United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1932

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"Cotton Ed" Smith

The 1932 South Carolina United States Senate election was held on November 8, 1932, to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. Incumbent Democratic Senator Ellison D. Smith won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican challenger Clara Harrigal in the general election to win another six-year term.

Democratic primary

Senator Ellison D. Smith was opposed in the Democratic primary by longtime South Carolina politician Coleman Livingston Blease. Smith was the leader in the first primary election on August 30 and won the runoff election two weeks later on September 13.

Democratic Primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Ellison D. Smith	100,270	37.0
Coleman Livingston Blease	81,297	30.0
Ashton H. Williams	48,084	17.7
Leon W. Harris	41,478	15.3

Democratic Primary Runoff
Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Ellison D. Smith	150,468	56.7	+19.7
Coleman Livingston Blease	114,840	43.3	+13.3

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. Republican Clara Harrigal, an Aiken businesswoman and Republican National Committeewoman, was the first woman to run for statewide office in South Carolina.

General election results

South Carolina U.S. Senate Election, 1932

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ellison D. Smith (incumbent)	104,472	98.1	-1.9
	Republican	Clara Harrigal	1,976	1.9	+1.9
Majority			102,496	96.2	-3.8
Turnout			106,448
	Democratic hold

  65+% won by Smith

See also

• List of United States Senators from South Carolina
• United States Senate elections, 1932
• United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1932

References

• "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports of State Officers Boards and Committees to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1933, p. 6.