1881 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

none related races 1880–81 United States Senate elections March 2026 January 2025 1881 United States Senate election in Wisconsin Wisconsin presidential no 1875 United States Senate election in Wisconsin 1875 1887 United States Senate election in Wisconsin 1887 January 26, 1881 Legislative x150px Philetus Sawyer - Brady-Handy (3x4a).jpg Philetus Sawyer Republican Party (United States) 98 75.38% Judge James G. Jenkins.png James Graham Jenkins Democratic Party (United States) 29 22.31% others 3 2.31% U.S. Senator Angus Cameron Republican Party (United States) Philetus Sawyer Republican Party (United States) The 1881 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held in the 34th Wisconsin Legislature January 26, 1881. Incumbent Republican U.S. senator Angus Cameron did not run for re-election. Republican former U.S. representative Philetus Sawyer was elected United States senator on the first ballot. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112109669116 Journal of Proceedings of the Wisconsin Legislature 1881 Wisconsin Legislature 92-93 January 26, 1881 March 11, 2025 HathiTrust In the 1881 term, Republicans held overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature, so had more than enough votes to elect a Republican United States senator. The main contest was in the Republican legislative caucus, but the former U.S. representative, Sawyer, was quickly nominated after demonstrating a clear majority of support. Major candidates Democratic James Graham Jenkins, prominent attorney from Milwaukee. Republican Elisha W. Keyes, head of the "Madison Regency" political machine and de-facto head of the Republican Party of Wisconsin throughout this era, former mayor of Madison. Philetus Sawyer, former U.S representative and former mayor of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Results Republican nomination Prior to the 1880 legislative elections, Sawyer made it clear that he was seeking to succeed Angus Cameron as United States senator, supporting allies in legislative nominating contests throughout the state. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-milwaukee-news-philetus-sawyer/167858567/ Sawyer and the Ring The Daily Milwaukee News October 9, 1880 2 March 12, 2025 Newspapers.com After the election, Sawyer was projected to easily achieve a majority of the caucus on the first ballot. Those predictions were confirmed when the Republican caucus met on January 19, 1881. An informal poll found a clear majority for Sawyer's nomination, and the caucus then chose to formally recognize him as their nominee by acclamation. https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-us-senate-nomina/167842605/ The Contest Closed Wisconsin State Journal January 20, 1881 1 March 12, 2025 Newspapers.com Official vote The 34th Wisconsin Legislature met in joint session on January 26, 1881, to elect a U.S. senator. The voting went almost exactly along party lines, with three members absent. Of the members present and voting, Philetus Sawyer received the votes of all but two Republican legislators, winning the election. 1st Vote of the 34th Wisconsin Legislature, January 26, 1881 Republican Party (United States) Philetus Sawyer 98Sawyer received the votes of all Republicans except representatives Albert O. Chamberlain, Henry B. Howe, Walter Maxwell (who were all absent), and representatives John H. Case and Thomas M. Corbett (who voted for Washburn). 75.38% Democratic Party (United States) James Graham Jenkins 29 22.31% Republican Party (United States) Cadwallader C. Washburn 2Republican representatives John H. Case and Thomas M. Corbett voted for Cadwallader C. Washburn. 1.54% Democratic Party (United States) Charles D. Parker 1Democratic senator Matthew Anderson voted for Charles D. Parker. 0.77% Absent or not voting 3 66 50.77% 130 97.74% Republican Party (United States) Notes References 1881 Wisconsin United States Senate