Closest U.S. Senate elections in Kansas
The closest U.S. Senate election in Kansas history was in 1914, a margin of 0.76 points. Charles Curtis beat George A. Neeley, 180,823 to 176,929. Next closest are 1974 (1.7 points) and 1936 (2.6 points).
Every state is ranked together on Closest U.S. Senate elections in history. For every Senate race Kansas has held, special elections included, see the Kansas U.S. Senate hub.
What is the closest Senate race in Kansas history?
The Kansas Senate election decided by the narrowest margin was in 1914, 0.76 points. Charles Curtis beat George A. Neeley, 180,823 to 176,929. The next closest were 1974 (1.7 points) and 1936 (2.6 points).
How is the margin measured?
As the gap in vote share between the first and second-place finishers, from the certified general-election count. It is not adjusted for recounts, runoffs or later court rulings; the figure is the result as certified.
Does this include special elections?
No. These are the regular general elections for Kansas’s two Senate seats. Special elections to fill a vacancy appear on the Kansas Senate hub, which lists every race including specials, and in a few states one of those is closer than anything here.
Why does the list start in 1914?
Because senators were chosen by state legislatures before the Seventeenth Amendment. 1914 is the first cycle of the popular-vote era for the Senate, so it is the first Kansas election with a popular margin to measure.
| # | Election | Result | Votes | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1914 | Charles Curtis R def. George A. Neeley D | 180,823 – 176,929 | 0.76 points |
| 2 | 1974 | Bob Dole R def. William R. Roy D | 403,983 – 390,451 | 1.7 points |
| 3 | 1936 | Arthur Capper R def. Omar B. Ketchum D | 417,873 – 396,685 | 2.6 points |
| 4 | 1932 | George McGill D def. Ben S. Paulen R | 328,992 – 302,809 | 3.6 points |
| 5 | 1966 | James B. Pearson R def. J. Floyd Breeding D | 350,077 – 303,223 | 7.0 points |
| 6 | 1950 | Frank Carlson R def. Paul Aiken D | 335,880 – 271,365 | 10.4 points |
| 7 | 2014 | Pat Roberts R def. Greg Orman I | 460,350 – 368,372 | 10.6 points |
| 8 | 1960 | Andrew F. Schoeppel R def. Frank Theis D | 485,499 – 388,895 | 10.9 points |
| 9 | 2020 | Roger Marshall R def. Barbara Bollier D | 727,962 – 571,530 | 11.4 points |
| 10 | 1978 | Nancy Landon Kassebaum R def. Bill Roy D | 403,354 – 317,602 | 11.5 points |
| 11 | 1948 | Andrew F. Schoeppel R def. George McGill D | 393,412 – 305,987 | 12.2 points |
| 12 | 1938 | Clyde M. Reed R def. George McGill D | 419,532 – 326,774 | 12.4 points |
| 13 | 1954 | Andrew F. Schoeppel R def. George McGill D | 348,144 – 258,575 | 14.5 points |
| 14 | 1942 | Arthur Capper R def. George McGill D | 284,059 – 200,437 | 16.8 points |
| 15 | 1944 | Clyde M. Reed R def. Thurman Hill D | 387,090 – 272,053 | 17.2 points |
| 16 | 1956 | Frank Carlson R def. George Hart D | 477,822 – 333,939 | 17.4 points |
| 17 | 1968 | Bob Dole R def. William I. Robinson D | 490,911 – 315,911 | 21.4 points |
| 18 | 1930 | Arthur Capper R def. Jonathan M. Davis D | 364,548 – 232,161 | 22.2 points |
| 19 | 2022 | Jerry Moran R def. Mark R. Holland D | 602,976 – 372,214 | 23.0 points |
| 20 | 2008 | Pat Roberts R def. Jim Slattery D | 727,121 – 441,399 | 23.6 points |
| 21 | 1962 | Frank Carlson R def. K. L. Smith D | 388,500 – 223,630 | 26.5 points |
| 22 | 1980 | Bob Dole R def. John Simpson D | 598,686 – 340,271 | 27.5 points |
| 23 | 1996 | Pat Roberts R def. Sally Thompson D | 652,677 – 362,380 | 27.6 points |
| 24 | 1926 | Charles Curtis R def. Charles Stephens D | 308,222 – 168,446 | 28.8 points |
| 25 | 2016 | Jerry Moran R def. Patrick Wiesner D | 732,376 – 379,740 | 29.9 points |