1851 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

none related races 1850–51 United States Senate elections March 2026 January 2025 1851 United States Senate election in Wisconsin Wisconsin presidential no 1848 United States Senate election in Wisconsin 1848 1857 United States Senate election in Wisconsin 1857 January 20, 1851 Legislative x150px Henry Dodge portrait.jpg Henry Dodge Democratic Party (United States) 69 83.13% James Duane Doty by William F Cogswell, 1858.jpg James Duane Doty Independent Democrat 7 8.43% Others 7 8.43% U.S. Senator Henry Dodge Democratic Party (United States) Henry Dodge Democratic Party (United States) The 1851 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held in the 4th Wisconsin Legislature on January 20, 1851. Incumbent Democratic U.S. senator Henry Dodge was re-elected to a full six-year term. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112107102680 Journal of the Senate of Wisconsin 1851 Wisconsin Legislature Monday, Jan. 20, 1851 58-60 March 1, 2025 HathiTrust In the 1851 legislative session, Democrats held large majorities in both chambers and neither of the other parties bothered to make a formal nomination. The only real contest was in the Democratic caucuses, where Dodge narrowly won renomination. Major candidates Democratic Henry Dodge, the incumbent U.S. senator, former governor of the Wisconsin Territory. James Duane Doty, incumbent U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district, and former governor of the Wisconsin Territory. Charles Dunn, former chief justice of the Wisconsin Territory Supreme Court. Moses M. Strong, former speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Results Democratic nomination The Democrats met in caucus on January 19 to select a nominee. Three Democrats were absent from the caucus, but they were joined by Free Soiler George Gale, who afterward became a Democrat. In the initial informal poll, Dodge had the support of only 22 of 61 legislators. His nearest opponent was Moses Strong, with 17 votes. Strong had been speaker of the previous session of the Assembly, and was considered the candidate of the western region of the state; Strong had also been instrumental in the maneuvering to rescind the resolution that had called for the resignation of U.S. senator Isaac P. Walker, seen as an effort to court Walker's eastern constituency. https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-free-democrat-senate-caucus/167169659/ Madison Correspondence Daily Free Democrat January 20, 1851 2 March 3, 2025 Newspapers.com Over the course of the evening, Dodge's vote count gradually crept up, while Strong faded. Dodge won the nomination on the fourth ballot with just 31 of 61 votes. As it turned out, George Gale's vote in the caucus proved decisive. Official vote 1st Vote of the 4th Wisconsin Legislature, January 20, 1851 Democratic Party (United States) Henry Dodge (incumbent) 69Dodge received the votes of all Democrats except senators Orson S. Head and Harvey G. Turner (who were absent), and representative Morris S. Barnett (who voted for Doty); he received cross-over votes from Free Soil senator George Gale, Whig senator John H. Rountree, Free Soil representatives Edward Eastman and Elijah Easton, and Whig representatives Henry C. Hemingway, Julius Hulburt, Nathan Olmsted, John D. Seaver, and William E. Smith. 83.13% Independent Democrat James Duane Doty 7Doty received the votes of Free Soil senator Stephen O. Bennett, Democratic representative Morris S. Barnett, and Free Soil representatives Obed Hale, Wyman Spooner, James Tinker, William L. Utley, and Peter Van Vliet. 8.43% Whig Party (United States) Alexander L. Collins 3Collins received votes from Whig representatives Henry Johnson, William F. Tompkins, and Charles Waldo. 3.61% Whig Party (United States) Rufus King 2King received votes from Whig representatives Enoch Chase and Edward Vincent. 2.41% Free Soil Party Warren Chase 1Chase received a vote from Free Soil representative Adam E. Ray. 1.20% Whig Party (United States) John B. Terry 1Terry received a vote from Whig senator Levi Sterling. 1.20% Absent 2 42 50.60% 83 97.65% Democratic Party (United States) Notes References 1851 Wisconsin United States Senate