1916 United States Senate election in Tennessee

← 1910 November 7, 1916 1922 →

Nominee Kenneth McKellar Ben W. Hooper Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 143,718 118,174 Percentage 54.42% 44.75%

U.S. senator before election Luke Lea Democratic Elected U.S. senator Kenneth McKellar Democratic

Elections in Tennessee
Federal government U.S. President 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate 1796 1798 1803 1809 1823 1826 1829 1833 1835 1841 1844 1847 1851 1853 1858 1866 1867 1875 1877 1883 1887 1889 1893 1895 1899 1901 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1954 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House 1796 1797 1799 1801 1803 1805 1807 1809 1811 1813 1815 1817 1819 1821 1823 1825 1827 1829 1831 1833 1835 1837 1839 1841 1842 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1865 1867 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Special elections Senate 1797 1798 1799 1809 1811 1815 1817 1819 1821 1825 1829 1838 1839 1840 1843 1857 1877 1898 1905 1913 1930 1934 1938 1964 1994 House At-large 1797 1801 1st 1910 1961 2nd 1815 1891 1939 1964 1988 3rd 1939 4th 1837 1874 1875 5th 1814 1975 1988 6th 1939 7th 1932 1939 8th 1845 1958 1969 9th 1940
State government State elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1796 1797 1799 1801 1803 1805 1807 1809 1811 1813 1815 1817 1819 1821 1823 1825 1827 1829 1831 1833 1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 State Senate elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 House of Representatives elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures 2006 Amendment 1 2014 Amendment 1 2022 Amendment 1 2022 Amendment 3
Hamilton County Hamilton County mayoral elections 2018 2022 Chattanooga mayoral elections 2013 2017 2021 2025
Knox County Knox County mayoral elections 2018 2022 Knoxville mayoral elections 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Shelby County Shelby County mayoral elections 2010 2014 2018 2022 Memphis mayoral elections 2011 2015 2019 2023
Clarksville Mayoral elections 2010 2014 2018 2022
Jackson Mayoral elections 2015 2019 2023
Murfreesboro Mayoral elections 2014 2018 2022
Nashville Mayoral elections 2007 2011 2015 2018 (sp) 2019 2023 Nashville measures Nashville Charter Amendment 1 Let's Move Nashville
Government
v t e

The 1916 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 7, 1916. Incumbent Democratic Senator Luke Lea ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated for the Democratic nomination by U.S. Representative Kenneth McKellar. McKellar won the general election against Republican Governor of Tennessee Ben W. Hooper.

This was the first popular election for U.S. Senator held in Tennessee, following the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. McKellar would go on to serve six terms in the Senate, becoming one of the longest serving members of either house of Congress.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Luke Lea, incumbent Senator since 1911
• Kenneth McKellar, U.S. Representative from Memphis
• Malcolm R. Patterson, former Governor of Tennessee (1907–1911)

Results

In the initial primary, held in November 1915, McKellar finished first, carrying both East and West Tennessee. His support in East Tennessee came on the back of Senator John Knight Shields, who controlled federal patronage in the state and assigned federal employees to campaign on McKellar's behalf. Patterson finished second, carrying Central Tennessee. Senator Lea was eliminated.^[1]

In a runoff, McKellar increased his margin over Patterson.^[1]

General election

Candidates

• Ben W. Hooper, former Governor of Tennessee (1911–1915) (Republican)
• H. H. Magnum (Socialist)
• Kenneth McKellar, U.S. Representative from Memphis

Results