The 32 Class III seats were available for election , and there were 4 by-elections for senators who left office prematurely. Of these, 23 were occupied by Democrats and 13 by Republicans . Twenty incumbents were re-elected, including 11 Democrats and 9 Republicans. The Republicans were able to capture 6 seats previously held by Democrats, the Democrats captured one seat. The Republicans improved from 42 to 47 seats, the Democrats were able to defend their majority, they fell from 54 seats to 49.
Kentucky Democratic Senator Virgil Chapman died in a car accident in March 1951. The Democrat Thomas R. Underwood was appointed as his successor . In April, Michigan Republican Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg died and was succeeded by Democrat Blair Moody , giving the Democrats a 50-46 majority for the next 16 months. In July 1952, the Democratic Senator Brien McMahon died , who was succeeded by the Republican William A. Purtell in August . Since Senator Wayne Morse , who was elected a Republican in 1950, left the party in 1952 and served as an Independent in the Senate for the next two years, the ratio of parties in the Senate at the end of the 82nd Congress was 49 Democrats and 46 Republicans and an independent.