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The 1950 United States Senate election in California followed a campaign characterized by accusations and name-calling. Republican Richard Nixon defeated Democrat Helen Gahagan Douglas, after Democratic incumbent Sheridan Downey withdrew during the primary election campaign. Nixon won the Republican primary and Douglas the Democratic contest, with each also finishing third in the other party's contest. A contentious Democratic primary race left the party divided, and Democrats were slow to rally to Douglas—some even endorsed Nixon. The Korean War broke out only days after the primaries, and both Nixon and Douglas contended that the other had often voted with leftist New York Congressman Vito Marcantonio to the detriment of national security. Nixon's attacks were far more effective, and he won the election by almost 20 percentage points, carrying 53 of California's 58 counties and all metropolitan areas. The campaign gave rise to two memorable political nicknames: "the Pink Lady" for Douglas and "Tricky Dick" for Nixon. (more...)

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November 2: Election Day (United States midterm election, 2010); All Souls' Day in Western Christianity; Day of the Dead in Mexico

• 1889 – The Dakota Territory, an organized incorporated territory of the United States, was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.
• 1909 – Lambda Chi Alpha, today one of the largest men's general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 270,000 members, was founded at Boston University.
• 1917 – British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour issued the Balfour Declaration, proclaiming British support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
• 1947 – Industrialist and aviator Howard Hughes flew the "Spruce Goose" (pictured), the largest flying boat ever built, on its maiden flight from the coast of Long Beach, California, US.
• 1963 – President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam was assassinated, marking the culmination of a coup d'état led by Duong Van Minh.
• 2000 – Aboard Expedition 1, American astronaut William Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko became the first resident crew to arrive at the International Space Station.

More anniversaries: November 1 – November 2 – November 3