Changes

In 1940, incumbent [[Democrat]] senator Edward R. Burke, who initially supported [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s [[New Deal]] but broke with the president, lost renomination. In the concurrent GOP primary, Butler won with a plurality polling 37% of the vote.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=611019 NE US Senate - R Primary Race - Apr 09, 1940]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> During the general election, Burke crossed party lines in endorsing Butler, who handily defeated Democrat Robert L. Cochran.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30897 NE US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1940]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> Butler similarly won re-election in [[1946 Midterm Elections|1946]] and 1952 by landslide margins.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=16002 Candidate - Hugh A. Butler]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref>

In 1940, incumbent [[Democrat]] senator Edward R. Burke, who initially supported [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s [[New Deal]] but broke with the president, lost renomination. In the concurrent GOP primary, Butler won with a plurality polling 37% of the vote.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=611019 NE US Senate - R Primary Race - Apr 09, 1940]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> During the general election, Burke crossed party lines in endorsing Butler, who handily defeated Democrat Robert L. Cochran.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30897 NE US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1940]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> Butler similarly won re-election in [[1946 Midterm Elections|1946]] and 1952 by landslide margins.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=16002 Candidate - Hugh A. Butler]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref>

[[File:Fay Butler 1938.png|thumb|left|210px|Butler's wife Fay in the late 1930s.]]

[[File:Fay Butler 1938.png|thumb|left|220px|Butler's wife Fay in the late 1930s.]]

Butler proved to be a consistently adamant conservative. He voted with the political right over 90% of the time during the 1945–46 congressional session<ref>FascinatingPolitics (July 31, 2020). [https://fascinatingpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/1945-46-civil-rights-converted.pdf 1945-46-civil-rights-converted.pdf]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> as well as the 1949–50 session.<ref>FascinatingPolitics (January 6, 2019). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2019/01/06/ideology-and-civil-rights-1950-edition/ Ideology and Civil Rights, 1950 Edition]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> He also supported cloture for a "voluntary FEPC" bill introduced by [[Robert Taft]] against a Southern filibuster,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/81-1950/s369 S 1728. PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. MOTION FOR CLOTURE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> in addition to an amendment by Scott Lucas bolstering President [[Harry Truman]]'s army desegregation.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/81-1950/s360 HR 6826. EXTENSION OF SELECTIVE SERVICE MANPOWER REGISTRA- TION ACT. AMEND. TO ELIMINATE A COMMITTEE AMEND. WHICH WOULD GIVE OPTION TO ENLISTEE TO SERVE IN A UNIT, THE PER- SONNEL OF WHICH ARE OF HIS OWN RACE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref>

Butler proved to be a consistently adamant conservative. He voted with the political right over 90% of the time during the 1945–46 congressional session<ref>FascinatingPolitics (July 31, 2020). [https://fascinatingpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/1945-46-civil-rights-converted.pdf 1945-46-civil-rights-converted.pdf]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> as well as the 1949–50 session.<ref>FascinatingPolitics (January 6, 2019). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2019/01/06/ideology-and-civil-rights-1950-edition/ Ideology and Civil Rights, 1950 Edition]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> He also supported cloture for a "voluntary FEPC" bill introduced by [[Robert Taft]] against a Southern filibuster,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/81-1950/s369 S 1728. PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. MOTION FOR CLOTURE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> in addition to an amendment by Scott Lucas bolstering President [[Harry Truman]]'s army desegregation.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/81-1950/s360 HR 6826. EXTENSION OF SELECTIVE SERVICE MANPOWER REGISTRA- TION ACT. AMEND. TO ELIMINATE A COMMITTEE AMEND. WHICH WOULD GIVE OPTION TO ENLISTEE TO SERVE IN A UNIT, THE PER- SONNEL OF WHICH ARE OF HIS OWN RACE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref>