Former Republican Governor of Ohio and 1944nominee for the U.S. vice presidency John W. Bricker defeated Democratic interim senator James W. Huffman, who had been appointed to fill the vacant seat left by Supreme Court Justice Harold Hitz Burton. In a concurrent special election to finish Burton's unexpired term, Republican Kingsley Taft defeated Henry P. Webber.
Incumbent Senator Harold Hitz Burton resigned from office in October 1945 to accept a seat on the United States Supreme Court. Governor Frank Lausche appointed James W. Huffman to fill Burton's vacant seat until a successor could be duly elected. The special election to fill the seat was scheduled for November 5, 1946, concurrent with the election to the next full term.
Huffman did not run in the special election, but ran in the election for the full term beginning in 1947.