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The 1913 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on January 28, 1913. Republican incumbent Frank O. Briggs ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Democratic judge and former U.S. Representative William Hughes.

Prior to passage of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, New Jersey elected United States senators by a resolution of the New Jersey Legislature.

On September 24, 1912, direct "advisory" primaries were held. Hughes defeated former Senator James Smith Jr. and John McDermitt of Newark for the Democratic nomination, while Briggs easily won the Republican nomination.[1] Thus, Hughes or Briggs stood likely to be elected Senator if their respective party won the 1910 fall legislative elections.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

1912 Republican U.S. Senate primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank O. Briggs (incumbent) 68,903 94.70%
Republican Wescott 3,859 5.30%
Total votes 72,762 100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • William Hughes, U.S. Representative from Paterson
  • Frank M. McDermit, Newark resident and candidate for Senate in 1911
  • James Smith Jr., former U.S. Senator (1893–1899) and candidate for Senate in 1911

Results

1912 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Hughes 62,532 61.72%
Democratic James Smith Jr. 33,490 33.06%
Democratic John McDermitt 5,291 5.22%
Total votes 101,313 100.00%

Three days after winning the primary, Hughes resigned from the House and was appointed judge of Court of Common Pleas of Passaic County.

Results

Senate

1913 U.S. Senate election in the New Jersey Senate[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Hughes 12 57.14%
Republican Frank O. Briggs (incumbent) 9 42.86%
Total votes 21 100.00%

Assembly

1913 U.S. Senate election in the New Jersey General Assembly[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Hughes 51 86.44%
Republican Frank O. Briggs (incumbent) 8 13.56%
Total votes 59 100.00%

Briggs, died just a few months later on May 8, 1913. Hughes would not serve the complete term, dying January 30, 1918, just before the next scheduled election.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey". Newark, N.J.: M.R. Dennis & Co. 1913. p. 130. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Journal of the Senate of the State of New Jersey. 1913. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
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