The 1952 United States Senate election in Connecticut was held on November 4, 1952. Incumbent Democratic Senator William Benton, who won a special election to complete the term of retiring Senator Raymond Baldwin, was defeated by Republican William A. Purtell after serving only 2 years.
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  Purtell: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Benton: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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General election
Candidates
- William Benton, incumbent senator since 1949 (Democratic)
- Vivien Kellems, industrialist, inventor, and tax protester (Independent Republican)
- Jasper McLevy, Mayor of Bridgeport and perennial candidate for statewide office (Socialist)
- William A. Purtell, businessman and candidate for governor in 1950[a]
Campaign
During the campaign, Brien McMahon, the Class III Senator from Connecticut, died. Governor John Davis Lodge appointed Purtell, already the Republican nominee for this Class I seat, to serve as interim Senator in McMahon's place until a special election could be held.[b]
Purtell supported General Dwight D. Eisenhower's campaign platform against "communism, corruption, and Korea."[1] Benton accused Purtell of being so conservative that he "makes Bob Taft look like a left-wing New Dealer."[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William A. Purtell | 573,854 | 52.48% |  3.42 | |
| Democratic | William Benton (incumbent) | 485,066 | 44.36% |  4.82 | |
| Independent | Vivien Kellems | 22,268 | 2.04% | N/A | |
| Socialist | Jasper McLevy | 12,279 | 1.12% | 0.64 | |
| Total votes | 1,207,947 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican gain from Democratic | |||||