1872 and 1873 United States Senate elections

The United States Senate elections of 1872 and 1873 were elections which had the Republican Party, while still retaining a commanding majority, lose two seats in the United States Senate. By the beginning of the Congress, however, they'd lost three more: two as defections to the Liberal Republican Party, and one a resignation of Henry Wilson to become U.S. Vice President. These elections also coincided with President Ulysses S. Grant's easy re-election.

For related races, see 1872 United States elections.

1872 and 1873 United States Senate elections
Dates vary by state
(And other dates for special elections)
24 of the 74 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
38 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Party Republican Democratic Liberal Republican
Last election 58 seats 9 seats 0 seats
Seats before 56 17 1
Seats won 18 5 0
Seats after 54 19 0
Seat change 2 2 1
Seats up 20 3 1
Majority Party before election


Republican

 Elected Majority Party


Republican

As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures.

Results summary

Senate Party Division, 43rd Congress (1873–1875)

  • Majority Party: Republican (50–51)
  • Minority Party: Democratic (19–20)
  • Other Parties: Liberal Republican (3–2)
  • Vacant: (2–1)
  • Total Seats: 74

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the January 30, 1872 special election in North Carolina.

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1
D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15
Ran		 D16
Unknown		 D17
Unknown
R48
Unknown		 R49
Unknown		 R50
Unknown		 R51
Retired		 R52
Retired		 R53
Retired		 R54
Retired		 R55
Retired		 R56
Resigned		 LR1
Retired
R47
Ran		 R46
Ran		 R45
Ran		 R44
Ran		 R43
Ran		 R42
Ran		 R41
Ran		 R40
Ran		 R39
Ran		 R38
Ran
Majority →
R28 R29 R30 R31 R32 R33 R34 R35 R36 R37
Ran
R27 R26 R25 R24 R23 R22 R21 R20 R19 R18
R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17
R7 R6 R5 R4 R3 R2 R1

Result of the elections
D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1
D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15
Hold		 D16
Hold		 D17
Hold
R48
Hold		 R49
Hold		 R50
Hold		 R51
Hold		 R52
Hold		 R53
Gain		 LR1
Re-elected, new party		 V1
R Loss		 D19
Gain		 D18
Gain
R47
Hold		 R46
Hold		 R45
Hold		 R44
Hold		 R43
Re-elected		 R42
Re-elected		 R41
Re-elected		 R40
Re-elected		 R39
Re-elected		 R38
Re-elected
Majority → R37
Re-elected
R28 R29 R30 R31 R32 R33 R34 R35 R36
R27 R26 R25 R24 R23 R22 R21 R20 R19 R18
R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17
R7 R6 R5 R4 R3 R2 R1

Beginning of the next Congress
D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1
D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16 D17
R48 R49 R50 LR1 LR2
Changed		 LR3
Changed		 V1 V2
Resigned		 D19 D18
R47 R46 R45 R44 R43 R42 R41 R40 R39 R38
Majority → R37
R28 R29 R30 R31 R32 R33 R34 R35 R36
R27 R26 R25 R24 R23 R22 R21 R20 R19 R18
R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17
R7 R6 R5 R4 R3 R2 R1
Key:
D# Democratic
LR# Liberal Republican
R# Republican
V# Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 42nd Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1872 or in 1873 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
North Carolina
(Class 2)		 Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.
New member elected January 30, 1872.
Democratic gain.
Kentucky
(Class 3)		 Willis B. Machen Democratic 1872 (Appointed) Interim appointee elected January 21, 1873.
Winner was not elected to the next term, see below.
Louisiana
(Class 3)		 William P. Kellogg Republican 1868 Incumbent resigned November 1, 1872 to become Governor of Louisiana.
The seat remained vacant for the remainder of the term.
The seat also remained vacant until January 12, 1876, due to a Senate dispute, see below.[2]
Republican loss.
  • Pinckney B. S. Pinchback (Republican)
  • John Ray[3]
  • [data unknown/missing]

Races leading to the 43rd Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1873; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Alabama George E. Spencer Republican 1868 (Readmission) Incumbent re-elected in 1872.
Arkansas Benjamin F. Rice Republican 1868 (Readmission) Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1872 or 1873.
Republican hold.
California Cornelius Cole Republican 1866 or 1867 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1872 or 1873.
Republican hold.
Connecticut Orris S. Ferry Republican 1866 Incumbent re-elected May 15, 1872 in a different party.
Liberal Republican gain.
Florida Thomas W. Osborn Republican 1868 (Readmission) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1872 or 1873.
Republican hold.
Georgia Joshua Hill Republican 1867 (Elected but not seated)
1871 (Admitted)		 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1873.
Democratic gain.
Illinois Lyman Trumbull Liberal Republican 1855
1861
1867		 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected January 20, 1873.
Republican gain.
Iowa James Harlan Republican 1855
1857 (Election invalidated)
1857 (Special)
1860
1865 (Resigned)
1866		 Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected January 17, 1872.[6]
Republican hold.
Indiana Oliver P. Morton Republican 1867 Incumbent re-elected in 1873.
Kansas Samuel C. Pomeroy Republican 1861
1867		 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1873.
Republican hold.
Kentucky Willis B. Machen Democratic 1872 (Appointed) Unknown if incumbent interim appointee retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1872.
Democratic hold.
Winner was not elected to finish the current term, see above.
Louisiana Vacant Predecessor had resigned November 1, 1872 to become Governor of Louisiana.
The seat remained vacant for the remainder of the term, see above.
The seat also remained vacant until January 12, 1876, due to a Senate dispute.[2]		 Pinckney B. S. Pinchback (Republican)
William L. McMillen (Republican)
[data unknown/missing]
Maryland George Vickers Democratic 1868 (Special) Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1872 or in 1873.
Democratic hold.
Missouri Francis Blair Democratic 1871 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1872 or 1873.
Democratic hold.
Nevada James W. Nye Republican 1865
1867		 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1873.
Republican hold.
New Hampshire James W. Patterson Republican 1866 or 1867 Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected in 1872.
Republican hold.
New York Roscoe Conkling Republican 1867 Incumbent re-elected January 21, 1873.
North Carolina John Pool Republican 1868 (Readmission) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1872.
Democratic gain.
Ohio John Sherman Republican 1861 (Special)
1866		 Incumbent re-elected in 1872.
Oregon Henry W. Corbett Republican 1866 or 1867 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1872.
Republican hold.
Pennsylvania Simon Cameron Republican 1867 Incumbent re-elected January 21, 1873.
South Carolina Frederick A. Sawyer Republican 1868 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1872 or 1873.
Republican hold.
Vermont Justin S. Morrill Republican 1866 Incumbent re-elected in 1872.
  • Y Justin S. Morrill (Republican)
  • [data unknown/missing]
Wisconsin Timothy O. Howe Republican 1861
1866		 Incumbent re-elected in 1872.

Elections during the 43rd Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1873 after March 4.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Massachusetts
(Class 2)		 Henry Wilson Republican 1855 (Special)
1859
1865
1871		 Incumbent resigned to become U.S. Vice President.
New senator elected March 12, 1873.[8]
Republican hold.
California
(Class 1)		 Eugene Casserly Democratic 1868 Incumbent resigned.
New senator elected December 23, 1873.[9]
Democratic hold.

Early election
State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
California
(Class 1)		 Eugene Casserly Democratic 1868 Incumbent resigned November 29, 1873.
New senator elected early December 20, 1873.[11]
Anti-Monopoly gain.

New York
Main article: 1873 United States Senate election in New York
See also: List of United States senators from New York and 1872 United States House of Representatives elections in New York

The New York election was held January 21, 1873.[lower-alpha 2] Republican Roscoe Conkling had been elected in January 1867 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1873.

At the State election in November 1871, 21 Republicans and 11 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1872-1873) in the State Senate. In 1872, a faction of the Republican Party opposed the re-election of President Ulysses S. Grant and the Radical Republicans who supported him, and under the name Liberal Republican Party nominated a joint ticket with the Democratic Party. At the State election in November 1872, 91 Republicans, 35 Democrats and 2 Independents were elected for the session of 1873 to the Assembly. The 96th New York State Legislature met from January 7 to May 30, 1873, at Albany, New York.

The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 8, State Senator William B. Woodin, of Auburn (25th D.), presided. 18 state senators and 88 assemblymen were present. They re-nominated Conkling unanimously. The caucus of the Democratic State legislators nominated Ex-First Judge of Dutchess County Charles Wheaton.

Roscoe Conkling was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.

House Republican Democratic Republican Liberal Republican
State Senate
(32 members)		 Roscoe Conkling 20 Charles A. Wheaton[lower-alpha 3] 5 William M. Evarts 1 Henry R. Selden 1
State Assembly
(128 members)		 Roscoe Conkling 92 Charles A. Wheaton 26        

Note: The vote for Ex-U.S. Attorney General William M. Evarts was cast by Norman M. Allen (32nd D.), the vote for Ex-Judge of the New York Court of Appeals Henry R. Selden by Gabriel T. Harrower (27th D.). Allen, Harrower and Abiah W. Palmer (11th D.) were the three Liberal Republicans in the State Senate.

Pennsylvania
Main article: 1873 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania and 1872 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania State Senate, voted on January 21, 1873. Incumbent Republican Simon Cameron, who was elected in 1867, won re-election.[12]

State Legislature Results[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Simon Cameron (Incumbent) 76 57.14
Democratic William A. Wallace 50 37.59
Liberal Republican Thomas Marshall 1 0.75
Democratic Hendrick Wright 1 0.75
N/A Not voting 5 3.76
Totals 133 100.00%
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See also

Notes
  1. Possibly Cornelius Cole
  2. Although the votes were cast on January 21, both Houses met in a joint session on January 22 to compare nominations, and declare the result.
  3. Charles A. Wheaton (1834-1886), lawyer, of Poughkeepsie, First Judge of the Dutchess County Court 1863-67

References
  1. Kleber, John E. The Kentucky Encyclopedia. p. 598.
  2. Taft, pp. 483–512.
  3. "LA - Louisiana". www.senate.gov.
  4. "CT US Senate". OurCampaigns.com. May 25, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2019., citing The Journal of the House of Representatives of Connecticut 1872.
  5. "Our Campaigns - IL US Senate Race - Jan 20, 1873". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  6. Clark, p. 167.
  7. Kleber, John E. The Kentucky Encyclopedia. p. 595.
  8. "Election of Ex-Secretary Boutwell as United States Senator". The New York Times. March 13, 1873. p. 1. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  9. "UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. RECENT DECISIONS / CURIOUS LAWSUIT. SENATOR HAGAR, OF CALIFORNIA". The New York Times. December 26, 1873. p. 1. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  10. "THE CALIFORNIA SENATORSHIP". The New York Times. December 17, 1873. p. 1. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  11. "THE CALIFORNIAN SENATORSHIP ELECTION OF BOOTH". The New York Times. December 21, 1873. p. 1. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  12. "U.S. Senate Election - 21 January 1873" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved December 22, 2013.

Sources
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