After Hiss filed suit for defamation, Chambers produced documents corroborating his allegations. These included paper and microfilm copies that Chambers turned over to House investigators after hiding them overnight in a field; they became known as the "Pumpkin Papers".[63] Hiss was convicted of perjury in 1950 for denying under oath he had passed documents to Chambers.[64] In 1948, Nixon successfully cross-filed as a candidate in his district, winning both major party primaries,[65] and was comfortably reelected.[66]

U.S. Senate (1950–1953)
See also: 1950 United States Senate election in California
Nixon campaigns in Sausalito, California, 1950
In 1949, Nixon began to consider running for the United States Senate against the Democratic incumbent, Sheridan Downey,[67] and entered the race in November.[68] Downey, faced with a bitter primary battle with Representative Helen Gahagan Douglas, announced his retirement in March 1950.[69] Nixon and Douglas won the primary elections[70] and engaged in a contentious campaign in which the ongoing Korean War was a major issue.[71] Nixon tried to focus attention on Douglas's liberal voting record. 