1914 United States Senate election in New York

1914 United States Senate election in New York

← 1909 November 3, 1914 1920 →
 
Nominee James W. Wadsworth James Watson Gerard
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 639,112 571,419
Percentage 47.04% 42.06%

County results
Wadsworth:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Gerard:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Senator before election

Elihu Root
Republican

Elected Senator

James W. Wadsworth
Republican

The 1914 United States Senate election in New York was held on November 3. Incumbent Republican Senator Elihu Root chose not to seek re-election. James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. was elected to a succeed Root, defeating Democrat James Watson Gerard.

Primary elections were held on September 28. These were the first direct primaries (in which party members chose each candidate individually rather than as part of a slate) in the history of New York state.[1] James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. narrowly defeated William M. Calder for the Republican nomination. James Watson Gerard won the Democratic nomination in a landslide over Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a rare setback in the political career of the future President of the United States.

This election for Senate was the first decided by popular vote in New York, as required following the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment.

  1. ^ "VOTE TOMORROW UNDER NEW LAW". The New York Times. September 27, 1914. p. 12. Retrieved May 13, 2022.