1878–79 United States Senate elections

none March 2026 June 2016 1878–79 United States Senate elections United States 1877 legislative no 1876–77 United States Senate elections 1876 & 1877 1880–81 United States Senate elections 1880 & 1881 Class 3 1872–73 United States Senate elections 1872 & 1873 1884–85 United States Senate elections 1884 & 1885 26 of the 76 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 39 Dates vary by state(And other dates for special elections) x180px Seats up Democratic Party (US) William A. Wallace as Democratic Caucus Chair William A. Wallace - Brady-Handy.jpg March 4, 1877 Pennsylvania 36 14 42 6 8 Republican Party (US) Henry B. Anthony as Republican Conference Chair Henry B. Anthony - Brady-Handy.jpg March 4, 1863 Rhode Island 38 10 31 7 17 Anti-Monopoly Party (US) 1 0 1 0 Independent (US) 1 0 1 0 Majority Party Republican Party (US) Democratic Party (US) 380px Results of the elections:#0671B0 Democratic gain #92C5DE Democratic hold#CA0120 Republican gain #F48882 Republican hold#000000 Legislature failed to elect The 1878–79 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 1878 and 1879, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/17th-amendment 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913) National Archives and Records Administration February 8, 2022 In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3. The Democratic Party recaptured control of the Senate for the first time since before the Civil War. Results summary Senate party division, 46th Congress (1879–1881) Majority party: Democratic (42) Minority party: Republican (31) Other parties: Independent (1), Anti-Monopoly (1) Total seats: 76 Change in composition Before the elections D8 D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16 D17 D18 D28 D27 D26 D25 D24 D23 D22 D21 D20 D19 D29Ran D30Ran D31Ran D32Ran D33Unknown D34Unknown D35Retired D36Retired AM1 I1 Plurality → R38Retired R29Unknown R30Unknown R31Retired R32Retired R33Retired R34Retired R35Retired R36Retired R37Retired R28Ran R27Ran R26Ran R25Ran R24Ran R23Ran R22Ran R21 R20 R19 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18 R8 R7 R6 R5 R4 R3 R2 R1 After the elections D8 D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16 D17 D18 D28 D27 D26 D25 D24 D23 D22 D21 D20 D19 D29Re-elected D30Re-elected D31Hold D32Hold D33Hold D34Hold D35Hold D36Gain D37Gain D38Gain Majority → D39Gain R29Hold R30Hold R31Gain V1R loss AM1 I1 D42Gain D41Gain D40Gain R28Hold R27Re-elected R26Re-elected R25Re-elected R24Re-elected R23Re-elected R22Re-elected R21 R20 R19 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18 R8 R7 R6 R5 R4 R3 R2 R1 Key AM# Anti-Monopoly Party D# Democratic I# Independent R# Republican V# Vacant Race summaries Special elections during the 45th Congress In these elections, the winners were seated in 1879 before March 4; ordered by election date. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Missouri(Class 3) David H. Armstrong Democratic 1877 (appointed) Interim appointee retired when successor elected.New senator elected January 27, 1879.Democratic hold.Winner did not run for the next term; see below. Democratic Party (US) James Shields (Democratic) February 2020 Indiana(Class 3) Daniel W. Voorhees Democratic 1877 (appointed) Interim appointee elected January 31, 1879.Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. Democratic Party (US) Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic) February 2020 Michigan(Class 1) Isaac P. Christiancy Republican 1874 Incumbent resigned February 10, 1879, due to ill health.New senator elected February 22, 1879. Republican hold. Republican Party (US) Zachariah Chandler (Republican) February 2020 Races leading to the 46th Congress In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1885; ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory Alabama George E. Spencer Republican 1868 (special)1872 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in August 1878.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) George S. Houston (Democratic) February 2020 Arkansas Stephen W. Dorsey Republican 1872–73 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1878.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) James D. Walker (Democratic) February 2020 California Aaron A. Sargent Republican 1872–73 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1878.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) James T. Farley (Democratic) 28 Republican Party (US)Morris Estee (Republican) 12 18 December 1877 The Vote in the Senate https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MP18771218.2.2&srpos=4&e=------187-en--20--1--txt-txIN-farley+senate------- Santa Barbara Daily Press Santa Barbara 6 October 2024 Colorado Jerome B. Chaffee Republican 1876 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1879.Republican hold. Republican Party (US) Nathaniel P. Hill (Republican) February 2020 Connecticut William Barnum Democratic 1876 (special) Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in 1879.Republican gain. Republican Party (US) Orville H. Platt (Republican) February 2020 Florida Simon B. Conover Republican 1872–73 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 21, 1879.https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1879/01/22/80743656.html?zoom=17 THE FLORIDA SENATORSHIP. The New York Times January 22, 1879 1 Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) Wilkinson Call (Democratic) February 2020 Georgia John B. Gordon Democratic 1873 Incumbent re-elected in 1879. Democratic Party (US) John B. Gordon (Democratic) February 2020 Illinois Richard J. Oglesby Republican 1873 Incumbent retired.New senator elected Jan 22, 1879.Republican hold. Republican Party (US) John A. Logan (Republican) 51.46% Democratic Party (US)John C. Black (Democratic) 41.75% Greenback PartyAlexander Campbell (Greenback) 4.85% Independent (US)John McAuliffe (Independent) 1.94%https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=22272 IL US Senate December 4, 2009 October 31, 2019 OurCampaigns.com, citing Chicago Tribune. Indiana Daniel W. Voorhees Democratic 1877 (appointed)1879 (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1879. Democratic Party (US) Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic) February 2020 Iowa William B. Allison Republican 1872 Incumbent re-elected January 23, 1878. Clark 185 Republican Party (US) William B. Allison (Republican) 104 Republican Party (US)Daniel F. Miller (Republican) 35 UnknownE. N. Gates (Unknown) 3 Clark 185 Kansas John J. Ingalls Republican 1873 Incumbent re-elected in 1879. Republican Party (US) John J. Ingalls (Republican) February 2020 Kentucky Thomas C. McCreery Democratic 1871 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 17, 1878.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) John Stuart Williams (Democratic) 126 Republican Party (US) Robert Boyd (Republican) 11 Louisiana James B. Eustis Democratic 1876 (special) Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1879.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) Benjamin F. Jonas (Democratic) February 2020 Maryland George R. Dennis Democratic 1872–73 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 19, 1878.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) James Black Groome (Democratic) 78.5% Republican Party (US)Lewis H. Steiner (Republican) 18.28% Democratic Party (US)John M. Robinson (Democratic) 2.15% UnknownJames A. Garey (Unknown) 1.08%https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=114843 Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 19, 1878 www.ourcampaigns.com 2019-10-31 Missouri James Shields Democratic 1849 (Ill.)1849 (Ill.–election voided)1849 (Ill.–special)1855 (Ill.–lost)1858 (Minn.)1859 (Minn.–lost)1879 (Mo.–special) Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1879.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) George G. Vest (Democratic) February 2020 Nevada John P. Jones Republican 1873 Incumbent re-elected in 1879. Republican Party (US) John P. Jones (Republican) February 2020 New Hampshire Bainbridge Wadleigh Republican 1872 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.Legislature failed to elect.Republican loss. February 2020 New York Roscoe Conkling Republican 18671873 Incumbent re-elected January 22, 1879. Republican Party (US) Roscoe Conkling (Republican) Democratic Party (US)William Dorsheimer (Democratic) Greenback PartyPeter Cooper (Greenback) North Carolina Augustus Merrimon Democratic 1872 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1879.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) Zebulon Vance (Democratic) Democratic Party (US)Augustus Merrimon (Democratic) Ohio Stanley Matthews Republican 1877 (special) Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1878 or 1879.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) George H. Pendleton (Democratic) February 2020 Oregon John H. Mitchell Republican 1872 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1878 or 1879.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) James H. Slater (Democratic) Republican Party (US)John H. Mitchell (Republican) February 2020 Pennsylvania J. Donald Cameron Republican 1877 (special) Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1879. Republican Party (US) J. Donald Cameron (Republican) 53.78% Democratic Party (US)Hiester Clymer (Democratic) 36.65% Greenback PartyDaniel Agnew (Greenback) 6.37% Republican Party (US)Edward McPherson (Republican) 1.20% Republican Party (US)Russell Thayer (Republican) 0.40% Republican Party (US)Galusha A. Grow (Republican) 0.40%South_CarolinaSouth Carolina John J. Patterson Republican 1872–73 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in 1878.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) Wade Hampton III (Democratic) February 2020 Vermont Justin S. Morrill Republican 18661872 Incumbent re-elected in 1878. Republican Party (US) Justin S. Morrill (Republican) February 2020 Wisconsin Timothy O. Howe Republican 186118661872 Incumbent lost re-nomination.New senator elected January 22, 1879. Thompson 262 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89069539732 In Assembly Journal of Proceedings of the Wisconsin Legislature 1879 Wisconsin Legislature January 22, 1879 72–73 March 8, 2025 HathiTrust Republican hold. Republican Party (US) Matthew H. Carpenter (Republican) 67.20% Democratic Party (US)Edward George Ryan (Democratic) 22.40% Democratic Party (US)Gabriel Bouck (Democratic) 10.40% Elections during the 46th Congress In this election, the winner was elected in 1879 after March 4. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history New Hampshire(Class 3) Charles H. Bell Republican 1879 (appointed) Legislature had failed to elect; see above.Interim appointee retired when successor elected.New senator elected June 17, 1879.Republican hold. Republican Party (US) Henry W. Blair (Republican) February 2020 Maryland List of United States senators from Maryland November 2022 1878 United States Senate election in Maryland 73 B0CEFF 78.50% Democratic Party (United States) James Black Groome James Black Groome, sitting.jpg 17 FFB6B6 18.28% Republican Party (United States) Lewis Henry Steiner Lewis Henry Steiner.jpg 1884 1884 United States Senate election in Maryland 1872 1872 United States Senate election in Maryland 80 members of the Maryland General Assembly Legislative January 19, 1878 presidential James Black Groome was elected by a margin of 60.22%, or 56 votes, for the Class 3 seat.https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=114843 Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 19, 1878 2022-11-05 www.ourcampaigns.com New York thumb|125px|Senator Roscoe Conkling 1879 United States Senate election in New York List of United States senators from New York 1878 United States House of Representatives elections in New York In New York, the election was held on January 21, 1879, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Roscoe Conkling had been re-elected in January 1873 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1879. At the State election in November 1877, 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1878–1879) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1878, 97 Republicans, 28 Democrats and 3 Greenbackers were elected for the session of 1879 to the Assembly, and Republican Thomas Murphy was elected to fill the vacancy in the State Senate caused by the death of Democrat John Morrissey. The 102nd New York State Legislature met from January 7 to May 22, 1879, at Albany, New York. The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 20, Temporary President of the State Senate William H. Robertson presided. Present were all Republican legislators except State Senator Louis S. GoebelState Senator Goebel refused to caucus with any of the parties, but voted for Conkling at the election. (6th D.) and Assemblyman James W. Wadsworth. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Conkling unanimously. The caucus of the Democratic State legislators met also on January 20. State Senator Thomas C. E. Ecclesine (8th D.) offered to adopt a prostest against the senatorial election proceedings, claiming that the senatorial and assembly districts were incorrectly apportioned and thus the State Legislature did not represent the wish of the people of the State. The protest was substituted by a resolution to appoint a committee which would elaborate an address on the apportionment at a later date. Ecclesine then marched out, and the remaining legislators nominated Lieutenant Governor William Dorsheimer for the U.S. Senate. +1879 Democratic caucus for United States Senator result Candidate First ballot Second ballotWilliam Dorsheimer 11 18James F. Starbuck 8 8DeWitt C. WestDeWitt Clinton West (1824-1880), of Lowville, assemblyman 1853 8 6Elijah Ward 2 The two Greenback assemblymen John Banfield (Chemung Co.) and George E. Williams (Oswego Co.) voted for 87-year-old Peter Cooper, a New York City inventor, industrialist and philanthropist who had run for U.S. president in 1876 on the Greenback ticket. Roscoe Conkling was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected. +1879 United States Senator election result   Republican Democrat GreenbackState Senate (32 members)Roscoe Conkling 20William Dorsheimer 12State Assembly (128 members)Roscoe Conkling 95William Dorsheimer 23Peter Cooper 2 Note: The votes were cast on January 21, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 22 to compare nominations, and declare the result. Pennsylvania thumb|125px|Senator J. Donald Cameron 1879 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania List of United States senators from Pennsylvania 1878 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania In Pennsylvania, the election was held January 20, 1879. J. Donald Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.U.S. Senate Election - 20 January 1879 http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/sen/PaSen1879.pdf Wilkes University December 22, 2013 After Sen. Simon Cameron resigned from office, his son J. Donald Cameron was elected by the General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in 1877 to serve the remainder of the unexpired term, which was to expire on March 4, 1879. The Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on January 20, 1879, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1879. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows: State Legislature Results Republican Party (United States) J. Donald Cameron (Inc.) 135 53.78 Democratic Party (United States) Hiester Clymer 92 36.65 Greenback Party Daniel Agnew 16 6.37 Republican Party (United States) Edward McPherson 3 1.20 Republican Party (United States) Russell Thayer 1 0.40 Republican Party (United States) Galusha A. Grow 1 0.40 N/A Not voting 3 1.20 |- |-bgcolor="#EEEEEE" | colspan="3" align="right" | Totals | align="right" | 251 | align="right" | 100.00% |} See also 1878 United States elections 1878–79 United States House of Representatives elections 45th United States Congress 46th United States Congress Notes References Further reading Clark Dan Elbert History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 1913 Clark https://books.google.com/books?id=jXJDAAAAIAAJ Thompson E. Bruce 1954 Matthew Hale Carpenter, Webster of the West Thompson http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3288429;view=1up;seq=11 Madison, WI State Historical Society of Wisconsin Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1878/11/06/81736218.pdf VICTORIOUS REPUBLICANS The New York Times November 6, 1878, gives 1 Greenbacker elected, but Williams of Oswego is not in the list; this seems to have been a preliminary result which was later amended https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1879/01/21/80743455.pdf NEW-YORK'S NEXT SENATOR; ROSCOE CONKLING RENOMINATED The New York Times January 21, 1879 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1879/01/21/80743456.pdf THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.; A REMARKABLE PROTEST OFFERED AND TABLED; LIEUT.-GOV. DORSHEIMER TENDERED THE EMPTY HONOR OF A NOMINATION The New York Times January 21, 1879 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1879/01/22/80743654.pdf CONKLING WINS THE SENATORSHIP The New York Times January 22, 1879 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1879/01/23/80743835.pdf CHOOSING THEIR SENATORS.; ...LIEUT.-GOV. DORSHEIMER FORMALLY ANNOUNCES THE ELECTION The New York Times January 23, 1879 http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006 Wilkes University Election Statistics Project