1926 United States Senate election in Kentucky

1926 United States Senate election in Kentucky

← 1920 November 6, 1926 1932 →

Nominee Alben Barkley Richard P. Ernst Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 286,997 266,657 Percentage 51.8% 48.2%

County results Barkley:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Ernst:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

U.S. senator before election Richard P. Ernst Republican Elected U.S. Senator Alben Barkley Democratic

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v t e

The 1926 United States Senate election in Kentucky took place on November 2, 1926. Republican Senator Richard P. Ernst ran for re-election to a second term in office but was defeated by Democratic U.S. Representative Alben W. Barkley, who would go on to serve for twenty-two years before ascending to become Vice President of the United States.

• Alben W. Barkley, U.S. Representative from Paducah and candidate for Governor in 1923 (Democratic)
• Richard P. Ernst, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1921 (Republican)

Barkley announced his campaign on April 26 with the support of organized labor in the state; because of his role in crafting the Railway Labor Act, the Associated Railway Labor Organizations endorsed him in advance.^[1] Since his failed 1923 gubernatorial campaign, he had distanced himself from political boss Percy Haly and promised that he would not push a national ban on parimutuel betting if elected.^[2] Consequently, he had no opposition in the primary.^[3] Congressman (and future Chief Justice of the United States) Fred M. Vinson managed his general election campaign.^[2]

President Calvin Coolidge supported Ernst, and Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover campaigned in the state on his behalf.^[4] Ernst had opposed a bonus for veterans of World War I, an unpopular position in Kentucky, and at 68 years old, his age worked against him.^[2][5] Barkley contrasted his impoverished upbringing with Ernst's affluent lifestyle as a corporate attorney and attacked him for supporting Michigan senator Truman Handy Newberry, who had resigned due to allegations of election fraud.^[4] Republican voters were angered that Ernst did not support Republican Congressman John W. Langley when Langley was charged with illegally aiding a large bootlegging operation in Louisville.^[5] Ernst tried to resurrect the issues of Barkley's support for the coal tax and opposition to parimutuel betting.^[2]

• 1926 United States Senate elections

• Congressional Elections, 1946–1996. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-248-4.
• Finch, Glenn (July 1971). "The Election of United States Senators in Kentucky: The Barkley Period". Filson Club History Quarterly. 45 (3).
• Harrison, Lowell H.; Klotter, James C. (1997). A New History of Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-2008-X. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
• Jewell, Malcolm E. (1963). Kentucky Votes. Vol. 1. University of Kentucky Press.
• Klotter, James C. (1996). Kentucky: Portraits in Paradox, 1900–1950. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-916968-24-3. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
• Libbey, James K. (1979). Dear Alben: Mr. Barkley of Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-0238-3. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
• Libbey, James K. (1992). "Barkley, Alben William". In John E. Kleber (ed.). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2012.