1954 United States Senate election in Kentucky

1954 United States Senate election in Kentucky

November 2, 1954

Nominee Alben Barkley John Sherman Cooper Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 434,109 362,948 Percentage 54.46% 45.54%

County results Barkley:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Cooper:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election John Sherman Cooper Republican Elected U.S. Senator Alben Barkley Democratic

The 1954 United States Senate election in Kentucky took place on November 2, 1954. Incumbent Republican Senator John Sherman Cooper, who won a 1952 special election to fill the vacant seat of Virgil Chapman, ran for a full term in office but was defeated by Democratic former Senator and Vice President of the United States Alben Barkley.

General election

Candidates

• Alben Barkley, former Vice President of the United States and U.S. Senator
• John Sherman Cooper, incumbent Senator since 1952

Results

1954 U.S. Senate election in Kentucky

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Alben Barkley	434,109	54.46%
	Republican	John Sherman Cooper (incumbent)	362,948	45.54%
Total votes			797,057	100.00%

Aftermath

Following his victory, Barkley served a little over a year before dying of a heart attack on April 30, 1956. Cooper won the November special election to succeed him and returned to the Senate.

See also

1954 United States Senate elections