United States Senate elections, 1958

Infobox Election
election_name = United States Senate elections, 1958
country = United States
type = legislative
ongoing = no
previous_election = United States Senate elections, 1956
previous_year = 1956
next_election = United States Senate elections, 1960
next_year = 1960
seats_for_election = 36 seats in the United States Senate
election_date = November 4, 1958

leader1 = Lyndon B. Johnson
party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
leaders_seat1 = Texas
last_election1 = 49 seats
seats1 = 65
seat_change1 = +16
popular_vote1 =
percentage1 =
swing1 =

leader2 = William F. Knowland
party2 = Republican Party (United States)
leaders_seat2 = California
last_election2 = 47 seats
seats2 = 35
seat_change2 = -12
popular_vote2 =
percentage2 =
swing2 =

map_

map_size = 300px
map_caption = legend|#f99|Republican holds

title = Majority Leader
before_election = Lyndon Johnson
before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
after_election = Lyndon B. Johnson
after_party = Democratic Party (United States)The U.S. Senate election, 1958 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's second term. As is common in midterm elections, the party in the White House lost seats, but in this year it was on a huge scale, perhaps due to high unemployment. The Eisenhower Administration's position on right-to-work issues galvanized labor unions which supported Democrats. The launch of Sputnik may also have been a factor. The Democratic party took thirteen Republican seats, as well as winning both 1959 Senate elections in the new state of Alaska. Senate elections in 1959 in the new state of Hawaii were split between the two parties, yielding an aggregate gain of 16 seats for the Democrats and giving a party balance of 65-35.

Democrats gained three open seats in California, Indiana, and New Jersey, and defeated ten Republican incumbents:
* William C. Revercomb (R-WV)
* John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. (R-WV)
* John W. Bricker (R-OH)
* Edward John Thye (R-MN)
* William A. Purtell (R-CT)
* Frederick G. Payne (R-ME)
* Charles E. Potter (R-MI)
* Arthur V. Watkins (R-UT)
* Frank A. Barrett (R-WY)
* George W. Malone (R-NV)

West Virginia's delegation thus changed from two Republicans to two Democrats in the same election night.

Notable freshmen were future Democratic presidential contenders Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) and Ed Muskie (D-ME), as well as future Democratic Chairman Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), who as of 2008 is the longest-serving Senator in the history of the Senate.

enate contests in 1958

See also

*United States House elections, 1958