The 1954 United States Senate election in Kentucky took place on November 2, 1954. Incumbent Republican Senator John Sherman Cooper, who won a 1952 special election to fill the vacant seat of Virgil Chapman, ran for a full term in office but was defeated by Democratic former Senator and Vice President of the United States Alben Barkley.
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 County results Barkley: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Cooper: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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General election edit
Candidates edit
- Alben Barkley, former Vice President of the United States and U.S. Senator
- John Sherman Cooper, incumbent Senator since 1952[a]
Results edit
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Alben Barkley | 434,109 | 54.46% | |
| Republican | John Sherman Cooper (incumbent) | 362,948 | 45.54% | |
| Total votes | 797,057 | 100.00% | ||
Aftermath edit
Following his victory, Barkley served a little over a year before dying of a heart attack on April 30, 1956. Cooper won the November special election to succeed him and returned to the Senate.
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ Cooper previously served as Senator from 1946 to 1949.