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In 1934, Bilbo ran for United States Senate and denied the renomination of incumbent Democratic senator, Hubert D. Stephens, who was regarded as relatively more conservative.<ref name=fleegler,pp.7-8>Fleegler, Robert L. [https://web.archive.org/web/20220310171829/https://www.mississippihistory.org/sites/default/files/bilbo.pdf Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism, 1938–1947], pp. 7–8. ''Internet Archive''. Retrieved December 18, 2022.</ref> In the primary, Bilbo garnered his usual support from the economically poor "hills" as opposed to the pro-Bourbon Delta region. His virulent campaign rife with attacks against Wall Street were noticed and reported on by ''[[The New York Times]]'', and was compared to Louisiana demagogic [[Huey Long]].

In 1934, Bilbo ran for United States Senate and denied the renomination of incumbent Democratic senator, Hubert D. Stephens, who was regarded as relatively more conservative.<ref name=fleegler,pp.7-8>Fleegler, Robert L. [https://web.archive.org/web/20220310171829/https://www.mississippihistory.org/sites/default/files/bilbo.pdf Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism, 1938–1947], pp. 7–8. ''Internet Archive''. Retrieved December 18, 2022.</ref> In the primary, Bilbo garnered his usual support from the economically poor "hills" as opposed to the pro-Bourbon Delta region. His virulent campaign rife with attacks against Wall Street were noticed and reported on by ''[[The New York Times]]'', and was compared to Louisiana demagogic [[Huey Long]].

Bilbo was a leader among other [[racist]] Democrats, including the [[Exalted Cyclops]] [[Robert Byrd]] and [[President]] [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]]. When he won re-election in 1940, a member of the Roosevelt Administration congratulated his victory and regarded him "a real friend of [[liberal]] [[government]]."<ref>Morgan, Chester M. (1985). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Redneck_Liberal/f8_t3_Ss0_MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bilbo+real+friend+of+liberal+government&pg=PA229&printsec=frontcover Redneck Liberal: Theodore G. Bilbo and the New Deal], p. 229. ''Google Books''. Retrieved December 18, 2022.</ref> In return, Bilbo boasted of being "100 percent for Roosevelt...and the [[New Deal]]."<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/a-history-of-liberal-white-racism-cont/275129/ A History of Liberal White Racism, Cont.] ''The Atlantic''. Retrieved September 14th, 2020.</ref> In a 1938 filibuster against anti-[[lynching]] legislation, Bilbo said on the [[Senate]] floor that the bill would “open the floodgates of [[hell]] in [[the South]]” by encouraging [[Black]] men to rape white women.

Bilbo was a leader among other [[racist]] Democrats, including the [[Exalted Cyclops]] [[Robert Byrd]]. He was known during the 1930s as a hardline rubber stamp for President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s [[New Deal]] agenda, gaining attention in 1935 for feuding with Sen. Long.<ref name=fleegler,pp.7-8/> According to Robert L. Fleegler, he "amassed a strong progressive voting record, supporting New Deal legislation such as public housing that gave many southern representatives pause."

 

In a 1938 filibuster against anti-[[lynching]] legislation, the Wagner–Van Nuys Act introduced by Northern Democratic senators Robert F. Wagner and Frederick Van Nuys, Bilbo disparaged NAACP leader Walter F. White as a "flat-nosed Ethiopian" and said on the [[Senate]] floor that the bill would “open the floodgates of [[hell]] in [[the South]]” by encouraging [[black]] men to rape white women.<ref>"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism, p. 9.</ref> Although most Southern Democratic senators opposed anti-lynching legislation on veiled arguments without overt race-baiting, Bilbo notably employed demagogic propaganda.

 

When he won re-election in 1940, a member of the Roosevelt Administration congratulated his victory and regarded him "a real friend of [[liberal]] [[government]]."<ref>Morgan, Chester M. (1985). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Redneck_Liberal/f8_t3_Ss0_MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bilbo+real+friend+of+liberal+government&pg=PA229&printsec=frontcover Redneck Liberal: Theodore G. Bilbo and the New Deal], p. 229. ''Google Books''. Retrieved December 18, 2022.</ref> In return, Bilbo boasted of being "100 percent for Roosevelt...and the [[New Deal]]."<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/a-history-of-liberal-white-racism-cont/275129/ A History of Liberal White Racism, Cont.] ''The Atlantic''. Retrieved September 14th, 2020.</ref>

In his book When ''Jim Crow Met John Bull'',  Graham Smith referred to a letter Bilbo received from the Exalted Cyclops Robert Byrd when on the 1945 controversy raging over the idea of racially integrating the military.  

In his book When ''Jim Crow Met John Bull'',  Graham Smith referred to a letter Bilbo received from the Exalted Cyclops Robert Byrd when on the 1945 controversy raging over the idea of racially integrating the military.