Gambel’s Quail

The 1944 United States Senate election in California was held on November 7, 1944.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Sheridan Downey was re-elected to a second term in office over Republican Lieutenant Governor Frederick F. Houser.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Justus F. Craemer
Irene Dockweiler
Sheridan Downey, incumbent Senator since 1939
John J. Taheney
Jack B. Tenney, singer and anti-communist State Senator from Banning

Results

1944 Democratic U.S. Senate primary results^[1]^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sheridan Downey (inc.)	510,069	54.75%
	Republican	Frederick F. Houser (cross-filing)	132,376	14.21%
	Republican	William G. Bonelli (cross-filing)	60,080	6.45%
	Republican	Philip Bancroft (cross-filing)	53,094	5.70%
	Republican	Charles G. Johnson (cross-filing)	45,325	4.87%
	Unknown^[a]	Jack B. Tenney	40,859	4.39%
	Democratic	Irene M. Dockweiler	39,364	4.23%
	Unknown	Justus F. Craemer	23,167	2.49%
	Unknown	John J. Taheney	13,898	1.49%
	Democratic	John S. Crowder	9,292	1.00%
	Republican	Roland C. Casad (cross-filing)	4,106	0.44%
Total votes			931,630	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Philip Bancroft, 1938 Republican nominee for Senate
William G. Bonelli, former member of the California Board of Equalization, former Los Angeles City Councilman, and State Representative
Roland C. Casad, perennial candidate
Justus F. Craemer
John S. Crowder
Frederick F. Houser, Lieutenant Governor of California
Charles G. Johnson, California State Treasurer
Alonzo J. Riggs
John J. Taheney
Jack B. Tenney, singer and anti-communist State Senator from Banning

Results

1944 Republican U.S. Senate primary^[1]^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frederick F. Houser	315,828	43.99%
	Democratic	Sheridan Downey (inc.) (cross-filing)	119,412	16.63%
	Republican	Philip Bancroft	106,463	14.83%
	Republican	William G. Bonelli	54,078	7.53%
	Republican	Charles G. Johnson	48,014	6.69%
	Unknown	Justus F. Craemer	41,786	5.82%
	Unknown^[a]	Jack B. Tenney	19,341	2.69%
	Unknown	John J. Taheney	6,953	0.97%
	Republican	Alonzo J. Riggs	3,446	0.48%
	Republican	Roland C. Casad	2,629	0.37%
Total votes			717,950	100.00

Prohibition primary

Candidates

Sheridan Downey, incumbent Senator since 1939 (cross-filing)
Frederick F. Houser, Lieutenant Governor of California (cross-filing)

Results

1944 Prohibition U.S. Senate primary^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frederick F. Houser	196	50.78%
	Democratic	Sheridan Downey (inc.) (cross-filing)	190	49.22%
Total votes			386	100.00%

General election

Results

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Sheridan Downey (inc.)	1,728,155	52.29%	2.14
	Republican	Frederick F. Houser	1,576,553	47.71%	3.04
Total votes			3,304,708	100.00%

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "State of California statement of vote". Sacramento : Secretary of State. June 20, 1940 – via Internet Archive.
^ "CA US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
^ "CA US Senate - R Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1944". OurCampaigns. Retrieved November 12, 2019.

Notes

^ ^a ^b It is unclear whether Tenney was a member of the Republican or Democratic Party at this point. He was elected as a Democratic candidate in 1938, but also won the Republican primary. At some point, he switched to the Republican Party.

[primaryresults-1] "State of California statement of vote". Sacramento : Secretary of State. June 20, 1940 – via Internet Archive.

[2] "CA US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.

[4] "CA US Senate - R Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved June 19, 2020.

[5] "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1944". OurCampaigns. Retrieved November 12, 2019.

[Tenney-3] It is unclear whether Tenney was a member of the Republican or Democratic Party at this point. He was elected as a Democratic candidate in 1938, but also won the Republican primary. At some point, he switched to the Republican Party.

[1]

[2]

[a]

[3]

[4]

(1942←) 1944 United States elections (→1946)
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Gambel’s Quail

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Prohibition primary

Candidates

Results

General election

Results

See also

References

Notes

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