1934 United States Senate election in Missouri

Democratic primary

Candidates

• James Longstreet Cleveland
• John J. Cochran, U.S. Representative from St. Louis
• Jacob L. Milligan, U.S. Representative from Richmond
• Harry S. Truman, presiding judge of the Jackson County Court

Campaign

Harry Truman, having served as a judge, expressed an interest in running for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1934, but political boss Tom Pendergast had already selected another candidate for that race. After four other potential candidates had declined to run, Pendergast ultimately approached Truman to discuss a possible run for the United States Senate, to Truman's surprise. Truman, with backing from Pendergast, entered the Senate race. Truman said he would not, if elected, dictate to anyone, to the dismay of anti-Pendergast U.S. Senator Bennett Champ Clark.

Truman waged a statewide campaign and eventually won the largely three-way Democratic primary on August 7, 1934, by a significant margin, defeating U.S. Representatives John Cochran and Jacob Milligan.

Results

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Nearly half of Truman's vote (137,529) came from Jackson County alone, where he received 92.8%. Likewise, Cochran received over half of his overall vote (121,048) from St. Louis and St. Louis County, where he led with 90.5% and 77.9%, respectively.

General election

Results

References

References

1. Dubin, Michael J.. (1998). "United States congressional elections, 1788-1997 : the official results of the elections of the 1st through 105th congresses". McFarland.
2. "MO US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns.
3. "TRUMAN, Harry S., (1884 - 1972)". Biographical Directory of the U.S Congress.
4. "Harry S. Truman, 34th Vice President (1945)". United States Senate.
5. (1936). "Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1935–1936".
6. "MO US Senate". OurCampaigns.