1950 United States Senate special election in Connecticut

The 1950 United States Senate special election in Connecticut took place on November 7, 1950 in Connecticut, as part of the 1950 Senate elections. The incumbent Republican Senator Raymond E. Baldwin resigned on December 16, 1949, to accept appointment to the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors.^[1] William Benton, the former Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, was appointed to the vacant seat. Benton defeated Prescott Bush in the special election by a margin of 1,102 votes, the closest Senate election of that year. In the concurrent regular election, Brien McMahon won re-election by a margin of 5.1%. Benton would go on to lose election to a full term in the 1952 regular election, while Bush would be elected to the other seat in the special election.

1950 United States Senate special election in Connecticut

← 1946 November 7, 1950 1952 →

Nominee William Benton Prescott Bush Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 431,413 430,311 Percentage 49.18% 49.06%

County results Municipality results Benton:      40–50%      50–60%      60-70% Bush:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90% Tie:      50%

U.S. senator before election William Benton Democratic Elected U.S. Senator William Benton Democratic

Democratic nomination

The Democratic Party held a convention between July 28 and 29. Baldwin defeated former governor Charles Wilbert Snow for the nomination.^[2]

General election

Candidates

• William Benton, incumbent Senator since 1949 (Democratic)
• Prescott Bush, businessman (Republican)
• John J. Gillespie (Socialist)

Results

1950 United States Senate election in Connecticut^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	William Benton (incumbent)	431,413	49.18	+8.70
	Republican	Prescott Bush	430,311	49.06	−6.78
	Socialist	John J. Gillespie	15,441	1.76	−1.46
Majority			1,102	0.13
Turnout			877,165
	Democratic hold		Swing