1888–89 United States Senate elections explained

Election Name:1888–89 United States Senate elections
Country:United States
Flag Year:1877
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1886–87 United States Senate elections
Next Election:1890–91 United States Senate elections
Seats For Election:26 of the 76 seats in the United States Senate (as well as special elections)
Majority Seats:39
Election Date:Dates vary by state
1Blank:Seats up
2Blank:Races won
Party1:Republican Party (US)
Leader1:George F. Edmunds
Image1:George F. Edmunds - Brady-Handy.jpg
Leader Since1:March 4, 1885
Leaders Seat1:Vermont
Seats Before1:38
Seats After1:38
1Data1:12
2Data1:12
Party2:Democratic Party (US)
Leader2:James B. Beck
(retired)
Leader Since2:March 4, 1885
Leaders Seat2:Kentucky
Seats Before2:37
Seats After2:37
1Data2:13
2Data2:13
Party4:Readjuster Party
Seats Before4:1
Seats4:0
Seats After4:0
Seat Change4: 1
1Data4:1
Majority Party
Before Party:Republican
After Party:Republican

The 1888–89 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with Benjamin Harrison's victory over incumbent President Grover Cleveland. 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 1888 and 1889, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.

Both parties were unchanged in the regular elections, but later special elections would give Republicans an eight-seat majority, mostly from newly admitted states.

Results summary

Senate party division, 51st Congress (1889–1891)

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

DDDDDDDD
width=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px D
D
D
D
D
DDDDDD
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
RA
Majority with Readjuster in caucus →R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
RRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRR

After the elections

DDDDDDDD
width=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px D
D
D
D
D
DDDDDD
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
V
Majority due to vacancy →R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
RRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRR

Beginning of the next Congress

DDDDDDDD
width=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px D
DDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDR
Majority →
RRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRR

End of 1889

D
width=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px Dwidth=50px D
DDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDR
R
R
R
Majority →
RR
R
RRRRRR
R
RRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRR
R
Key:
align=center width=35px DDemocratic
align=center width=35px RAReadjuster
align=center width=35px RRepublican
align=center width=35px VVacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 50th Congress

There were no special elections during 1888 or in 1889 before March 4.

Races leading to the 51st Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1889; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
AlabamaJohn Tyler MorganDemocratic1876
1882		Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
ArkansasJames BerryDemocratic1885 Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap
ColoradoThomas M. BowenRepublican1882 or 1883Unknown if retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1889.
Republican hold.		nowrap
DelawareEli SaulsburyDemocratic1870
1876
1883		Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1888 or 1889.
Republican gain.		nowrap
GeorgiaAlfred H. ColquittDemocratic1883Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
IllinoisShelby M. CullomRepublican1882Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
IowaJames F. WilsonRepublican1882Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1888.nowrap
KansasPreston B. PlumbRepublican1877
1883		Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
KentuckyJames B. BeckDemocratic1876
1882		Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
LouisianaRandall L. GibsonDemocratic1882Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap
MaineWilliam P. FryeRepublicannowrap 1881
1883		Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap
MassachusettsGeorge Frisbie HoarRepublican1877
1883		Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap
MichiganThomas W. PalmerRepublican1882 or 1883Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1889.
Republican hold.		nowrap
MinnesotaDwight M. SabinRepublican1883Incumbent lost renomination.
Winner elected in 1888.
Republican hold.		nowrap
MississippiEdward C. WalthallDemocratic1885
1886 		Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap
NebraskaCharles F. MandersonRepublican1883Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
New HampshireWilliam E. ChandlerRepublican1887 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect.
Republican loss.
An interim senator was appointed to start the next term and the incumbent was later elected to finish that term, see below.
New JerseyJohn R. McPhersonDemocratic1877
1883		Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap
North CarolinaMatt W. RansomDemocratic1872
1876
1883		Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap
OregonJoseph N. DolphRepublican1882Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
Rhode IslandJonathan ChaceRepublican1885 Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
South CarolinaMatthew ButlerDemocratic1876
1882		Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
TennesseeIsham G. HarrisDemocratic1877
1883		Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap
TexasRichard CokeDemocratic1876
1882		Incumbent re-elected in 1888.nowrap
VirginiaHarrison H. RiddlebergerReadjuster1881Incumbent retired.
Winner elected early December 20, 1887.[2]
Democratic gain.		nowrap
West VirginiaJohn E. KennaDemocratic1883Incumbent re-elected in 1889.nowrap

Elections during the 51st Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1889 after March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Rhode Island
(Class 2)		Jonathan ChaceRepublican1885
1888		Incumbent resigned April 9, 1889.
Winner was elected April 10, 1889.
Republican hold.		nowrap
New Hampshire
(Class 2)		Gilman MarstonRepublican1889 Unknown if interim appointee retired or lost election to finish the term.
Winner elected June 18, 1889.
Republican hold.		nowrap
South Dakota
(Class 2)		New stateSouth Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889.
First senators elected October 16, 1889, in advance of statehood.[3]
Republican gain.		nowrap
South Dakota
(Class 3)		South Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889.
First senators elected October 16, 1889, in advance of statehood.
Republican gain.		nowrap
Washington
(Class 1)		New stateWashington admitted to the Union November 11, 1889.
First senator elected November 20, 1889.
Republican gain.		nowrap
Washington
(Class 3)		Washington admitted to the Union November 11, 1889.
First senator elected November 20, 1889.
Republican gain.		nowrap
North Dakota
(Class 1)		New stateNorth Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889.
First senators elected November 25, 1889.[4]
Republican gain.		nowrap
North Dakota
(Class 3)		North Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889.
First senators elected November 25, 1889.
Republican gain.		nowrap

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913). National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
  2. http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Barbour_John_S_1820-1892 John S. Barbour Jr.
  3. Journal of the House of Representatives…, p. 11
  4. Journal of the House of the First Legislative Assembly…, p. 63-64

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