1952 United States Senate election in Tennessee
The 1952 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 4, 1952. Incumbent Democratic Senator and President pro tempore of the Senate Kenneth D. McKellar ran for re-election to a seventh term in office but was defeated in the Democratic primary by U.S. Representative Al Gore Sr. Gore easily won the general election against Republican Hobart Atkins.
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County results Gore: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Atkins: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Tennessee |
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In the primary, Incumbent Senator McKellar stood for a seventh term (the first Senator to do so), despite being 83. He was opposed for renomination by Middle Tennessee Congressman Albert Gore. McKellar's re-election slogan was "Thinking Feller? Vote McKellar," which Gore countered with "Think Some More – Vote for Gore." Gore defeated McKellar for the Democratic nomination in August in what was widely regarded as an upset.
McKellar's defeat was part of a statewide trend of change in 1952. That year, the incumbent governor, Gordon Browning, was defeated by Frank G. Clement in the primary.