 Nevertheless, Congress passed the Hatch Act of 1939 which restricted federal employees' participation in political activities.Barkley won the August 6 election by a vote of 294,391 to 223,149, carrying 74 of Kentucky's 120 counties, with large majorities in western Kentucky, the city of Louisville, and rural areas.It was the first loss of Chandler's political career, and the worst suffered by a primary candidate in Kentucky's history to that time.