1918 United States Senate election in Colorado

The 1918 United States Senate election in Colorado took place on November 5, 1918. It was the second direct U.S. Senate election in Colorado following the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment, and the first for the Class 2 Senate seat. Democratic senator John F. Shafroth ran for re-election to a second term, and was opposed by Denver businessman Lawrence C. Phipps, the Republican nominee, in the general election. As Republicans made gains nationwide, they performed well in Colorado, too, and Phipps unseated Shafroth by a thin margin.

1918 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1913 November 5, 1918 1924 →

Nominee Lawrence C. Phipps John F. Shafroth Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 107,726 104,347 Percentage 49.49% 47.94%

County results Phipps:      40–50%      50–60% Shafroth:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election John F. Shafroth Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Lawrence C. Phipps Republican

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• John F. Shafroth, incumbent U.S. senator

Results

Democratic primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John F. Shafroth (inc.)	42,664	100.00
Total votes			42,664	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Lawrence C. Phipps, Denver businessman, President of the Colorado Taxpayers Protective League
• Charles W. Waterman, Denver attorney

Results

Republican primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Lawrence C. Phipps	31,537	67.43
	Republican	Charles W. Waterman	15,235	32.57
Total votes			46,772	100.00

General election

Results

1918 United States Senate election in Colorado^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Lawrence C. Phipps	107,726	49.49%
	Democratic	John F. Shafroth (inc.)	104,347	47.94%
	Prohibition	P. A. Richardson	5,606	2.58%
Total votes			217,679	100.00%
	Republican gain from Democratic

References

1. "Result of Primaries". Colorado Statesman. Denver, Colorado. September 28, 1918. p. 7. Retrieved July 5, 2022.