1938 United States Senate election in Maryland

The 1938 United States Senate election in Maryland was held on November 8, 1938. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Millard Tydings was re-elected to a third term in office, overcoming a primary challenge from U.S. Representative David John Lewis and easily defeating Republican Oscar Leser in the general election.

1938 United States Senate election in Maryland

November 8, 1938

Nominee Millard Tydings Oscar Leser Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 357,245 153,253 Percentage 68.28% 29.29%

U.S. senator before election Millard Tydings Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Millard Tydings Democratic

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Arthur E. Hungerford
• David John Lewis, U.S. Representative from Cumberland
• Millard Tydings, incumbent Senator since 1927

Results

1938 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[1][2][3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Millard Tydings (inc.)	189,719	58.86%
	Democratic	David John Lewis	124,439	38.60%
	Democratic	Arthur E. Hungerford	8,186	2.54%
Total votes			322,344	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Oscar Leser, Baltimore City Judge and tax reform activist[4]
• Galen L. Tait, former Chair of the Maryland Republican Party[5][6]

Results

1938 Republican U.S. Senate primary[1][2][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Oscar Leser	48,716	56.69%
	Republican	Galen L. Tait	37,225	43.32%
Total votes			85,941	100.00%

General election

Results

1938 U.S. Senate election in Maryland[8][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Millard Tydings (inc.)	357,245	68.28%
	Republican	Oscar Leser	153,253	29.29%
	Union	George W. Hunt	5,784	1.11%
	Socialist	Elisabeth Gilman	3,311	0.63%
	Labor[lower-alpha 1]	Frank N.H. Lang	2,330	0.45%
	Communist	Harry Straw	1,301	0.25%
	Democratic	David John Lewis (write-in)	12	0.00%
	Write-in	All others	2	0.00%
Total votes			523,238	100.00%
	Democratic hold

See also

• 1938 United States Senate elections

Notes

1. Multiple "Labor" parties existed in the United States at this time, including the American Labor Party and Labor Party of the United States. It is not clear to which party Lang belonged.

References

1. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000157/pdf/am157--299.pdf
2. "Results" (PDF). msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-20.
3. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 12, 1938". www.ourcampaigns.com.
4. "Oscar Leser, MSA SC 3520-14421". msa.maryland.gov.
5. Goldchain, Michelle (February 19, 2018). "Bethesda home that housed one of Maryland's most controversial figures lowers price to $1.59M". Curbed DC.
6. Orton, Kathy. "Bethesda house was home to politics and a Pulitzer". Washington Post.
7. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate - R Primary Race - Sep 12, 1938". www.ourcampaigns.com.
8. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1944". www.ourcampaigns.com.
9. "Results" (PDF). msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-20.