1942 United States Senate election in New Jersey

The United States Senate election of 1942 in New Jersey was held on November 3, 1942. Incumbent Democratic Senator William Smathers ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Republican businessman Albert Hawkes.

1942 United States Senate election in New Jersey

← 1936 November 3, 1942 1948 →

Nominee Albert Hawkes William Smathers Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 648,855 559,851 Percentage 53.09% 45.81%

County results Hawkes:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Smathers:      50–60%      70–80%

Senator before election William Smathers Democratic Elected Senator Albert Hawkes Republican

As of 2024, this is the last time an incumbent U.S. Senator from New Jersey lost re-election, although in 2002 incumbent Senator Robert Torricelli dropped out in late September while trailing in the polls.^[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• William Smathers, incumbent Senator

Results

Senator Smathers was unopposed for re-nomination.

1942 Democratic Senate primary^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	William Smathers (incumbent)	170,621	100.00%
Total votes			170,621	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• George Biehl
• Joseph A. Bower, banker and treasurer of the Republican State Committee
• Albert Hawkes, director of the United States Chamber of Commerce
• Franklin W. Kielb, attorney from North Plainfield
• George O. Pullen, candidate for Senate in 1938 and 1940
• Gill Robb Wilson, Presbyterian minister and founder of the Civil Air Patrol

Results

1942 Republican Senate primary^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Albert W. Hawkes	130,885	43.97%
	Republican	Gill Robb Wilson	127,390	42.80%
	Republican	Joseph A. Bower	16,097	5.41%
	Republican	George Biehl	11,588	3.89%
	Republican	George O. Pullen	6,311	2.12%
	Republican	Franklin W. Kielb	5,384	1.81%
Total votes			297,655	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Elmo L. Bateman (Prohibition)
• William L. Becker (Socialist)
• George Breitman (Socialist Workers), activist and editor of The Militant
• John C. Butterworth (Socialist Labor)
• Lorenzo Harris (Progressive Independent)
• Albert W. Hawkes (Republican), director of the United States Chamber of Commerce
• William H. Smathers (Democrat), incumbent Senator since 1937

Results

1942 United States Senate election in New Jersey^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Albert W. Hawkes	648,855	53.09%
	Democratic	William H. Smathers (incumbent)	559,851	45.81%
	Socialist	William L. Becker	6,775	0.55%
	Independent Progressive	Lorenzo Harris	3,224	0.26%
	Prohibition	Elmo L. Bateman	1,438	0.12%
	Socialist Labor	John C. Butterworth	1,310	0.11%
	Socialist Workers	George Breitman	679	0.06%
Majority			89,004	7.28%
Turnout			1,222,132
	Republican gain from Democratic

See also

• 1942 United States Senate elections

References

1. "N.J. hasn't tossed an incumbent U.S. Senator in a general in 78 years". New Jersey Globe. April 22, 2020.
2. "1942 Primary Results" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State.
3. "Our Campaigns - NJ US Senate - R Primary Race - Sep 15, 1942". www.ourcampaigns.com.
4. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1942" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved July 2, 2014.