 1956 Senate election in Pennsylvania featured two prominent and well-known candidates: a former Philadelphia mayor in the challenger, Clark, and the ambitious former Governor Duff who had considered running for higher office. Clark, in his run for mayor, upset the Republican Party machine in Philadelphia and contributed to a political realignment in the city that would tip it in favor of the Democrats and help him in his 1956 campaign for Senate. In 1950, when Duff was elected, Republicans were 70% of the two-party vote registration in Philadelphia, but held only a two-point advantage there in 1956.[1]
Duff ran as an ally to Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was also running for re-election, and criticized Clark for his spending and tax policies as Philadelphia mayor. In addition to criticizing Duff in return for his poor attendance record in the Senate (which was one of the worst at the time), Clark criticized the Eisenhower administration's foreign policy.[1]
In the end, Clark narrowly defeated the incumbent Duff by just under 18,000 votes. The result was not known definitively until 50,000 military ballots had been counted and despite Duff's loss, Eisenhower carried the state in the presidential election and the Republicans won every other statewide race in 1956. Clark carried Southwest Pennsylvania, notwithstanding the harm his Philadelphia ties might have cost him there, as well as his home of Philadelphia, while Duff won much of the conservative "central T".[1]
^ abcKennedy, John J. (2014). Pennsylvania Elections. University Press of America. pp. 42–44. ISBN9780761864431. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
^"Statistics of the Congressional and Presidential Election of November 6, 1956" (PDF). Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
April 12, 2024
1956, united, states, senate, election, pennsylvania, held, november, 1956, incumbent, republican, senator, james, duff, sought, election, another, term, defeated, democratic, nominee, joseph, clark, 1950, november, 1956, 1962, nominee, joseph, clark, james, d. The 1956 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 6 1956 Incumbent Republican U S Senator James H Duff sought re election to another term but was defeated by the Democratic nominee Joseph S Clark Jr 1956 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania 1950 November 6 1956 1962 Nominee Joseph S Clark Jr James H DuffParty Democratic RepublicanPopular vote 2 268 641 2 250 671Percentage 50 08 49 69 County resultsClark Jr 50 60 60 70 Duff 40 50 50 60 60 70 70 80 U S senator before electionJames H DuffRepublican Elected U S Senator Joseph S Clark Jr Democratic Contents 1 General election 1 1 Candidates 1 2 Campaign 1 3 Results 2 See also 3 ReferencesGeneral election editCandidates edit Joseph S Clark Jr former Mayor of Philadelphia Democratic James H Duff incumbent U S Senator Republican Herbert G Lewin Militant Workers George S Taylor Socialist Labor Campaign edit The 1956 Senate election in Pennsylvania featured two prominent and well known candidates a former Philadelphia mayor in the challenger Clark and the ambitious former Governor Duff who had considered running for higher office Clark in his run for mayor upset the Republican Party machine in Philadelphia and contributed to a political realignment in the city that would tip it in favor of the Democrats and help him in his 1956 campaign for Senate In 1950 when Duff was elected Republicans were 70 of the two party vote registration in Philadelphia but held only a two point advantage there in 1956 1 Duff ran as an ally to Republican President Dwight D Eisenhower who was also running for re election and criticized Clark for his spending and tax policies as Philadelphia mayor In addition to criticizing Duff in return for his poor attendance record in the Senate which was one of the worst at the time Clark criticized the Eisenhower administration s foreign policy 1 In the end Clark narrowly defeated the incumbent Duff by just under 18 000 votes The result was not known definitively until 50 000 military ballots had been counted and despite Duff s loss Eisenhower carried the state in the presidential election and the Republicans won every other statewide race in 1956 Clark carried Southwest Pennsylvania notwithstanding the harm his Philadelphia ties might have cost him there as well as his home of Philadelphia while Duff won much of the conservative central T 1 Results edit General election results 2 Party Candidate Votes Democratic Joseph S Clark Jr 2 268 641 50 08 Republican James H Duff incumbent 2 250 671 49 69 Socialist Labor George S Taylor 7 447 0 16 Militant Workers Herbert G Lewin 2 035 0 05 Democratic gain from RepublicanSee also edit1956 United States Senate electionsReferences edit a b c Kennedy John J 2014 Pennsylvania Elections University Press of America pp 42 44 ISBN 9780761864431 Retrieved January 11 2017 Statistics of the Congressional and Presidential Election of November 6 1956 PDF Office of the Clerk of the U S House Retrieved July 8 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1956 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania amp oldid 1186997100, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
