1899 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

none related races 1898–99 United States Senate elections March 2026 January 2025 1899 United States Senate election in Wisconsin Wisconsin presidential no 1893 United States Senate election in Wisconsin 1893 1905 United States Senate election in Wisconsin 1905 January 25, 1899January 31, 1899 Legislative x150px Judge Joseph V. Quarles.png Joseph V. Quarles Republican Party (United States) 110 85.94% Timothy_Edward_Ryan.png Timothy E. Ryan Democratic Party (United States) 18 14.06% U.S. Senator John L. Mitchell Democratic Party (United States) Joseph V. Quarles Republican Party (United States) The 1899 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held in the 44th Wisconsin Legislature between January 25, 1899, and January 31, 1899. Incumbent Democratic U.S. senator John L. Mitchell did not run for a second term. Republican lawyer and former state legislator Joseph V. Quarles was elected to succeed him on the sixth ballot. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89069539971 State of Wisconsin Assembly Journal 1899 Wisconsin Legislature 69, 84-86, 90-91, 95-96, 99-100, 102-103, 108-110 March 22, 2025 HathiTrust In the 1899 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. But an intense five-way contest for the Republican nomination left the caucus unable to select a nominee before the start of the joint convention. After a week of voting in joint convention and 93 ballots in the Republican caucus, Isaac Stephenson, Joseph W. Babcock, Samuel A. Cook, and Charles M. Webb withdrew their candidacies and endorsed Kenosha attorney Joseph V. Quarles. Major candidates Democratic Timothy E. Ryan, prominent lawyer and member of the Democratic National Committee from Waukesha, Wisconsin. Republican Joseph W. Babcock, incumbent U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district, from Necedah, Wisconsin. Samuel A. Cook, former U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 6th congressional district, from Neenah, Wisconsin. Joseph V. Quarles, prominent lawyer, former mayor, and former state legislator from Kenosha, Wisconsin. Isaac Stephenson, former U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 9th congressional district, from Marinette, Wisconsin. Charles M. Webb, Wisconsin circuit court judge and former U.S. attorney from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Results Vote on January 25, 1899 1st Vote of the 44th Wisconsin Legislature, January 25, 1899 Republican Party (United States) Joseph V. Quarles 41 31.78% Republican Party (United States) Isaac Stephenson 26 20.16% Democratic Party (United States) Timothy E. Ryan 19 14.73% Republican Party (United States) Samuel A. Cook 17 13.18% Republican Party (United States) Joseph W. Babcock 16 12.40% Republican Party (United States) Charles M. Webb 10 7.75% Absent or not voting 4 65 50.39% 129 96.99% Vote on January 26, 1899 2nd Vote of the 44th Wisconsin Legislature, January 26, 1899 Republican Party (United States) Joseph V. Quarles 41 32.54% Republican Party (United States) Isaac Stephenson 26 20.63% Democratic Party (United States) Timothy E. Ryan 17 13.49% 2 Republican Party (United States) Samuel A. Cook 16 12.70% 1 Republican Party (United States) Joseph W. Babcock 16 12.70% Republican Party (United States) Charles M. Webb 10 7.94% Absent or not voting 7 64 50.79% 126 94.74% 3 Vote on January 27, 1899 3rd Vote of the 44th Wisconsin Legislature, January 27, 1899 Republican Party (United States) Joseph V. Quarles 42 33.33% 1 Republican Party (United States) Isaac Stephenson 22 17.46% 4 Republican Party (United States) Samuel A. Cook 20 15.87% 4 Republican Party (United States) Joseph W. Babcock 16 12.70% Democratic Party (United States) Timothy E. Ryan 16 12.70% 1 Republican Party (United States) Charles M. Webb 10 7.94% Absent or not voting 7 64 50.79% 126 94.74% Vote on January 28, 1899 A large number were absent on January 28, including nearly all the Democratic legislators. 4th Vote of the 44th Wisconsin Legislature, January 28, 1899 Republican Party (United States) Joseph V. Quarles 39 36.45% 3 Republican Party (United States) Samuel A. Cook 21 19.63% 1 Republican Party (United States) Isaac Stephenson 19 17.76% 3 Republican Party (United States) Joseph W. Babcock 16 14.95% Republican Party (United States) Charles M. Webb 10 9.35% Democratic Party (United States) Timothy E. Ryan 2 1.87% 14 Absent or not voting 26 54 50.47% 107 80.45% 19 Vote on January 30, 1899 By law, the legislature was required to convene in joint session each day (except sundays) to vote until they reached a majority for U.S. senator. On January 30, by agreement between the various candidates, most legislators were allowed to be absent, with each declared candidate designating one trusted supporter to arrive and cast a placeholder vote. 5th Vote of the 44th Wisconsin Legislature, January 30, 1899 Republican Party (United States) Joseph W. Babcock 1On January 30, Republican representative Gilbert Vandercook was the designated voter for Babcock. 16.67% Republican Party (United States) Samuel A. Cook 1On January 30, Republican representative Thomas McDonald Jr. was the designated voter for Cook. 16.67% Republican Party (United States) Joseph V. Quarles 1On January 30, Republican speaker George H. Ray was the designated voter for Quarles. 16.67% Democratic Party (United States) Timothy E. Ryan 1On January 30, Democratic representative Matthew Killilea was the designated voter for Ryan. 16.67% Republican Party (United States) Isaac Stephenson 1On January 30, Republican representative August Zinn was the designated voter for Stephenson. 16.67% Republican Party (United States) Charles M. Webb 1On January 30, Republican representative Andrew Jensen was the designated voter for Webb. 16.67% Absent or not voting 127 4 66.67% 6 4.51% Vote on January 31, 1899 After the Republican caucus came to consensus the previous evening, the 44th Wisconsin Legislature re-convened in joint session at noon on January 31. https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-us-senate-nomina/168575448/ The Caucus that Nominated Quarles Wisconsin State Journal January 31, 1899 1 March 22, 2025 Newspapers.com Voting went entirely along party lines, with five members absent. Of the members present and voting, Joseph V. Quarles received the votes of all the Republican legislators, winning the election. 6th Vote of the 44th Wisconsin Legislature, January 31, 1899 Republican Party (United States) Joseph V. Quarles 110On the 6th ballot, Quarles received the votes of all Republicans except representatives William Hughes and Philo A. Orton (who were absent). 85.94% 71 Democratic Party (United States) Timothy E. Ryan 18On the 6th ballot, Ryan received the votes of all Democrats except senator Michael A. Jacobs and representatives Nicholas E. Becker and Louie Augustus Lange (who were all absent). 14.06% 16 Absent or not voting 5 65 50.78% 128 96.24% 21 Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) Notes References 1899 Wisconsin United States Senate Category:January 1899 in the United States