1942 United States Senate election in New Jersey

The United States Senate election of 1942 in New Jersey was held on November 3, 1942. Incumbent Democratic Senator William Smathers ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Republican businessman Albert Hawkes.

1942 United States Senate election in New Jersey

← 1936 November 3, 1942 1948 →
 
Nominee Albert Hawkes William Smathers
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 648,855 559,851
Percentage 53.09% 45.81%

County results
Hawkes:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%
Smathers:      50–60%      70–80%

Senator before election

William Smathers
Democratic

Elected Senator

Albert Hawkes
Republican

As of 2024, this is the last time an incumbent U.S. Senator from New Jersey lost re-election, although in 2002 incumbent Senator Robert Torricelli dropped out in late September while trailing in the polls.[1]

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Senator Smathers was unopposed for re-nomination.

1942 Democratic Senate primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Smathers (incumbent) 170,621 100.00%
Total votes 170,621 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Declared

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Results

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1942 Republican Senate primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Albert W. Hawkes 130,885 43.97%
Republican Gill Robb Wilson 127,390 42.80%
Republican Joseph A. Bower 16,097 5.41%
Republican George Biehl 11,588 3.89%
Republican George O. Pullen 6,311 2.12%
Republican Franklin W. Kielb 5,384 1.81%
Total votes 297,655 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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Results

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1942 United States Senate election in New Jersey[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Albert W. Hawkes 648,855 53.09%
Democratic William H. Smathers (incumbent) 559,851 45.81%
Socialist William L. Becker 6,775 0.55%
Independent Progressive Lorenzo Harris 3,224 0.26%
Prohibition Elmo L. Bateman 1,438 0.12%
Socialist Labor John C. Butterworth 1,310 0.11%
Socialist Workers George Breitman 679 0.06%
Majority 89,004 7.28%
Turnout 1,222,132
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "N.J. hasn't tossed an incumbent U.S. Senator in a general in 78 years". New Jersey Globe. April 22, 2020.
  2. ^ "1942 Primary Results" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State.
  3. ^ "Our Campaigns - NJ US Senate - R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1942". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  4. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1942" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved July 2, 2014.