1946 United States Senate election in Mississippi

The 1946 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held on November 3, 1946. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Theodore G. Bilbo won re-election to his third term.

1946 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Mississippi

July 2, 1946

Nominee Theodore G. Bilbo Tom Ellis Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 97,820 58,005 Percentage 51.00% 30.24%   Nominee Ross A. Collins Nelson T. Levings Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 18,875 15,720 Percentage 9.84% 8.20%

U.S. senator before election Theodore G. Bilbo Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Theodore G. Bilbo Democratic

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Because Bilbo was unopposed in the general election, his victory in the July 2 primary was tantamount to election. He defeated a field of candidates with 51% of the vote.

However, the United States Senate, with a Republican majority and at the request of liberal Democratic Senator Glen H. Taylor of Idaho, refused to seat Bilbo based on his adamant opposition to voting rights for black Americans anywhere in the country, incitement of violence against those blacks who tried to vote, and history of accepting bribes. While his re-entry to the Senate was being contested in 1947, Bilbo died of oral cancer.