United States elections, 1866

Partisan control of Congress and the presidency
Previous party
Incoming party
President National Union National Union
House Republican Republican
Senate Republican Republican

The 1866 United States elections occurred in the middle of National Union/Democratic President Andrew Johnson's term, during the Third Party System and Reconstruction. Johnson took office in 1865, upon the assassination of his predecessor, Abraham Lincoln. Members of the 40th United States Congress were chosen in this election. As this was the first election after the Civil War, many ex-Confederates were barred from voting, and several Southern states did not take part in the election. Delegations from Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Louisiana, and South Carolina were re-admitted during the 40th Congress.

President Andrew Johnson held a National Union Convention in hopes of rallying supporters against the Radical Republicans. However, the Republican Party maintained a dominant majority in both houses of Congress, and ultimately impeached Johnson in 1868.

In the House, both parties picked up several seats, but Republicans retained a majority.[1]

In the Senate, Republicans won massive gains and increased their already-dominant majority, while Democrats suffered slight losses.[2]

See also

References

  1. "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  2. "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". United States Senate. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
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