United States Senate elections, 1890 and 1891
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The United States Senate elections of 1890 and 1891 were elections in which the Republican Party lost four seats in the United States Senate, though still retaining a slim majority. That majority was increased, however, upon the admission of two more states with Republican senators.
As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, senators were chosen by State legislatures.
Results summary
Senate Party Division, 52nd Congress (1891–1893)
- Majority Party: Republican (46)
- Minority Party: Democratic (37)
- Other Parties: Populist (2)
- Total Seats: 88
Change in Senate composition
Before the elections
After the admission of Montana's new senators in January 1890.
D1 | D2 | ||||||||
D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 |
D13 | D14 | D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 |
D32 Ran |
D31 Ran |
D30 Ran |
D29 Ran |
D28 Ran |
D27 Ran |
D26 Ran |
D25 | D24 | D23 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D33 Ran |
D34 Ran |
D35 Ran |
D36 Retired |
D37 Retired |
R47 Retired |
R46 Ran |
R45 Ran |
R44 Ran |
R43 Ran |
Majority → | |||||||||
R33 Ran |
R34 Ran |
R35 Ran |
R36 Ran |
R37 Ran |
R38 Ran |
R39 Ran |
R40 Ran |
R41 Ran |
R42 Ran |
R32 Ran |
R31 | R30 | R29 | R28 | R27 | R26 | R25 | R24 | R23 |
R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 |
R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 | R4 | R3 |
R1 | R2 |
After the class 3 elections
D1 | D2 | ||||||||
D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 |
D13 | D14 | D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 |
D32 Re-elected |
D31 Re-elected |
D30 Re-elected |
D29 Re-elected |
D28 Re-elected |
D27 Re-elected |
D26 Re-elected |
D25 | D24 | D23 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D33 Hold |
D34 Hold |
D35 Hold |
D36 Hold |
D37 Gain |
D38 Gain |
D39 Gain |
V1 D Loss |
I1 Gain |
P1 Gain |
Majority → | R43 New seat | ||||||||
R33 Re-elected |
R34 Re-elected |
R35 Re-elected |
R36 Re-elected |
R37 Re-elected |
R38 Re-elected |
R39 Re-elected |
R40 Re-elected |
R41 Hold |
R42 Hold |
R32 Re-elected |
R31 | R30 | R29 | R28 | R27 | R26 | R25 | R24 | R23 |
R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 |
R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 | R4 | R3 |
R1 | R2 |
Beginning of the next Congress
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | ||||||
D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 |
D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 |
D34 | D33 | D32 | D31 | D30 | D29 | D28 | D27 | D26 | D25 |
D35 | D36 | V1 D seated late |
V2 D elected late |
V3 D died Later D |
I1 Later P |
P1 | V3 D died Later R |
R46 New seat |
R45 New seat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Majority → | |||||||||
R35 | R36 | R37 | R38 | R39 | R40 | R41 | R42 | R43 | R44 New seat |
R34 | R33 | R32 | R31 | R30 | R29 | R28 | R27 | R26 | R25 |
R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 |
R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 |
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 |
Key: |
|
---|
Race summaries
Elections during the 51st Congress
In these elections, the winners were seated during 1890 or in 1891 before March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Montana (Class 1) |
New state | Montana admitted to the Union November 8, 1889. First senator elected January 1, 1890.[1] His election was challenged based on the legitimacy of the nascent state legislature. The Senate resolved the dispute in his favor April 16, 1890 and he was seated that day.[2] Republican gain. |
√ Wilbur F. Sanders (Republican) William A. Clark (Democratic) | ||
Montana (Class 2) |
New state | Montana admitted to the Union November 8, 1889. First senator elected January 2, 1890.[1] His election was challenged based on the legitimacy of the nascent state legislature. The Senate resolved the dispute in his favor April 16, 1890 and he was seated that day.[2] Republican gain. |
√ Thomas C. Power (Republican) Martin Maginnis (Democratic) | ||
Kentucky (Class 2) |
James B. Beck | Democratic | 1876 1882 1888 |
Incumbent died May 3, 1890. Winner elected May 26, 1890. Democratic hold. |
√ John G. Carlisle (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Wyoming (Class 2) |
New state | Wyoming admitted to the Union July 10, 1890. First senator elected November 15, 1890. Republican gain. |
√ Joseph M. Carey (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Wyoming (Class 1) |
New state | Wyoming admitted to the Union July 10, 1890. First senator elected November 18, 1890. Republican gain. |
√ Francis E. Warren (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Idaho (Class 2) |
New state | Idaho admitted to the Union July 3, 1890. First senator elected December 18, 1890. Republican gain. |
√ George L. Shoup (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Idaho (Class 3) |
New state | Idaho admitted to the Union July 3, 1890. First senator elected December 18, 1890. Republican gain. |
√ William J. McConnell (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Races leading to the 52nd Congress
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1891; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | James L. Pugh | Democratic | 1880 (Special) 1884 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1890. | √ James L. Pugh (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Arkansas | James K. Jones | Democratic | 1885 | Incumbent re-elected in 1891. | √ James K. Jones (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
California | Leland Stanford | Republican | 1885 | Incumbent re-elected in 1891. | √ Leland Stanford (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Colorado | Henry M. Teller | Republican | 1885 | Incumbent re-elected in 1891. | √ Henry M. Teller (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Connecticut | Orville H. Platt | Republican | 1879 1885 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1891. | √ Orville H. Platt (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Florida | Wilkinson Call | Democratic | 1879 1885 |
Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. |
None. |
Georgia | Joseph E. Brown | Democratic | 1880 (Special) 1885 |
Incumbent retired due to illness. Winner elected on an unknown date. Democratic hold. |
√ John B. Gordon (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Idaho | William J. McConnell | Republican | 1890 | McConnell was elected only to finish the term, see above, and thereafter retired. Winner elected December 18, 1890. Republican hold. |
√ Fred Dubois (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Illinois | John A. Logan | Republican | 1885 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1890. Democratic gain. |
√ John M. Palmer (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Indiana | Daniel W. Voorhees | Democratic | 1877 (Appointed) 1879 (Special) 1885 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1891. | √ Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Iowa | William B. Allison | Republican | 1872 1878 1884 |
Incumbent re-elected March 5, 1890.[3] | √ William B. Allison (Republican) 79 votes S.T. Bestow (Democratic) 63 votes William Larrabee (Republican) 8 votes[3] |
Kansas | John Ingalls | Republican | 1873 1879 1885 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1891. Populist gain. |
√ William A. Peffer (Populist) John Ingalls (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Kentucky | Joseph Blackburn | Democratic | 1884 | Incumbent re-elected in 1890. | √ Joseph Blackburn (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Louisiana | James B. Eustis | Democratic | 1890 or 1891 | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1891. Democratic hold. |
√ Edward Douglass White (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Maryland | Ephraim Wilson | Democratic | 1884 | Incumbent re-elected in 1890. Incumbent winner died February 24, 1891, before the beginning of the next term and seat remained vacant until November 19, 1891. |
√ Ephraim Wilson (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Missouri | George G. Vest | Democratic | 1879 1885 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1891. | √ George G. Vest (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Nevada | John P. Jones | Republican | 1879 1885 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1891. | √ John P. Jones (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
New Hampshire | Henry W. Blair | Republican | 1879 1885 (Appointed) 1885 (Special) |
Incumbent lost renomination. Winner elected in 1891. Republican hold. |
√ Jacob Gallinger (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
New York | William M. Evarts | Republican | 1885 | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected January 21, 1891. Democratic gain. |
√ David B. Hill (Democratic) 81 votes William M. Evarts (Republican) 79 votes |
North Carolina | Zebulon Vance | Democratic | 1879 1884 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1890. | √ Zebulon Vance (Democratic) |
North Dakota | Gilbert A. Pierce | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1891. Republican hold. |
√ Henry C. Hansbrough (Republican) Gilbert A. Pierce (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Ohio | Henry B. Payne | Democratic | 1884 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected January 15, 1890[4] Democratic hold. |
√ Calvin S. Brice (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Oregon | John H. Mitchell | Republican | 1885 | Incumbent re-elected in 1890. | √ John H. Mitchell (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Pennsylvania | J. Donald Cameron | Republican | 1877 (Special) 1879 1885 |
Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1891. | √ J. Donald Cameron (Republican) 144 votes Chauncey F. Black (Democratic) 94 votes Others 12 votes, see below |
South Carolina | Wade Hampton III | Democratic | 1884 | Incumbent lost re-election. re-elected in 1890. Democratic hold. |
√ John L. M. Irby (Democratic) Wade Hampton III (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
South Dakota | Gideon C. Moody | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected February 16, 1891.[5] Independent gain. Winner later became a Populist. |
√ James H. Kyle (Independent) 75 votes Bartlett Tripp 8 votes Norman B. Campbell 1 vote[5] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Vermont | Justin S. Morrill | Republican | 1866 1872 1878 1884 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1890. | √ Justin S. Morrill (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Washington | Watson C. Squire | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1891. | √ Watson C. Squire (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Wisconsin | John C. Spooner | Republican | 1885 | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1890. Democratic gain. |
√ William F. Vilas (Democratic) John C. Spooner (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Election during the 52nd Congress
In these elections, the winners were elected in 1891 after March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
California (Class 1) |
George Hearst | Democratic | 1887 | Incumbent died February 28, 1891. Winner was elected March 19, 1891. Republican gain. |
√ Charles N. Felton (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Florida | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect, see above. Incumbent re-elected May 26, 1891.[6] Democratic gain. |
√ Wilkinson Call (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Complete list of races
Idaho
In July 1890, Idaho became a state. In November, Fred Dubois helped engineer a plan for the Idaho Legislature to effectively elect three people to the U.S. Senate: Governor George Shoup to the Class 2 seat up for election in 1894, state constitutional convention member William J. McConnell to serve for the remainder of the Fifty-first United States Congress, ending in March 1891, and Dubois himself to succeed McConnell and serve a full six-year term in the Class 3 seat beginning in March 1891.
New York
The New York election was held January 20 and 21, 1891, by the New York State Legislature.
Republican William M. Evarts had been elected to this seat in 1885, and his term would expire on March 3, 1891.
At the State election in November 1889, 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1890-1891) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1890, 68 Democrats and 60 Republicans were elected for the session of 1891 to the Assembly. The 114th New York State Legislature met from January 6 to April 30, 1891, at Albany, New York.
The Democratic caucus met on January 19, 74 State legislators attended, and State Senator John C. Jacobs presided. Governor David B. Hill was nominated by acclamation.
The Republican caucus met immediately after the Democratic caucus ended, Assemblyman James W. Husted presided. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator William M. Evarts unanimously.
On January 20, both Houses of the State legislature took ballots separately. The incumbent U.S. Senator Evarts was the choice of the State Senate, Governor Hill the choice of the Assembly. On January 21, both Houses met in joint session, and comparing nominations, found that they disagreed and proceeded to a joint ballot. Governor Hill was elected by a majority of 2, every member of the Legislature being present.
House | Democratic | Republican | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
State Senate (32 members) |
David B. Hill | 13 | √ William M. Evarts | 19 |
State Assembly (128 members) |
√ David B. Hill | 65 | William M. Evarts | 58 |
Joint ballot (160 members) |
√ David B. Hill | 81 | William M. Evarts | 79 |
The seat became vacant on March 4, 1891. David B. Hill remained in office as Governor of New York until December 31, 1891, and took his seat only on January 7, 1892, missing actually only one month of session. There were no special sessions during the 52nd United States Congress and the regular session began only on December 7, 1891. Hill served a single term, and remained in the U.S. Senate until March 3, 1897. In January 1897, Hill was defeated for re-election by Republican Thomas C. Platt who had been a U.S. Senator briefly in 1881.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania election was held on January 20, 1891. J. Donald Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.[7]
The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 20, 1891. Incumbent Republican J. Donald Cameron, who was elected in an 1877 special election and re-elected in 1879 and 1885, was a successful candidate for re-election to another term. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | J. Donald Cameron (Inc.) | 144 | 56.69 | |
Democratic | Chauncey F. Black | 94 | 37.01 | |
Republican | Austin L. Taggart | 7 | 2.76 | |
Republican | Theodore L. Flood | 3 | 1.18 | |
Democratic | J. C. Sibley | 1 | 0.39 | |
Republican | Harry White | 1 | 0.39 | |
N/A | Not voting | 4 | 1.57 | |
Totals | 254 | 100.00% |
See also
References
- 1 2 "Congressional Series of United States Public Documents". Government Printing Office. 1893. p. 64.
- 1 2 Taft, et al., p. 727.
- 1 2 Clark, p. 221.
- ↑ Taylor & Taylor, p. 111, vol II.
- 1 2 "SENATOR JAMES H. KYLE.". The New York Times. February 17, 1891. p. 5.
- ↑ "CALL DECLARED ELECTED.". The New York Times. May 26, 1891. p. 1.
- 1 2 "U.S. Senate Election - 20 January 1891" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
- Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy, ed. "The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992". United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
- Clark, Dan Elbert (1913). "History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa". Iowa City, Iowa.
- Cox, Harold (January 31, 2007). "Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006". The Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
- Taft, George S.; Furber, George P.; Buck, George M.; Webb, Charles A.; Pierce, Herbert R. (1913). "Compilation of Senate Election Cases from 1789 to 1913". U.S. Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
- Taylor, William Alexander; Taylor, Aubrey Clarence (1899). Ohio statesmen and annals of progress: from the year 1788 to the year 1900. State of Ohio.
- Members of the 52nd United States Congress
- EXIT DAVID BENNETT HILL in NYT on January 20, 1891 [The headline expresses the erroneous belief that Hill, after his election, would resign the governorship and go to Washington, D.C.]
- HILL'S FRIENDS NERVOUS in NYT on January 21, 1891
- HILL'S MAJORITY OF TWO in NYT on January 22, 1891
- "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". via Senate.gov.