1881 United States Senate special election in Wisconsin

none related races 1880–81 United States Senate elections March 2026 January 2025 1881 United States Senate special election in Wisconsin Wisconsin presidential no 1879 United States Senate election in Wisconsin 1879 1885 United States Senate election in Wisconsin 1885 March 9, 1881March 10, 1881 Legislative x150px Angus Cameron - Brady-Handy (3x4b).jpg Angus Cameron Republican Party (United States) 97 78.23% Vilas2.jpg William F. Vilas Democratic Party (United States) 27 21.77% U.S. Senator Matthew H. Carpenter Republican Party (United States) Angus Cameron Republican Party (United States) The 1881 United States Senate special election in Wisconsin was held in the 34th Wisconsin Legislature between March 9, 1881, and March 10, 1881. The special election was necessary to complete the unexpired term of U.S. Senator Matthew H. Carpenter, who died February 24, 1881. Former U.S. Senator Angus Cameron, who did not seek re-election in 1881 and left office just days before the special election, was elected to succeed Carpenter. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112109669116 Journal of Proceedings of the Wisconsin Legislature 1881 Wisconsin Legislature 488-489, 493-496, 504-505 March 12, 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, where former U.S. senator Angus Cameron outlasted Wisconsin Republican Party boss Elisha W. Keyes, taking the nomination on the 48th ballot. Major candidates Democratic William F. Vilas, prominent lawyer and professor of law at the University of Wisconsin. Republican Angus Cameron, former U.S. senator, former speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, former state senator from La Crosse. Luther S. Dixon, former chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court 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. Results Republican nomination Within days of the death of U.S. Senator Matthew H. Carpenter, political endorsements began appearing in Wisconsin newspapers for candidates to succeed him. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oshkosh-northwestern-us-senate/167867541/ Angus Cameron Oshkosh Northwestern February 28, 1881 1 March 13, 2025 Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-us-senate/167867564/ Senator Carpenter's Successor Wisconsin State Journal February 25, 1881 1 March 13, 2025 Newspapers.com Elisha W. Keyes, one of the most powerful Wisconsin Republicans of the era, made his third bid for the Republican nomination after failing to secure the seat in 1879 and the regular 1881 election. Former senator Angus Cameron had just declined to seek re-election in the regular 1881 election, but after receiving the support by many of Senator Carpenter's former allies, he consented to run for the nomination. https://www.newspapers.com/article/janesville-weekly-gazette-us-senate-nomi/167940944/ The Senatorial Contest Janesville Gazette February 26, 1881 1 March 14, 2025 Newspapers.com Carpenter had significant support from the northern parts of the states. The Milwaukee delegation was divided between Carpenter and former chief justice Luther S. Dixon. https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-us-senate-nomina/167989843/ Clan Cameron Wisconsin State Journal March 10, 1881 1 March 14, 2025 Newspapers.com The Republican legislative caucus convened on March 7, 1881, and proceeded to an informal poll of legislators. Cameron held a slight lead, but was 8 votes short of a majority; Keyes and Dixon trailed behind by about 10 and 20 votes respectively. After five rounds of formal voting, the numbers remained stuck at approximately the same levels. The caucus adjourned until later that evening, when they took 23 more ballots; Cameron's count crept to within six votes of the majority. The caucus reconvened on March 8 and took 16 more ballots, support for Keyes and Dixon faded, and dark horse candidate Joseph V. Quarles briefly rose into 2nd place. Two more ballots were taken on the morning of March 9, showing no progress. The caucus adjourned again, during that break, supporters of Keyes and Dixon and others attempted to rally behind businessman and former legislator Jonathan Bowman. At the March 9 evening session, Cameron and Bowman were nearly tied; Cameron finally reached a majority by one vote on the 48th ballot. Vote on March 9, 1881 The legislature met in joint session on March 9, 1881, to elect a U.S. senator. This joint session occurred before the Republican caucus reached consensus on their nomination that evening, thus the vote resulted in no majority. 1st Vote of the 34th Wisconsin Legislature, March 9, 1881 Republican Party (United States) Angus Cameron 41 32.80% Democratic Party (United States) William F. Vilas 26 20.80% Republican Party (United States) Luther S. Dixon 18 14.40% Republican Party (United States) Elisha W. Keyes 15 12.00% Republican Party (United States) Charles G. Williams 13 10.40% Republican Party (United States) George Cochrane Hazelton 7 5.60% Republican Party (United States) Jonathan Bowman 2 1.60% Republican Party (United States) James M. Bingham 1 0.80% Republican Party (United States) Charles L. Colby 1 0.80% Republican Party (United States) Joseph V. Quarles 1 0.80% Absent or not voting 8 63 50.40% 125 93.98% Vote on March 10, 1881 The legislature returned to joint session to vote again on March 10, 1881, with nine members absent. Voting went exactly along party lines, with Cameron receiving the votes of all Republicans in attendance, and winning the election. 2nd Vote of the 34th Wisconsin Legislature, March 10, 1881 Republican Party (United States) Angus Cameron 97 78.23% Democratic Party (United States) William F. Vilas 27 21.77% Absent or not voting 9 63 50.81% 124 93.23% Republican Party (United States) References 1881 Wisconsin United States Senate Wisconsin 1881 Wisconsin 1881 United States Senate 1881