1956 United States Senate election in Idaho

none March 2026 September 2023 1956 United States Senate election in Idaho Idaho 1927 presidential no 1950 United States Senate election in Idaho 1950 1962 United States Senate election in Idaho 1962 November 6, 1956 x140px File:Frank Church 1961 Congressional Portrait (cropped).png Frank Church Democratic Party (United States) 149,096 56.20% File:Hermanwelker.jpg Herman Welker Republican Party (United States) 102,781 38.74% File:Glen Taylor (D-ID) 1954.jpg Glen H. Taylor (Write-in) Independent (United States) 13,415 5.06% bfbfbf File:1956 United States Senate election in Idaho results map by county.svg County resultsChurch: #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%Welker: #FFB2B2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% 180px U.S. Senator Herman Welker Republican Party (United States) Frank Church Democratic Party (United States) The 1956 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on November 6, 1956. Incumbent Republican Senator Herman Welker was defeated for re-election by Democratic nominee Frank Church. Primary elections Primary elections were held on August 14, 1956. August 14, 1956 Nine in Idaho Senate Race https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1956-08-14/ed-1/seq-5/ Evening star Washington, D.C. A-5 20 October 2022 Democratic primary Candidates Frank Church, attorney, chairman of the Young Democrats of Idaho and unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the state legislature Mary Jane Hogan https://www.anb.org/view/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.001.0001/anb-9780198606697-e-0700358 American National Biography Church, Frank 1999 10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0700358 978-0-19-860669-7 November 17, 2021 Glen H. Taylor, former U.S. Senator and former Progressive Vice Presidential candidate Claude J. Burtenshaw, teacher, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in 1950 special election and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 1954 Alvin McCormack, farmer, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 1954 The primary race was described as "the most colorful primary in the history of the state". Taylor was the last to enter the race and although he had a certain amount of popular support, he was unpopular with Democratic office holders because of his left wing beliefs and idiosyncratic style. Martin Boyd A. 1957 The 1956 Election in Idaho The Western Political Quarterly 10 1 en University of Utah, Sage publication Inc. 122–126 10.2307/444248 444248 Accessed 18 November 2021. Taylor contested the close defeat, claiming irregularities but the State Board of Canvassers confirmed Church's narrow victory over Taylor on August 25. August 26, 1956 Boise Lawyer's Defeat Of Taylor Confirmed https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1956-08-26/ed-1/seq-5/ Evening star Washington, D.C. A-5 20 October 2022 Martin Boyd A. 1957 The 1956 Election in Idaho The Western Political Quarterly 10 1 en University of Utah, Sage publication Inc. 124 10.2307/444248 444248 Accessed 18 November 2021. Results Democratic primary resultsCongressional Quarterly 1998 117https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=148106 ID US Senate, 1956 - D Primary Our Campaigns 20 October 2022 Frank Church Democratic Party (United States) 27,942 37.75 Glen H. Taylor Democratic Party (United States) 27,742 37.48 Claude J. Burtenshaw Democratic Party (United States) 11,738 15.86 Alvin McCormack Democratic Party (United States) 6,596 8.91 74,018 Republican primary Candidates Herman Welker, incumbent U.S. Senator William S. Holden, attorney Ray J. Davis, teacher John C. Sanborn, former U.S. Representative Mark L. Streeter, farmer Results Republican primary resultsCongressional Quarterly 1998 117https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=389683 ID US Senate, 1956 - R Primary Our Campaigns 20 October 2022 Herman Welker (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 31,399 42.51 William S. Holden Republican Party (United States) 21,081 28.54 Ray J. Davis Republican Party (United States) 12,349 16.72 John C. Sanborn Republican Party (United States) 8,261 11.18 Mark Streeter Republican Party (United States) 774 1.05 73,864 General election Campaign Church's campaign contrasted his fitness with that of Welker. His slogan, "Idaho Will Be Proud of Frank Church", was a major asset to his campaign. Church also campaigned on an internationalist plank, in favor of a publicly owned Hells Canyon Dam and was conservative on money matters. Martin Boyd A. 1957 The 1956 Election in Idaho The Western Political Quarterly 10 1 en University of Utah, Sage publication Inc. 125 10.2307/444248 444248 Welker's campaign focused heavily on anti-Communism, a decision that proved to be a weak political foundation. Martin Boyd A. 1957 The 1956 Election in Idaho The Western Political Quarterly 10 1 en University of Utah, Sage publication Inc. 124 10.2307/444248 444248 The Welker campaign also ran on his record, as well as the "Herman letter", in which President Eisenhower endorsed Welker's candidacy, although he pointedly refused to campaign in person for Welker. Martin Boyd A. 1957 The 1956 Election in Idaho The Western Political Quarterly 10 1 en University of Utah, Sage publication Inc. 125 10.2307/444248 444248 One of the issues was whether the proposed Hells Canyon Dam would be a single "high dam" (which would have been publicly built and owned) or a private three dam project. Welker wanted a private dam with one of Church's aides saying "The campaign was Frank Church against Idaho Power. They fought him tooth and nail."Robert Caro Robert Caro Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson Chapter 38 Hells Canyon 2002 Knopf Doubleday Publishing 0-394-52836-0 Church was for a high dam, although the Western Political Quarterly described his support for the high dam as "mild", Martin Boyd A. 1957 The 1956 Election in Idaho The Western Political Quarterly 10 1 en University of Utah, Sage publication Inc. 123 10.2307/444248 444248 Lyndon Johnson's biographer Robert Caro says that this was the central issue in this election and the Governor's election in the same year, and noted that Church's maiden speech was on the dam. Taylor decided to run as a write-in candidate October 8, 1956 Glen Taylor May Head New Splinter Party https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aFwNBOTKqaYC&dat=19561008&printsec=frontpage&hl=en Sarasota Journal Sarasota, Florida 10 20 October 2022 October 22, 1956 Glen Taylor to Run As Independent https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1956-10-22/ed-1/seq-6/ Evening star Washington, D.C. A-6 20 October 2022 and labelled Church a candidate of "corporate interests". Martin Boyd A. 1957 The 1956 Election in Idaho The Western Political Quarterly 10 1 en University of Utah, Sage publication Inc. 124 10.2307/444248 444248 1956 should have been a good year for a Republican candidate with Eisenhower winning a plurality of 61,111 in Idaho. Martin Boyd A. 1957 The 1956 Election in Idaho The Western Political Quarterly 10 1 en University of Utah, Sage publication Inc. 125 10.2307/444248 444248 The defeat increased Democratic control of the Senate and led to much anger within the Republican Party, with Joseph McCarthy even accusing President Dwight Eisenhower of not supporting Welker's reelection campaign enough.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FGdgAAAAIBAJ&pg=1369%2C749456 Wilmington Morning Star North Carolina Associated Press Welker loss laid to Ike by M'Carthy January 5, 1957 1http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1957/01/05/page/2/article/sen-mccarthy-charges-ike-purged-welker-of-idaho Chicago Tribune Moore William Sen. McCarthy charges Ike purged Welker of Idaho January 5, 1957 1, part 2 Endorsements Frank Church (D) Federal officials Estes Kefauver, United States Senator from Tennessee, Democratic candidate for Vice President October 23, 1956 No Indorsement https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1956-10-23/ed-1/seq-6/ Evening star Washington, D.C. A-6 20 October 2022 Results 1956 United States Senate election in IdahoCongressional Quarterly 1998 85https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=49576 ID US Senate, 1956 Our Campaigns 20 October 2022http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1956election.pdf Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1956 1958 2 October 2022 Clerk of the House of Representatives U.S. Government Printing Office Democratic Party (US) Frank Church 149,096 56.20 Republican Party (US) Herman Welker (Incumbent) 102,781 38.74 Write-in Glen H. Taylor 13,415 5.06 46,315 17.46 265,292 Democratic Party (US) Republican Party (US) See also 1956 United States Senate elections References Bibliography Congressional Elections, 1946-1996 1998 Washington, D.C. Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998 1-56802-248-4 Congressional Quarterly 1998 1956 Idaho United States Senate