Membership Changes of 83rd Congress (1953-55)

The election of 1952 produced a closely divided United States Senate, with 48 Republicans, 47 Democrats, and one Independent. The Republican party organized the Senate in January of 1953, making committee assignments, choosing Senate officers, and assigning committee chairs. During the 83rd Congress, nine senators died and one resigned, shifting the party division in the Senate with each new replacement.

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1953

January 3:
Senate convenes (party balance: 48R, 47D, 1Ind.)

June 26:
Willis Smith (D-NC) dies (party balance: 48R, 46D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy) -- Replaced by Alton Lennon (D-NC), July 15, 1953

July 15:
Alton Lennon (D-NC) seated (party balance: 48R, 47D, 1Ind.)

July 24:
Charles W. Tobey (R-NH) dies (party balance: 47R, 47D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy) -- Replaced by Robert Upton (R-NH), January 6, 1954

July 31:
Robert A. Taft (R-OH) dies (party balance: 46R, 47D, 1Ind., 2 vacancies) -- Replaced by Thomas A. Burke (D-OH), January 6, 1954

August 3:
Sine die adjournment of first session

1954

January 6:
Second session convenes; Senators Upton (R-NH) and Burke (D-OH) sworn in (party balance: 47R, 48D, 1Ind.)

April 12:
Dwight Griswold (R-NE) dies (party balance: 46R, 48D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy) -- Replaced by Eva Bowring (R-NE), April 26, 1954

April 26:
Eva Bowring (R-NE) seated (party balance: 47R, 48D, 1Ind.)

May 12:
Clyde Hoey (D-NC) dies (party balance: 47R, 47D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy) -- Replaced by Samuel Ervin (D-NC), seated June 11, 1954

June 11:
Samuel Ervin (D-NC) seated (party balance: 47R, 48D, 1Ind.)

June 19:
Lester Hunt (D-WY) commits suicide (party balance: 47R, 47D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy) -- Replaced by Edward Crippa (R-WY), seated June 28

June 28:
Edward Crippa (R-WY) seated (party balance: 48R, 47D, 1Ind.)

July 1:
Hugh Butler (R-NE) dies (party balance: 47R, 47D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy) -- Replaced by Sam Reynolds (R-NE), seated July 7

July 7:
Sam Reynolds (R-NE) seated (party balance: 48R, 47D, 1Ind.)

August 20:
Senate concluded legislative business for the year (party balance: 48R, 47D, 1Ind). House adjourned sine die. Senate returned on November 8 exclusively to consider censure proceedings against Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and met from November 8 to 18 and from November 29-December 2)

September 1:
Burnet Maybank (D-SC) dies (party balance: 48R, 46D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy) -- Replaced by Charles Daniel (D-SC), seated on November 8

September 28:
Pat McCarran (D-NV) dies (party balance: 48R, 45D, 1Ind., 2 vacancies) -- Replaced by Ernest Brown (R-NV), seated November 8

November 2:
Hazel Abel (R-NE) elected to replace appointed Senator Eva Bowring (R-NE); Roman Hruska (R-NE) elected to replace appointed Senator Sam Reynolds (R-NE); Alan Bible (D-NV) elected to replace appointed Senator Ernest Brown (R- NV); Norris Cotton (R-NH) elected to replace appointed Senator Robert Upton (R-NH); W. Kerr Scott (D-NC) elected to replace appointed Senator Alton Lennon (D-NC); Joseph O'Mahoney (D-WY) elected to replace appointed Senator Edward Crippa (R-WY); George Bender (R-OH) elected to replace appointed Senator Thomas Burke (D-OH) [Bender not seated until next Congress]

November 8:
Hazel Abel (R-NE), Ernest Brown (R-NV), Norris Cotton (R-NH), Charles Daniel (D-SC), and Roman Hruska (R-NE) seated (party balance: 49R, 45D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy)

November 9:
W. Kerr Scott (D-NC) seated (party balance: 49R, 46D, 1Ind.)

November 29:
Joseph O'Mahoney (D-WY) seated (party balance: 48R, 47D, 1Ind.)

December 2:
Alan Bible (D-NV) seated (party balance: 47R, 48D, 1Ind.) -- Thomas Burke (D-OH) term expires

December 23:
Charles Daniel (D-SC), appointed to replace Burnet Maybank, resigned (party balance: 47R, 47D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy)

December 24:
J. Strom Thurmond (D-SC) appointed to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Charles Daniel (D-SC) [but Thurmond was not seated until the next Congress] (party balance: 47R, 47D, 1Ind., 1 not yet seated)

December 31:
Hazel Abel (R-NE) resigned (party balance: 46R, 47D, 1Ind., 1 vacancy)

Source: Senate Historical Office

Related Links:

Party Division in the Senate