1932 United States Senate election in South Carolina

1932 South Carolina Democratic Senate primary

← 1926 September 13, 1932 1938 →

Nominee Ellison D. Smith Cole Blease Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 150,468 114,840 Percentage 56.7% 43.3%

U.S. senator before election Ellison D. Smith Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ellison D. Smith Democratic

Elections in South Carolina
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The 1932 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 8.

On September 13, incumbent Senator Ellison D. Smith defeated former Senator Cole Blease in the Democratic primary with 56.7% of the vote.

At this time, South Carolina was a one-party state, and the Democratic nomination was tantamount to victory. Smith won the November general election without an opponent.

Democratic primary[]

Candidates[]

• Coleman Livingston Blease, former U.S. Senator and Governor of South Carolina
• Leon W. Harris, candidate for U.S. Senate in 1930
• Ellison D. Smith, incumbent Senator since 1909
• Ashton Hilliard Williams, former State Senator from Lake City

Results[]

Runoff[]

General election[]

Campaign[]

Since the end of Reconstruction in 1877, the Democratic Party dominated the politics of South Carolina and its statewide candidates were never seriously challenged. Smith did not campaign for the general election as there was no chance of defeat. Republican Clara Harrigal, an Aiken businesswoman and Republican National Committeewoman, was the first woman to run for statewide office in South Carolina.

Results[]

See also[]

• List of United States senators from South Carolina
• United States Senate elections, 1932 and 1933
• United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1932

References[]

• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. pp. 72–73.
• "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports of State Officers Boards and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1933, p. 6.
• "Makings of the 73rd". Time. 1932-09-26. Archived from the original on October 27, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-14.