1894–95 United States Senate elections
The 1894–95 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1894 and 1895, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
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30 of the 88 seats in the United States Senate (as well as special elections) 45 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Results of the elections: Democratic hold Republican gain Republican hold Populist gain Legislature failed to elect | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Republican Party gained plurality control of the Senate with Populist Party and Silver Party support.
Results summary
Senate party division, 54th Congress (1895–1897)
- Plurality: Republican: 42
- Minority: Democrats: 39
- Other parties: Populist: 4, Silver: 2
- Total: 88
- Vacant: 1, due to failure to elect. Later filled by a Democrat
Change in composition
Before the elections
At the beginning of 1894, including early elections in Mississippi and Virginia.
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | ||||||
D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 |
D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 |
D34 Ky. Ran |
D33 Ga. Ran |
D32 Ark. Ran |
D31 Ala. Ran |
D30 | D29 | D28 | D27 | D26 | D25 |
D35 La. Ran |
D36 N.C. Ran |
D37 S.C. Ran |
D38 Tenn. Ran |
D39 W.Va. Ran |
D40 Kan. Unknown |
D41 N.J. Unknown |
D42 Miss. Retired |
D43 Texas Retired |
D44 Va. Retired |
Majority with vacancies → | |||||||||
R35 Iowa Retired |
R36 Mont. Retired |
R37 R.I. Retired |
S1 | P1 | P2 | P3 | V3 | V2 | V1 |
R34 Neb. Unknown |
R33 Wyo. Ran |
R32 S.D. Ran |
R31 Ore. Ran |
R30 N.H. Ran |
R29 Minn. Ran |
R28 Mich. Ran |
R27 Mass. Ran |
R26 Maine Ran |
R25 Ill. Ran |
R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 Colo. Ran |
R23 Del. Ran |
R24 Idaho Ran |
R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 |
Result of the general elections
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | ||||||
D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 |
D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 |
D34 La. Appointee elected[lower-alpha 3] |
D33 Ky. Re-elected |
D32 Ark. Re-elected |
D31 Ala. Re-elected |
D30 | D29 | D28 | D27 | D26 | D25 |
D35 Tenn. Re-elected |
D36 Ga. Hold |
D37 Miss. Hold[lower-alpha 4] |
D38 S.C. Hold |
D39 Texas Hold |
D40 Va. Hold[lower-alpha 4] |
P4 N.C. Gain |
P3 | V1 | V2 |
No majority | |||||||||
R35 R.I. Hold |
R36 Wyo. Hold |
R37 Kan. Gain |
R38 N.J. Gain |
R39 W.Va. Gain |
S1 | P1 | P2 | V4 Del. R Loss |
V3 |
R34 Ore. Hold |
R33 Neb. Hold |
R32 Mont. Hold |
R31 Minn. Hold |
R30 Iowa Hold |
R29 S.D. Re-elected |
R28 N.H. Re-elected |
R27 Mich. Re-elected |
R26 Mass. Re-elected |
R25 Maine Re-elected |
R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 Colo. Re-elected |
R23 Idaho Re-elected |
R24 Ill. Re-elected |
R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 |
Result of the special elections and party change
D1 Calif. Appointee elected |
D2 La. Appointee elected |
D3 | D4 | ||||||
D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 |
D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 |
D34 La. Appointee elected[lower-alpha 3] |
D33 | D32 | D31 | D30 | D29 | D28 | D27 | D26 | D25 |
D35 | D36 Ga. Appointee elected |
D37 Miss. Hold |
D38 | D39 | P4 | P3 | P2 | P1 | V1 |
↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | S1 | ||||||||
R35 | R36 | R37 | R38 | R39 Mont. Gain from V |
R40 Wash. Gain from V |
R41 Wyo. Gain from V |
R42 N.C. Gain from D |
S2 Nev. Changed from R | |
R34 | R33 | R32 | R31 | R30 | R29 | R28 | R27 | R26 | R25 |
R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 |
R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 |
R1 Mich. Hold |
R2 | R3 | R4 |
Key: |
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Race summaries
Elections during the 53rd Congress
In these elections, the winners were seated during 1894 or in 1895 before March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Mississippi (Class 2) |
Edward C. Walthall | Democratic | 1885 (Appointed) 1886 (special) 1889 1892 (Early) |
Incumbent resigned due to ill health. New senator elected February 7, 1894. Democratic hold. Walthall, however, had already been re-elected to next term.[2] |
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Louisiana (Class 2) |
Donelson Caffery | Democratic | 1892 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected May 23, 1894.[3] Winner had already been elected to the next term, see below. |
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Louisiana (Class 3) |
Newton C. Blanchard | Democratic | 1894 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected May 23, 1894.[4] |
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Georgia (Class 2) |
Patrick Walsh | Democratic | 1894 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected November 7, 1894.[5] Winner was not elected to the next term, see below. |
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North Carolina (Class 3) |
Thomas Jarvis | Democratic | 1894 (Appointed) | Unknown if interim appointee retired or lost election to finish the term. New senator elected November 7, 1894. Republican gain. New senator qualified January 23, 1895. |
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Montana (Class 1) |
Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected January 16, 1895. |
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Wyoming (Class 1) |
Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected January 23, 1895. |
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California (Class 3) |
George C. Perkins | Republican | 1893 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 23, 1895.[6] |
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Michigan (Class 1) |
John Patton Jr. | Republican | 1894 (Appointed) | Interim appointee lost election to finish the term. New senator elected January 24, 1895. Republican hold. |
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Washington (Class 1) |
Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected February 1, 1895. |
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Elections leading to the 54th Congress
In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1895; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | John Tyler Morgan | Democratic | 1876 1882 1888 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1894. |
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Arkansas | James Berry | Democratic | 1885 (special) 1889 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1895. |
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Colorado | Edward O. Wolcott | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. |
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Delaware | Anthony C. Higgins | Republican | 1888 or 1889 | Incumbent lost re-election. Failure to elect. Republican loss. |
▌Anthony C. Higgins (Republican) [data missing] |
Georgia | Patrick Walsh | Democratic | 1894 (special) | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold. |
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Idaho | George Shoup | Republican | 1890 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. |
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Illinois | Shelby M. Cullom | Republican | 1882 1888 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1894. |
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Iowa | James F. Wilson | Republican | 1888 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 17, 1894.[7] Republican hold. |
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Kansas | John Martin | Democratic | 1893 (special) | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in January 1895. Republican gain. |
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Kentucky | William Lindsay | Democratic | 1893 (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1894.[8] |
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Louisiana | Donelson Caffery | Democratic | 1891 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected May 14, 1894.[9] Winner would later be elected to finish the current term, see below. |
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Maine | William P. Frye | Republican | 1881 (special) 1883 1889 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1895. |
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Massachusetts | George Frisbie Hoar | Republican | 1877 1883 1889 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1895. |
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Michigan | James McMillan | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. |
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Minnesota | William D. Washburn | Republican | 1888 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican hold. |
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Mississippi | Anselm J. McLaurin | Democratic | 1894 | Incumbent retired as predecessor had already been elected to the next term. Predecessor was already elected early January 20, 1892.[2] Democratic hold. |
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Montana | Thomas C. Power | Republican | 1890 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in January 1895.[10] Republican hold. |
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Nebraska | Charles F. Manderson | Republican | 1883 1888 |
Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected January 15, 1895. Republican hold. |
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New Hampshire | William E. Chandler | Republican | 1887 (special) 1889 (Failure to elect) 1889 (special) |
Incumbent re-elected in 1895. |
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New Jersey | John R. McPherson | Democratic | 1877 1883 1889 |
Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican gain. |
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North Carolina | Matt W. Ransom | Democratic | 1872 (special) 1876 1883 1889 |
Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1894. Populist gain. |
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Oregon | Joseph N. Dolph | Republican | 1882 1888 |
Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected February 23, 1895.[11] Republican hold. |
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Rhode Island | Nathan F. Dixon III | Republican | 1889 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1894. Republican hold. |
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South Carolina | Matthew Butler | Democratic | 1876 1882 1888 |
Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold. |
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South Dakota | Richard F. Pettigrew | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1894. |
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Tennessee | Isham G. Harris | Democratic | 1877 1883 1889 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1895. |
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Texas | Richard Coke | Democratic | 1876 1882 1888 |
Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold. |
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Virginia | Eppa Hunton | Democratic | 1892 (Appointed) 1893 (special) |
Incumbent retired. New senator was already elected early December 19, 1893.[12] Democratic hold. |
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West Virginia | Johnson N. Camden | Democratic | 1893 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 23, 1895.[13] Republican gain. |
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Wyoming | Joseph M. Carey | Republican | 1890 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican hold. |
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Elections during the 54th Congress
There were no elections in 1895 after March 4.
Alabama
Arkansas
California (special)
Colorado
Delaware
Georgia
Georgia (special)
Idaho
Illinois
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Interim appointee Donelson Caffery (D) was elected May 14, 1894 to the next term. He was later (May 23, 1894) elected to finish the current term.
Louisiana (special, class 2)
Randall L. Gibson (D) had been re-elected in 1889, but died December 15, 1892. Donelson Caffery (D) was appointed by the Governor of Louisiana December 31, 1892 to continue the term, pending a special election. On May 14, 1894 Caffery was elected to the next term, and on May 23, 1894 Caffery was elected to finish the current term.
Louisiana (special, class 3)
Edward Douglass White (D) had been elected in 1891, but resigned March 12, 1894 when appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Newton C. Blanchard (D) was appointed by the Governor of Louisiana March 12, 1894 to continue the term, pending a special election. On May 23, 1894 Blanchard was elected to finish the current term, which would end March 3, 1897.
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Michigan (special)
Minnesota
Mississippi
Mississippi (special)
Montana
Montana (special)
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
North Carolina
North Carolina (special)
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington (special)
John B. Allen (R) had been elected in 1889 as one of the first senators from Washington. In 1893, however, the Washington State Legislature failed to elect a senator for the term beginning March 4, 1893. The governor appointed Allen to serve until March 20, 1893, but the Senate rejected his credentials.
John L. Wilson (R) was elected February 1, 1895 to finish the term, that would end March 3, 1899, taking his seat February 19, 1895.
West Virginia
Wyoming
Wyoming (special)
See also
Notes
- as Republican Conference Chair
- as Democratic Caucus Chair
- Same result for this seat in general and special elections
- Elected early
- "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
- "GEORGE AND WALTHALL ELECTED". The New York Times. January 20, 1892. p. 1.
- Byrd, p. 114.
- Byrd, p. 115.
- Byrd, p. 96.
- Byrd, p. 83.
- Clark, p. 234.
- Kleber, John E. The Kentucky Encyclopedia. p. 558.
- "MR. CAFFERY HIS OWN SUCCESSOR". The New York Times. May 15, 1894. p. 1.
- Goodspeed, p. 457.
- "George Wycliffe McBride". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
- ""TWO VIRGINIA SENATORS ELECTED"". The New York Times. December 20, 1893.
- "Elkins Elected in West Virginia". The New York Times. January 24, 1895. p. 5.
References
- Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy (ed.). "The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992". United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
- Clark, Dan Elbert (1913). "History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa". Iowa City, Iowa.
- Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, ed. (1904). "The Province and the States: A History of the Province of Louisiana Under France and Spain, And of the Territories and States of the United States Formed Therefrom" (Vol. VI ed.). Madison, Wisconsin: Western Historical Association.