1942 United States Senate election in New Jersey

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| ← 1936 | November 3, 1942 | 1948 →

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

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

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| Senator before election

William Smathers
Democratic

| Elected Senator

Albert Hawkes
Republican

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* e

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.

As of 2023, 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[edit]

### Candidates[edit]

* William Smathers, incumbent Senator

### Results[edit]

Senator Smathers was unopposed for re-nomination.

1942 Democratic Senate primary[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

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| Democratic | William Smathers (incumbent)  | 170,621  | 100.00%
Total votes  | 170,621  | 100.00%

## Republican primary[edit]

### Candidates[edit]

#### Declared[edit]

* 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[edit]

1942 Republican Senate primary[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

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| 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[edit]

### Candidates[edit]

* 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[edit]

1942 United States Senate election in New Jersey[4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

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| 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[edit]

* 1942 United States Senate elections

## References[edit]

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.

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(1940 ←)  1942 United States elections (→ 1944)

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