1909 United States Senate election in South Carolina

none March 2026 January 2017 1908 Democratic Senate primary in South Carolina South Carolina presidential no 1908 United States Senate special election in South Carolina 1908 (special) 1914 United States Senate election in South Carolina 1914 September 8, 1908 x150px File:Senator Ellison DuRant Smith.jpg Ellison D. Smith Democratic Party (United States) 69,318 63.6% File:John Gary Evans.jpg John Gary Evans Democratic Party (United States) 39,655 36.4% U.S. Senator Frank B. Gary Democratic Party (United States) Ellison D. Smith Democratic Party (United States) The 1909 South Carolina United States Senate election was held on January 26, 1909. Tribune Almanac 272 Its outcome was determined by a Democratic Party primary election held on August 25 and September 8, 1908. Interim Senator Frank B. Gary, who had been elected to complete the unfinished term of the late Senator Asbury Latimer, did not run for re-election. Democrat Ellison D. Smith won the Democratic primary and was elected by the General Assembly for a six-year term. Background Prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures rather than the direct election by the people of the state. However, the South Carolina Democratic Party organized non-binding primary elections for the U.S. Senate beginning in 1896, and the South Carolina General Assembly confirmed the choice of the Democratic voters. Democratic primary Candidates John Gary Evans, former Governor of South Carolina (1894–97) John P. Grace, candidate for State Senate in 1902 and Charleston County Sheriff in 1904 George Johnstone, former U.S. Representative from Newberry County (1891–93) William W. Lumpkin O.B. Martin R. Goodwin Rhett Ellison D. Smith, former State Representative and leading advocate for the cotton industry Campaign Ellison D. Smith, an official in the Cotton Association and often called "Cotton Ed", entered the Democratic primary but found himself in early trouble when he promised that cotton would rise to eighteen cents and it did not occur. However, his rhetorical skills allowed him to take command of the stump and attract voters to his campaign. Former Governor John Gary Evans was making his fourth straight attempt for the Senate seat and received the private support of Senator Ben Tillman. The tide of Tillmanism had receded in the state and the public endorsement by Tillman would doom a candidate's prospects. Smith and Evans emerged as the top two candidates were to face each other in a runoff election on September 8. Evans once again failed to carry the day and Smith scored a resounding victory. Results 1908 Democratic U.S. Senate primary Democratic Party (United States) Ellison D. Smith 30,012 28.2% Democratic Party (United States) John Gary Evans 27,589 26.0% Democratic Party (United States) R. Goodwin Rhett 22,422 21.1% Democratic Party (United States) George Johnstone 13,656 12.8% Democratic Party (United States) O.B. Martin 6,802 6.4% Democratic Party (United States) William W. Lumpkin 4,361 4.1% Democratic Party (United States) John P. Grace 1,497 1.4% 106,339 100.00% Runoff 1908 Democratic U.S. Senate runoff Democratic Party (United States) Ellison D. Smith 69,318 63.6% 35.4 Democratic Party (United States) John Gary Evans 39,655 36.4% 10.4 Election Smith was elected unanimously by the South Carolina Legislature on January 26, 1909. Tribune Almanac 272 See also List of United States senators from South Carolina 1908–09 United States Senate elections 1908 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina 1908 South Carolina gubernatorial election Notes References Jordan Frank E The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962 60–62 Five in Contest for Senator The New York Times April 24, 1908 3 The Tribune Almanac and Political Register 1910 The Tribune Association New York 1910 Tribune Almanac 271–272 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044014634273;view=1up;seq=281 South Carolina 1909 United States Senate Category:Single-candidate United States Senate elections