Following his term as governor , Beckham made a bid to become a U.S. Senator . His stance in favor of prohibition cost him the votes of four legislators in his own party and the seat went to Republican William O. Bradley . Six years later Beckham secured the seat by popular election , but he lost his re @-@ election bid largely because of his pro @-@ temperance views and his opposition to women 's suffrage . Though he continued to play an active role in state politics for another two decades , he never returned to elected office , failing in his gubernatorial bid in 1927 and his senatorial campaign in 1936 . He died in Louisville on January 9 , 1940 .