1954 United States Senate election in New Jersey

The 1954 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 2, 1954. Republican U.S Representative Clifford P. Case defeated Democratic U.S. Representative Charles R. Howell with 48.66% of the vote.

This election was decided by the fewest votes (3,507) and narrowest percentage margin (0.19%) in New Jersey history.

Candidates

 * Clifford Case, U.S. Representative from Rahway

Declined

 * Robert C. Hendrickson, incumbent Senator since 1949

Results
Case was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Candidates

 * Charles R. Howell, U.S. Representative from Pennington

Results
Howell was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Candidates

 * George Breitman (Socialist Workers)
 * Clifford P. Case, U.S. Representative from Rahway (Republican)
 * Fred A. Hartley Jr., former U.S. Representative from Kearney (write-in)
 * Charles R. Howell, U.S. Representative from Pennington (Democratic)
 * Henry B. Krajewski, pig farmer and candidate for President in 1952 and Governor in 1953 (American Third Party)
 * Albert Ronis (Socialist Labor)

Campaign
During the campaign, Case openly criticized Senator Joseph McCarthy, and pledged to vote against seating McCarthy on any committee with investigative functions. McCarthy's supporters called him "a pro-Communist Republicrat" and "Stalin's choice for Senator." The Star-Ledger quoted former Communist Party leader Bella Dodd as saying that Case's sister Adelaide was "an active member of several Communist front groups." It was later revealed, however, that the Adelaide Case in question was not the candidate's sister but a college professor who had died in 1948. A conservative faction within the Republican Party unsuccessfully attempted to force Case off the ballot, also proposing a write-in campaign for former U.S. Representative Fred A. Hartley, Jr., co-author of the Taft-Hartley Act. Case was endorsed by President Eisenhower and Vice President Richard M. Nixon.