1850 United States elections

1850 United States elections

← 1848          1849         1850         1851          1852 → Midterm elections
Incumbent president	Millard Fillmore (Whig)
Next Congress	32nd
Senate elections
Overall control	Democratic hold
Seats contested	21 of 62 seats [1]
Net seat change	Democratic -2 [2]
House elections
Overall control	Democratic hold
Seats contested	All 233 voting seats
Net seat change	Democratic +7 [2]

Elections occurred part way through Whig President Millard Fillmore's term, during the Second Party System. Fillmore had become president on July 9, 1850, upon the death of President Zachary Taylor. Members of the 32nd United States Congress were also chosen in this election. Democrats kept control of both houses of the Congress of the United States.

In the House, Democrats won several seats from the Whigs, building on their continued control of the chamber. Several supporters of the Georgia Platform also won election as Unionists. ^[3]

In the Senate, Whigs lost a small number of seats to Democrats and the minor Free Soil Party. Democrats however retained a strong majority. ^[4]

See also

• 1850–51 United States House of Representatives elections
• 1850–51 United States Senate elections

References

1. Not counting special elections.
2. Congressional seat gain figures only reflect the results of the regularly-scheduled elections, and do not take special elections into account.
3. "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
4. "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". United States Senate. Retrieved June 25, 2014.