1956 United States Senate special election in West Virginia

The 1956 United States Senate special election in West Virginia took place on November 6, 1956, to elect a U.S. Senator to complete the unexpired term of Senator Harley M. Kilgore, who died on February 28. 1956. State Tax Commissioner William Laird III was appointed to fill this seat by Governor William C. Marland to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held and assumed office on March 13, 1956.^[1]

1956 United States Senate special election in West Virginia

← 1952 November 6, 1956 1958 →

Nominee Chapman Revercomb William C. Marland Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 432,123 373,051 Percentage 53.67% 46.33%

County results Revercomb:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Marland:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election William Laird III Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Chapman Revercomb Republican

Laird did not opt to run in the special election to fill the remainder of Kilgore's term through the end of the 85th Congress on January 3, 1959. Republican candidate former Senator Chapman Revercomb defeated the Democratic candidate Governor Marland in the special election.

This was the last time the Republicans won West Virginia's Class 1 seat, until Jim Justice flipped the seat in 2024. This was also the last time until 2014 that the Republicans won a U.S. Senate election in the state.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on May 8, 1956.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Joseph Arcuri, children's writer^[2]
• Walter G. Crichton, Charleston councilman,^[3] unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for West Virginia's 6th congressional district in 1944
• John G. Fox, incumbent Attorney General of West Virginia
• William C. Marland, incumbent Governor of West Virginia
• Byron B. Randolph, former President of the West Virginia Senate^[4]

Results

Democratic primary results^[5][6][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	William C. Marland	118,159	37.25
	Democratic	John G. Fox	104,869	33.06
	Democratic	Byron B. Randolph	56,945	17.95
	Democratic	Walter G. Crichton	26,972	8.50
	Democratic	Joseph Arcuri	10,263	3.24
Total votes			317,208	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Chapman Revercomb, former U.S. Senator
• Thomas Sweeney, insurance agent,^[4] Republican candidate for U.S. Senator in 1940, 1946 and 1954
• Philip H. Hill, attorney,^[3] Republican candidate for Attorney General of West Virginia in 1936
• Al J. Carey, Kanawha County Sheriff^[2][3]
• Esta C. Wilson, television dealer^[2]

Results

Republican primary results^[5][8][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chapman Revercomb	79,106	41.53
	Republican	Thomas Sweeney	57,556	30.22
	Republican	Philip H. Hill	37,574	19.73
	Republican	Al J. Carey	11,268	5.92
	Republican	Esta C. Wilson	4,971	2.61
Total votes			190,475	100.00

General election

Results

1956 United States Senate special election in West Virginia^{[10][11][12][13]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chapman Revercomb	432,123	53.67
	Democratic	William C. Marland	373,051	46.33
Majority			59,072	7.34
Turnout			805,174
	Republican gain from Democratic

See also

• 1956 United States Senate elections