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1940 United States Senate election in California

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1940 United States Senate election in California

← 1934 November 5, 1940 1946 (special) →
 
Nominee Hiram Johnson Fred Dyster
Party Republican Prohibition
Alliance Democratic
Progressive
Popular vote 2,238,899 366,044
Percentage 82.62% 13.51%

County results
Johnson:     70-80%      80-90%      >90%

U.S. senator before election

Hiram Johnson
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Hiram Johnson
Republican

The United States Senate election in California of 1940 was held on November 5, 1940. Incumbent Republican Senator Hiram Johnson was re-elected to his fifth term in office, though he would die in office in 1945.

By cross-filing and winning the Democratic and Progressive primaries, Johnson eliminated his strongest competition and handily won the general election with only nominal opposition from the Prohibition Party.

Primaries

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Primaries were held on August 27.

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Primary election results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hiram Johnson (incumbent) 612,561 82.02%
Democratic Ellis E. Patterson 54,834 7.34%
Democratic John Anson Ford 46,310 6.20%
Democratic Sam Yorty 33,142 4.44%
Total votes 1,007,926 100.00%

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Primary election results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hiram Johnson (incumbent) 507,389 50.34%
Democratic Ellis E. Patterson 206,479 20.49%
Democratic John Anson Ford 175,110 17.37%
Democratic Sam Yorty 74,332 7.38%
Democratic James D. Meredith 26,425 2.62%
Democratic Richard S. Otto 18,191 1.81%
Total votes 746,847 100.00%

Progressive primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Primary election results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hiram Johnson (incumbent) 2,060 61.40%
Democratic Richard S. Otto 1,295 38.60%
Total votes 3,355 100.00%

Prohibition primary

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Candidates

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  • Fred Dyster
  • Hiram Johnson, incumbent Senator (write-in)

Results

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Primary election results[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Prohibition Fred Dyster 1,314 77.66%
Republican Hiram Johnson (incumbent) (write-in) 378 22.34%
Total votes 1,692 100.00%

Third parties and independents

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Communist

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  • Anita Whitney, women's rights activist, perennial candidate, and member of the Field family

Independent

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A write-in bid was launched in support of John Anson Ford.

General election

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Results

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1940 United States Senate election in California[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Hiram Johnson (incumbent) 2,238,899 82.62% Decrease12.04
Prohibition Fred Dyster 366,044 13.51% N/A
Communist Anita Whitney 97,478 3.60% N/A
Independent John Anson Ford (write-in) 7,415 0.27% N/A
Total votes 2,709,836 100.00%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "CA US Senate – R Primary, 1940". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  2. ^ "CA US Senate – D Primary, 1940". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "CA US Senate – PR Primary, 1940". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  4. ^ "CA US Senate – PR Primary, 1940". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  5. ^ "CA US Senate, 1940". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved April 21, 2018.