1897 United States Senate election in South Carolina

none March 2026 March 2013 1896 Democratic Senate primary runoff in South Carolina South Carolina presidential no 1890 United States Senate election in South Carolina 1890 1898 United States Senate special election in South Carolina 1898 September 9, 1896 x150px Joseph Earle.jpg Joseph H. Earle Democratic Party (United States) 42,915 52% John Gary Evans.jpg John Gary Evans Democratic Party (United States) 39,576 48% U.S. Senator John L. M. Irby Democratic Party (United States) Joseph H. Earle Democratic Party (United States) The 1897 South Carolina United States Senate election was a unanimous election of the Democratic nominee on January 26, 1897, to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. The Democratic primary election was held on August 26, 1896, and September 9. Prior to the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution, U.S. Senators were elected by the state legislature and not through the direct election by the people of the state. However, the Democratic Party of South Carolina organized primary elections for the U.S. Senate beginning in 1896 and the General Assembly would confirm the choice of the Democratic voters. Conservative Democratic Joseph H. Earle won the Democratic primary and was elected by the General Assembly for a six-year term. Democratic primary In 1896, Governor of South Carolina John Gary Evans entered the first ever election in the state of South Carolina for the U.S. Senate. He had the backing of Senator Ben Tillman and much of the farming interests in the state. However, the farmers' movement had largely run its course and the Tillmanite reform movement had angered a considerable number of voters in the state. Conservative Joseph H. Earle and Newberry native John T. Duncan announced their candidacy's in opposition to Governor Evans. In the primary on August 26 Evans emerged as the frontrunner, but did not garner over 50% of the vote and was forced to face Earle in a runoff election. Those who had voted for Duncan threw their support to Earle and it provided him with the margin he needed for victory over Evans. South Carolina U.S. Senate Primary Election, 1896 Democratic Party (United States) John Gary Evans 38,802 49.6 Democratic Party (United States) Joseph H. Earle 31,092 39.8 Democratic Party (United States) John T. Duncan 8,327 10.6 South Carolina U.S. Senate Primary Election Runoff, 1896 Democratic Party (United States) Joseph H. Earle 42,915 52.0 +12.2 Democratic Party (United States) John Gary Evans 39,576 48.0 -1.6 See also List of United States senators from South Carolina 1896 and 1897 United States Senate elections 1896 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina 1896 South Carolina gubernatorial election References Jordan Frank E The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962 54 Evans Makes a Denial New York Times June 23, 1896 5 Hope for South Carolina New York Times September 23, 1896 9 collapsed United States Senate 1897 South Carolina