1938 Kentucky Senate Race
Barkley vs. Chandler
Written by Justin Lamb
National attention was set on the Kentucky Senate race as one of the most significant and the most closely watched for the 1938 midterm elections. The Democratic primary saw a clash between two political heavyweights and a struggle between the conservative and progressive wings in a contest for control of the party.
Governor A.B. “Happy” Chandler was a popular elected official who had reputation as an accomplished campaigner and ambitious political operative. Incumbent U.S. Senator Alben Barkley was also enormously popular and had the backing of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and had forged a successful path in public service that one him the admiration of many in Kentucky. The election between these two men was sure to be a barn burner.
After 16 years as Kentucky’s First District Congressman, Barkley was first elected to the United States Senate in 1927. Following the election of President Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, Barkley soon became a close ally of the president and helped push his New Deal initiatives in the Senate. Barkley rose up to the rank of Senate Majority Leader in 1937 and gave the keynote speech at the 1932 and 1936 Democratic National Convention. Barkley’s connections with President Roosevelt had brought much patronage back to Kentucky including construction of Kentucky Dam in Marshall County which brought about much needed relief and economic growth. Known for his warm, jovial personality and his great oratory skills, Barkley was a force to be reckoned with.
With his folksy and colorful campaign style, Chandler’s rise to political prominence was rapid. Elected to the Kentucky State Senate in 1929 followed by his surprising victory as Lieutenant Governor in 1931, Chandler was building a following in Kentucky. After he successfully defeated a sales tax initiative sponsored by the sitting governor and fellow Democrat, Ruby Laffoon, Chandler became a hero of the common man. In retaliation, Governor Laffon’s allies in the General Assembly stripped Lt. Governor Chandler of most of his powers and narrowly passed a new version of the sales tax. Chandler used Laffoon’s move to his advantage by setting his sights on the governor’s mansion on a platform of repealing Laffoon’s tax. After a bitter Democratic primary, Chandler was elected in 1935 despite being opposed by the state political machine controlled by Governor Laffoon. As promised, Chandler’s first act as governor repealed the Laffoon sales tax thus elevating his status among the voters of Kentucky and cementing his role as leader of the conservative faction of the Kentucky Democratic Party.
Three years into his term as governor, the ever-ambitious Chandler had eliminated Kentucky’s budget deficit and he began eyeing a spot in Washington. After much encouragement from Democratic senator Harry F. Byrd of Virginia, leader of the conservative coalition which opposed many of President Roosevelt’s program, Chandler announced his intention to challenge one of Roosevelt’s closest allies—Senator Alben Barkley. Chandler’s candidacy was Barkley’s first serious challenge to his Senate seat and Barkley wasted no time waging an aggressive campaign. President Roosevelt was immensely popular in Kentucky and Barkley reminded voters that he had helped the president pass numerous New Deal programs. Barkley held a commanding lead early, but Chandler still enjoyed much support throughout the state and received the endorsement Robert Bingham, powerful editor of the Louisville Courier Journal.
Mudslinging soon took over the campaign as Chandler charged that Barkley was using his influence over the Works Progress Administration to sway federal workers to work for his campaign. Barkley countered that Chandler’s campaign was threatening Kentucky’s elderly citizens with eliminating the state workers delivery system of old-age checks if Chandler wasn’t elected. Age soon became a campaign issues as Chandler, who was 39-years old, charged that 61-year old Barkley was too old to continue serving. In response, Barkley began making 8 to 15 speeches a day traveling over 4,500 miles a week. “It’s time to send Old Alben home!” Chandler would say. Chandler’s old age claims took another hit when the younger Chandler became ill in late July which forced him to temporarily halt his campaign while the older Barkley continued crisscrossing the state. In a colorful campaign move, Chandler charged that the Barkley campaign had poisoned his water which caused his illness. A master of the campaign stump, Barkley mocked Chandler’s claims and promised to appoint an “ice water guard,” and during campaign speeches, Barkley would lift a glass of water to his lips, then mockingly refuse to drink it.
Looking to protect his legislative agenda and his Senate floor leader, President Roosevelt intervened just weeks before the election when he began a campaign tour of the state in support of Barkley. As a courtesy and to keep party unity, Chandler, who was governor of the state, was invited to welcome the president at Covington before the tour. Seeking to benefit from the president’s visit, Chandler positioned himself nearest to the president in every photo opportunity. In one instance, Chandler nudged his way in between Roosevelt and Barkley in the back seat of the open-topped vehicle that transported them throughout Covington. The photo ended up in almost every newspaper in Kentucky and shows a jovial Chandler smiling from ear to ear in between the president and noticeably irritated Barkly.
After months of heated rhetoric and colorful dramatics, the voters of Kentucky went to the polls on August 6 and Barkley defeated Chandler 294,391 to 223,149. Barkley carried 74 of the 120 counties and received large margins from western Kentucky and Louisville. Chandler’s carried the most votes in Lexington and eastern Kentucky.
Following his defeat, Chandler resumed his duties as governor and was eventually appointed to the United States Senate following the death of Senator M.M. Logan. He left the Senate to assume the duties as Commissioner of Baseball and won a second term as Governor of Kentucky in 1955. Chandler remained active in Kentucky politics up until his death in 1991.
Barkley returned to the United States Senate and was often cited as a contender for the presidency of the United States. He served as Vice President of the United States from 1949 to 1953 and was elected to the Senate again in 1954 just two years before his death.