1914 United States Senate election in South Carolina

The 1914 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 3, 1914 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. It was the first election in South Carolina in which the voters were able to choose the candidate in the general election. Incumbent Democratic Senator Ellison D. Smith won the Democratic primary and defeated nominal opposition in the general election to win another six-year term.

1914 Democratic Senate primary in South Carolina

August 25, 1914

Nominee Ellison D. Smith Cole Blease Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 72,256 55,908 Percentage 54.7% 42.3%

U.S. senator before election Ellison D. Smith Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ellison D. Smith Democratic

Democratic primary

Coleman Livingston Blease, Governor of South Carolina from 1910 to 1914, was barred from seeking another term by the South Carolina constitution. He wanted to continue holding a public office so he challenged incumbent Senator Ellison D. Smith in the Democratic primary election for U.S. Senator. However, the voters were tired of Blease and he and those allied with him suffered defeat in the 1914 Democratic primaries on August 25.

South Carolina U.S. Senate Primary Election, 1914

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ellison D. Smith (incumbent)	72,256	54.7
	Democratic	Coleman Livingston Blease	55,908	42.3
	Democratic	Lang D. Jennings	2,400	1.8
	Democratic	William P. Pollock	1,630	1.2

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. Smith did not campaign for the general election as there was no chance of defeat.

Results

South Carolina U.S. Senate Election, 1914

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ellison D. Smith (incumbent)	32,950	99.7	N/A
	Socialist	James H. Roberts	89	0.3	N/A
Majority			32,861	99.4	N/A
Turnout			33,039
	Democratic hold

See also

• List of United States Senators from South Carolina
• United States Senate elections, 1914
• United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1914
• South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1914

References

• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. pp. 63–64.
• "Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina. Part II." Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume IV. Columbia, SC: 1915, p. 339.