1948 United States Senate election in South Carolina

The 1948 South Carolina United States Senate election was held on November 2, 1948 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. Incumbent Senator Burnet R. Maybank won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican challenger J. Bates Gerald in the general election to win another six-year term.

1948 Democratic Senate primary in South Carolina

November 2, 1948

Nominee Burnet R. Maybank W.J. Bryan Dorn Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 161,608 76,749 Percentage 51.63% 24.85%   Nominee Neville Bennett Alan Johnstone Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 43,068 17,689 Percentage 13.48% 5.44%

Results by county Maybank:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Dorn:      30–40%      40–50%      50-60%      60–70% Bennett:      80-90%

U.S. senator before election Burnet R. Maybank Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Burnet R. Maybank Democratic

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Neville Bennett
• William Jennings Bryan Dorn, U.S. Representative from Greenwood
• Alan Johnstone
• Burnet R. Maybank, incumbent Senator since 1941
• Marcus A. Stone

Results

Senator Maybank narrowly achieved a majority of the primary vote, avoiding a potential run-off election against Dorn.

Democratic Primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Burnet R. Maybank	161,608	51.5
W.J. Bryan Dorn	76,749	24.4
Neville Bennett	43,068	13.7
Alan Johnstone	17,689	5.6
Marcus A. Stone	14,904	4.8

General election

Campaign

Since the end of Reconstruction in 1877, the Democratic Party dominated the politics of South Carolina and its statewide candidates were never seriously challenged. Maybank did not campaign for the general election as there was no chance of defeat.

Results

1948 U.S. Senate election in South Carolina

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Burnet R. Maybank (incumbent)	135,998	96.4	−3.6
	Republican	J. Bates Gerald	5,008	3.6	+3.6
Majority			130,990	92.8	−7.2
Turnout			141,006
	Democratic hold

  65+% won by Maybank

See also

• List of United States senators from South Carolina
• United States Senate elections, 1948 and 1949
• United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1948

References

• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. p. 79.
• "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports and Resolutions of South Carolina to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1949, p. 11.