1946 United States Senate elections in California

none March 2026 September 2023 June 2020 1946 United States Senate election in California California Flag of California (1924–1953).pngborder presidential no 1940 United States Senate election in California 1940 1952 United States Senate election in California 1952 November 5, 1946 Portrait of California Senator William F. Knowland (cropped).jpg William Knowland Republican Party (US) 1,428,067 54.10% Will Rogers, Jr.JPG Will Rogers Jr. Democratic Party (US) 1,167,161 44.22% 1946 United States Senate election in California results map by county.svg 300px County results Knowland: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Rogers: #7996e2 50–60% U.S. Senator William F. Knowland Republican Party (US) William F. Knowland Republican Party (US) The two 1946 United States Senate elections in California were held concurrently on November 5, 1946. After incumbent Republican Senator Hiram Johnson died in office in August 1945, Governor Earl Warren appointed U.S. Army Major and former State Senator William F. Knowland to finish Johnson's term until a successor could be duly elected. Knowland won both the special election to complete Johnson's term, and the regularly scheduled 1946 election, over former U.S. Representative Will Rogers Jr., both held on November 5. Republican primary Candidates William F. Knowland, incumbent Senator since 1945 Results 1946 Republican U.S. Senate primary Our Campaigns - R Primary https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=765008 OurCampaigns June 19, 2020 Republican Party (United States) William F. Knowland (inc.) 514,667 64.80% Democratic Party (United States) Will Rogers Jr. (cross-filing) 203,436 25.61% Democratic Party (US) Ellis E. Patterson (cross-filing) 76,151 9.59% 794,254 100.00 Democratic primary Candidates John S. Crowder Adam C. Derkum Wayne McFarland Ellis Patterson, U.S. Representative and former Lieutenant Governor of California Will Rogers Jr., former U.S. Representative from Culver City and son of humorist Will Rogers Results 1946 Democratic U.S. Senate primary Our Campaigns - D Primary https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=765009 OurCampaigns June 19, 2020 Democratic Party (United States) Will Rogers Jr. 501,634 47.45% Democratic Party (United States) Ellis Patterson 286,812 27.13% Republican Party (US) William F. Knowland (inc.) (cross-filing) 226,182 21.40% Democratic Party (US) Wayne McFarland 17,774 1.68% Democratic Party (US) John S. Crowder 17,156 1.62% Democratic Party (US) Adam C. Derkum 7,578 0.72% 1,057,136 100.00 General election Results General election results Our Campaigns - CA US Senate https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=24093 OurCampaigns June 19, 2020 Republican Party (United States) William F. Knowland (inc.) 1,428,067 54.10% Democratic Party (United States) Will Rogers Jr. 1,167,161 44.22% Prohibition Party (US) Douglas Corrigan 42,683 1.62% Socialist Labor Party (US) Herbert Steiner (write-in) 156 0.01% Write-in All others 1,398 0.05% 2,639,465 100.00% Special election In a simultaneous special election for the remainder of Johnson's term, Knowland won easily. Notably, no candidates were listed on the ballot. Each vote was a write-in, making Knowland technically the first ever write-in candidate elected to the U.S. Senate. In 1954, Strom Thurmond became the first candidate to win a Senate election by write-in where another candidate was actually listed on the ballot. Results 1946 U.S. Senate special election in California Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Special https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=24094 OurCampaigns June 19, 2020 Write-in William F. Knowland (inc.) 425,273 74.31% Write-in Will Rogers Jr. 90,723 15.85% Write-in George H. McLain 17,883 3.13% Write-in Ellis E. Patterson 3,889 0.68% Write-in Douglas Corrigan 2,464 0.43% Write-in Vic Paulsen 1,616 0.28% Write-in Moody Staten 1,494 0.26% Write-in Hartley F. Peart 1,383 0.24% Write-in George C. Highley 1,268 0.22% Write-in James Moran 918 0.16% Write-in Ben Rinaldo 765 0.13% Write-in Aubrey D. Lewis 519 0.09% Write-in Frank Merriam 507 0.09% Write-in All others 23,619 4.13% 572,321 100.00% See also 1946 United States Senate elections References collapsed 1946 California United States Senate California 1946 California 1946 United States Senate 1946