1946 United States Senate election in Montana

none March 2026 September 2023 1946 United States Senate election in Montana Montana 1905 presidential 1940 United States Senate election in Montana 1940 1952 United States Senate election in Montana 1952 November 5, 1946 Zales Nelson Ecton.jpg Zales Ecton Republican Party (United States) 101,901 53.47% Leif Erickson 1948 Edit.jpg Leif Erickson Democratic Party (United States) 86,476 45.38% 1946 United States Senate election in Montana results map by county.svg 300px County resultsEcton: #E27F7F 50–60% #D75D5D 60–70% #D72F30 70–80% Erickson: #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #808080 No data U.S. Senator Burton K. Wheeler Democratic Party (United States) Zales Ecton Republican Party (United States) The 1946 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 5, 1946. Incumbent United States Senator Burton K. Wheeler, who was first elected to the Senate in 1922, and was re-elected in 1928, 1934, and 1940, ran for re-election. He was challenged in the Democratic primary by Leif Erickson, the Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court, and, following a close election, was narrowly defeated by Erickson. In the general election, Erickson faced State Senator Zales Ecton, the Republican nominee. Ultimately, Ecton defeated Erickson by a fairly wide margin, winning his first and only term in the Senate. Another Republican would not be elected Senator from Montana until 42 years later, when Conrad Burns narrowly won the 1988 election. Democratic primary Candidates Leif Erickson, Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court Burton K. Wheeler, incumbent United States Senator Results thumb|300px|Democratic Primary results by county: #8db8e2 Erickson #8db8e2 50–60% #679fd7 60–70% #87be51 Wheeler #87be51 50–60% #63a61f 60–70% #478e00 70–80% Democratic Party primary resultshttp://sos.mt.gov/Elections/archives/1940s/1946/1946_Primary_Statewide.pdf Report of the Official Canvass of the Vote Cast at the Primary Election Held in the State of Montana, July 16, 1946 Montana Secretary of State July 2, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20130508132407/http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Archives/1940s/1946/1946_Primary_Statewide.pdf May 8, 2013 dead Leif Erickson Democratic Party (United States) 49,419 52.61 Burton K. Wheeler (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 44,513 47.39 93,932 100.00 Republican primary Candidates Zales Ecton, State Senator, former State Representative R. E. Skeen, railroad brakemanWheeler Loses Renomination to Erickson After 24 Years in Senate; G.O.P. Picks Ecton July 17, 1946 Laurel Outlook Laurel, Montana 38 4 1 https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86075258/1946-07-17/ed-1/seq-1/ Chronicling America In the Republican column the two candidates for U.S. senator were Ecton, Manhattan rancher and Republican state senator, and R. E. Skeen, Billings railroad brakeman who entered the race "on a dare." Results Republican Primary results Zales Ecton Republican Party (United States) 22,731 66.94 R. E. Skeen Republican Party (United States) 11,226 33.06 33,957 100.00 General election Results United States Senate election in Montana, 1946http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1946election.pdf Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 1946 Clerk of the United States House of Representatives July 4, 2014 Republican Party (United States) Zales Ecton 101,901 53.47% +26.91% Democratic Party (United States) Leif Erickson 86,476 45.38% -28.06% Socialist Party (United States) Floyd P. Jones 2,189 1.15% 15,425 8.09% -38.78% 190,566 Republican Party (US) Democratic Party (US) References collapsed Montana 1946 Category:1946 Montana elections