[54][55]
Harding's conciliatory campaigning style served him well;[55] however, one Harding friend regarded the candidate's stump speech during the 1914 fall campaign as "a rambling, high-sounding mixture of platitudes, patriotism, and pure nonsense".[56] Dean notes, "Harding used his oratory to good effect; it got him elected, making as few enemies as possible in the process."[56] Harding won by over 100,000 votes in a landslide that also swept into office a Republican governor, Frank B. Willis.[56]

Junior senator
When Harding joined the U.S. Senate, the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress, and were led by President Wilson. As a junior senator in the minority, Harding received unimportant committee assignments, but carried out those duties assiduously.[57] He was a safe, conservative, Republican vote.[58] As during his time in the Ohio Senate, Harding came to be widely liked.[59]
On two issues, women's suffrage, and the prohibition of alcohol, where picking the wrong side would have damaged his presidential prospects in 1920, he prospered by taking nuanced positions. As senator-elect, he indicated that he could not support votes for women until Ohio did. 