1926 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts

1926 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts
	County results; Walsh: 50–60% 60–70%; Butler: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
U.S. senator before election; William M. Butler; Republican	Elected U.S. senator ; David I. Walsh; Democratic

The 1926 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts was held on November 2, 1926.

Former Democratic Senator David I. Walsh defeated incumbent William Morgan Butler, a Republican who was appointed after the death of Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.

Walsh returned to the U.S. Senate for a 2-year term. He had previously served in the Senate from 1919 to 1925. This was the first time since 1851 that Democrats held this Senate seat.

Background

Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, whose sixth term was set to expire in 1929, died on November 9, 1924, after suffering a stroke. On November 13, 1924, Governor of Massachusetts Channing Cox appointed William M. Butler, the chair of the Republican National Committee, to fill the vacant seat until a successor could be duly elected. The special election for the remainder of Lodge's term was scheduled for November 2, 1926, concurrent with the next general election.

Republican primary

Candidates

William M. Butler, incumbent Senator and chairman of the Republican National Committee

Declined

Channing Cox, former Governor of Massachusetts

Campaign

Butler formally announced his anticipated campaign for the special election on April 22, 1926, at a rally at Boston Symphony Hall, where he was endorsed by Governor Alvan T. Fuller, Senator Irvine Lenroot of Wisconsin, and Assistant Secretary of War Hanford MacNider.^[1] Most of the speakers connected Butler's campaign to the re-election prospects of President Calvin Coolidge, a close ally of Butler.^[1]

At the Republican convention on September 24, Butler was unopposed for the nomination and received the unanimous support of the delegates.^[2]

Results

Senator Butler was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

1926 Republican U.S. Senate primary^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	William Morgan Butler (incumbent)	209,836	100.0%
	Write-in	All others	18	0.0%
Turnout			209,854	100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

David I. Walsh, former Senator

Results

Walsh was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

1928 Democratic U.S. Senate primary results ^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	David I. Walsh	111,083	99.95%
	Write-in	All others	58	0.05%
Turnout			111,141	100.0%

General election

Candidates

John J. Ballam, founding member of the Communist Party of America (Workers')
William M. Butler, incumbent Senator (Republican)
Washington Cook, Republican Executive Councillor and independent candidate for Senate in 1922 (Modification of Volstead Act)
Alfred Baker Lewis, attorney, union organizer, and activist (Socialist)
David I. Walsh, former U.S. Senator (Democratic)

Results

United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 1926^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	David I. Walsh	525,303	52.01%	5.34
	Republican	William M. Butler (incumbent)	469,989	46.54%	1.05
	Communist	John J. Ballam	5,167	0.51%	0.51
	Modification of Volstead Act	Washington Cook	4,766	0.47%	0.43
	Socialist	Alfred Baker Lewis	4,730	0.47%	0.87
Total votes			1,009,955	100.0%

References

^ ^a ^b "Republicans Indorse Butler's Candidacy". The Boston Globe. April 23, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
^ "Senator Butler Accepts His Renomination". The Boston Globe. September 25, 1926. p. 4. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
^ Office of the Secretary of Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1926). Number of assessed polls, registered voters and persons who voted in each voting precinct in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the state, city and town elections. p. 123.
^ Office of the Secretary of Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1926). Number of assessed polls, registered voters and persons who voted in each voting precinct in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the state, city and town elections. p. 123.
^ Office of the Secretary of Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1926). Number of assessed polls, registered voters and persons who voted in each voting precinct in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the state, city and town elections. p. 175.

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[globe4.23-1] "Republicans Indorse Butler's Candidacy". The Boston Globe. April 23, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved March 31, 2023.

[2] "Senator Butler Accepts His Renomination". The Boston Globe. September 25, 1926. p. 4. Retrieved March 31, 2023.

[3] Office of the Secretary of Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1926). Number of assessed polls, registered voters and persons who voted in each voting precinct in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the state, city and town elections. p. 123.

[4] Office of the Secretary of Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1926). Number of assessed polls, registered voters and persons who voted in each voting precinct in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the state, city and town elections. p. 123.

[5] Office of the Secretary of Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1926). Number of assessed polls, registered voters and persons who voted in each voting precinct in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the state, city and town elections. p. 175.

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