1958 United States Senate election in Wyoming

← 1952

November 4, 1958

1964 →


Nominee	Gale W. McGee	Frank A. Barrett
Party	Democratic	Republican
Popular vote	58,035	56,122
Percentage	50.84%	49.16%

County results
McGee: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Barrett: 50–60% 60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Frank A. Barrett
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Gale W. McGee
Democratic

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The 1958 United States Senate election in Wyoming took place November 4, 1958. Incumbent Republican Senator Frank A. Barrett ran for re-election to his second term. He was challenged by Gale W. McGee, a University of Wyoming professor and the Democratic nominee. Despite the state's strong Republican lean, McGee ran an energetic campaign against Barrett, earning the support of the national Democratic establishment. McGee ultimately narrowly upset Barrett, winning 51% of the vote to Barrett's 49%.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Gale W. McGee, University of Wyoming professor, former aide to Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney
Hepburn T. Armstrong, businessman^[1]

Results

Democratic primary^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Gale McGee	22,098	59.53%
	Democratic	Hepburn T. Armstrong	15,024	40.47%
Total votes			37,122	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Frank A. Barrett, Incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

Republican primary^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank A. Barrett (inc.)	35,444	100.00%
Total votes			35,444	100.00%

General election

Results

1958 United States Senate election in Wyoming^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Gale W. McGee	58,035	50.84%	+2.47%
	Republican	Frank A. Barrett (inc.)	56,122	49.16%	-2.47%
Majority			1,913	1.68%	-1.59%
Turnout			114,157
	Democratic gain from Republican

Endorsements

Barrett endorsements

Cabinet officials

Ezra Taft Benson, 13th United States Secretary of Agriculture (1953–1961)^[3]
Richard Nixon, 36th Vice President of the United States (1953–1961)^[3]
Fred A. Seaton, 36th United States Secretary of the Interior (1956–1961)^[3]

U.S. Senators

Everett Dirksen, U.S. Senator from Illinois (1951–1969)^[3]
Roman Hruska, U.S. Senator from Nebraska (1954–1976)^[3]
Karl Mundt, U.S. Senator from South Dakota (1948–1973)^[3]

McGee endorsements

U.S. Presidents

Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States (1945–1953)^[3]

U.S. Senators

Lyndon B. Johnson, U.S. Senator from Texas (1949–1961)^[3]
John F. Kennedy, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (1953–1960)^[3]
Edmund Muskie, U.S. Senator from Maine (1959–1980)^[3]
Joseph Montoya, U.S. Senator from New Mexico (1964–1977)^[3]
Wayne Morse, U.S. Senator from Oregon (1945–1969)^[3]
Joseph C. O'Mahoney, U.S. Senator from Wyoming (1934–1953; 1954–1961)^[3]

References

^ "Armstrong to Be Urged for Senate Post". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. February 19, 1958. p. 7.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gage, Jack R. (1959). 1959 Wyoming Official Directory and 1958 Election Returns. pp. 54–57.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Trachsel 1959, p. 365.

Works cited

Trachsel, Herman (1959). "The 1958 Election in Wyoming". The Western Political Quarterly. 12 (1). University of Utah: 363–66. doi:10.2307/444064. JSTOR 444064.

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