1914 United States Senate election in Colorado

none March 2026 September 2023 1914 United States Senate election in Colorado Colorado 1911 presidential no 1913 United States Senate special election in Colorado 1913 1920 United States Senate election in Colorado 1920 November 3, 1914 x150px File:Charles Spalding Thomas.jpg Charles S. Thomas Democratic Party (United States) 102,037 40.30% File:HWork-SecofInter2.jpg Hubert Work Republican Party (United States) 98,728 38.99% File:Ad for the Republican Ticket in the 1922 elections in Colorado (cropped).png Benjamin Griffith Progressive Party (United States, 1912) 27,042 10.68% File:3x4.svg J. C. Griffiths Socialist Party (United States) 13,943 5.51% 300px 1914 United States Senate election in Colorado results map by county.svg County resultsThomas: #BDD3FF 30–40% #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996E2 50–60% Work: #FFC8CD 30–40% #FFB2B2 40–50% #E27F7F 50–60% #D75D5D 60–70% U.S. Senator Charles S. Thomas Democratic Party (United States) Charles S. Thomas Democratic Party (United States) The 1914 United States Senate election in Colorado took place on November 3, 1914. It was the first direct U.S. Senate election in Colorado following the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment. Incumbent U.S. Senator Charles S. Thomas, a Democrat, who was first elected by the state legislature to fill a vacancy in 1913, ran for re-election to a full term. Thomas faced a competitive general election with several major candidates, including physician Hubert Work, the Republican nominee; former state Attorney General Benjamin Griffith, the Progressive nominee; and Congressman George J. Kindel, who ran as an independent. Thomas narrowly won re-election, but with only a 40% plurality. Democratic primary Candidates Declared Charles S. Thomas, incumbent U.S. Senator Dropped out John A. Martin, former U.S. Congressman George J. Kindel (ran as independent) Campaign In the leadup to the 1914 election, incumbent Senator Charles Thomas, who was elected to the Senate by the state legislature to fill the remainder of Charles J. Hughes Jr.'s term, faced stiff competition. Former Congressman John A. Martin, who represented southern Colorado in Congress from 1909 to 1913, announced that he would challenge Thomas for renomination, in part on his opposition to both of the state's Senators being from Denver.July 9, 1914 Wants to Be Senator: Former Congressman John A. Martin Would Succeed Chas. Thomas Montrose Enterprise Montrose, Colorado 1 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=MTE19140709-01.2.18&srpos=3&e=--1914---1914--en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-martin+thomas+senate-------0------ July 3, 2022 Congressman George J. Kindel also announced his candidacy, proclaiming, "I'd rather be a dead senator than a live fool representative."February 18, 1914 "Rather Be Dead Senator than Live Rep." -Geo. Kindel Trinidad Chronicle-News Trinidad, Colorado 1 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=CRN19140218-01.2.14&srpos=3&e=--1914---1914--en-20--1-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22George+J.+Kindel%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 Kindel, a controversial representative who routinely opposed the Wilson administration and was frequently at odds with the state's labor movement,August 17, 1914 Democratic Family Quarrel Durango Semi-Weekly Herald Durango, Colorado 2 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=DSH19140817-01.2.15&srpos=55&e=--1914---1914--en-20--41-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-kindel+%22president+wilson%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 campaigned on a platform of reducing transportation rates and achieving "commercial equality" for the state. However, before the state convention and primary took place, Kindel left the Democratic Party and continued his Senate campaign as an independent.July 17, 1914 Colorado Notes Lafayette Leader Lafayette, Colorado 1 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=LFL19140717-01.2.2&srpos=35&e=--1914---1914--en-20--21-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22George+Kindel%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 campaigned on a platform of reducing transportation rates and achieving "commercial equality" for the state. At the convention, Kindel's candidacy was condemned, with Frank Leary, the state party chairman, declaring that "the Democrats of Denver would not be under the necessity of burglarizing a mattress factory or robbing an insane asylum to get the right man for Congress."July 9, 1914 Democrats Name Choice for Congress and State Legislature United Labor Bulletin Denver, Colorado 2 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=ULB19140815-01.2.18&srpos=41&e=--1914---1914--en-20--41-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22George+Kindel%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 Martin qualified for a spot on the primary election ballot, but ultimately dropped out of the race, enabling Thomas to win the primary uncontested.August 5, 1914 Senator Charles S. Thomas Steamboat Pilot Steamboat Springs, Colorado 4 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=STP19140805.2.47&srpos=9&e=-08-1914--09-1914--en-20--1-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22john+a.+martin%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 Results Democratic primary resultsRamer John E. State of Colorado Abstract of Votes Cast at the Primary Election Held on the Eighth Day of September A. D. 1914 and the General Election Held on the Third Day of November, A. D. 1914 https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/1900-1999/1914AbstractBook.pdf 1915 Denver, Colorado Colorado Secretary of State Charles S. Thomas (inc.) Democratic Party (United States) 37,032 99.85 Write-ins Democratic Party (United States) 57 0.15 37,089 100.00 Republican primary Candidates Declared Hubert Work, Pueblo physician, Colorado Republican National CommitteemanMay 8, 1914 Dr. Hubert Work National Committeeman from Colorado, to Succeed Senator Guggenheim Fort Collins Weekly Courier Fort Collins, Colorado 4 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=TWC19140508.2.55&srpos=19&e=--1914---1914--en-20--1-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22hubert+work%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 Isaac N. Stevens, City Attorney of Denver Dropped out James H. Brown, attorney Campaign In the 1912 state elections, the Colorado Republican Party was badly fractured, splitting the vote between the Republican and Progressive nominees, and enabling a plurality Democratic win. In the summer of 1914, the parties discussed a fusion,June 20, 1914 Republicans and Progressives Will Unite If Plans of Parties' Leaders Succeed Alamosa Courier Alamosa, Colorado 7 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=ALC19140620-01.2.62&srpos=29&e=--1914---1914--en-20--21-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22I.+N.+Stevens%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 with Progressive leader Isaac N. Stevens, the City Attorney of Denver, announcing that he was joining the Republican Party.July 23, 1914 Stevens Joins G.O.P. Wray Gazette Wray, Colorado 7 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=WGA19140723-01.2.52&srpos=38&e=--1914---1914--en-20--21-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22I.+N.+Stevens%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 Stevens ended up seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, and he was opposed by Pueblo physician Hubert Work, a state party leader, and Denver attorney James H. Brown. At the convention, Work and Stevens won places on the primary election ballot.August 7, 1914 Republicans Endorse Ammons Rifle Telegram Rifle, Colorado 1 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=TRT19140807-01.2.4&srpos=48&e=--1914---1914--en-20--41-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22I.+N.+Stevens%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 Results Republican primary results Hubert Work Republican Party (United States) 22,413 57.87 Isaac N. Stevens Republican Party (United States) 16,313 42.12 Write-ins Republican Party (United States) 4 0.01 38,730 100.00 Progressive primary Candidates Benjamin Griffith, former state Attorney GeneralMay 8, 1914 Griffiths Is Candidate for Senator Idaho Springs Siftings-News Idaho Springs, Colorado 6 https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SSN19140606-01.2.61&srpos=2&e=--1914---1914--en-20--1-byDA-img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA-%22benjamin+griffith%22-------0------ July 3, 2022 Results Progressive primary results Benjamin Griffith Progressive Party (United States, 1912) 5,676 99.98 Write-ins Progressive Party (United States, 1912) 1 0.02 5,677 100.00 General election Results 1914 United States Senate election in Colorado Democratic Party (United States) Charles S. Thomas (inc.) 102,037 40.30% Republican Party (United States) Hubert Work 98,728 38.99% Progressive Party (United States, 1912) Benjamin Griffith 27,042 10.68% Socialist Party (United States) J. C. Griffiths 13,943 5.51% Kindel Commercial Equality George J. Kindel 11,433 4.52% 253,183 100.00% Democratic Party (US) Republican Party (US) References 1914 Colorado United States Senate