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18 of the 54 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 28 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The United States Senate elections of 1844 and 1845 were elections which, coinciding with James K. Polk's election, had the Democratic Party retake control of the United States Senate, gaining a net total of eleven seats from the Whigs.
James Knox Polk was the 11th president of the United States from 1845 to 1849. He previously was speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and governor of Tennessee (1839–1841). A protégé of Andrew Jackson, he was a member of the Democratic Party and an advocate of Jacksonian democracy. Polk is chiefly known for extending the territory of the United States during the Mexican–American War; during his presidency, the United States expanded significantly with the annexation of the Republic of Texas, the Oregon Territory, and the Mexican Cession following the American victory in the Mexican–American War.
The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. Tracing its heritage back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's Democratic-Republican Party, the modern-day Democratic Party was founded around 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest active political party.
As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.
The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established the popular election of United States Senators by the people of the states. The amendment supersedes Article I, §3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were elected by state legislatures. It also alters the procedure for filling vacancies in the Senate, allowing for state legislatures to permit their governors to make temporary appointments until a special election can be held.
A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 25 states, the legislature is simply called the Legislature, or the State Legislature, while in 19 states, the legislature is called the General Assembly. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the General Court, while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature the Legislative Assembly.
Senate Party Division, 29th Congress (1845–1847)
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | ||||
D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 |
D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 Ran | D21 Ran | D22 Ran | D23 Ran | D24 Retired | LO1 Retired | W27 Retired |
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Majority → | |||||||||
W17 Ran | W18 Ran | W19 Ran | W20 Ran | W21 Unknown | W22 Unknown | W23 Retired | W24 Retired | W25 Retired | W26 Retired |
W16 | W15 | W14 | W13 | W12 | W11 | W10 | W9 | W8 | W7 |
W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 |
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |||
D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 |
D18 | D19 | D20 Re-elected | D21 Re-elected | D22 Re-elected | D23 Re-elected | D24 Gain | D25 Gain | D26 Gain | D27 Gain |
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Majority → | |||||||||
W18 Re-elected | W19 Re-elected | W20 Hold | W21 Hold | W22 Hold | W23 Gain | W24 Gain | V1 W Loss | V2 New seat | V3 New seat |
W17 Re-elected | W16 | W15 | W14 | W13 | W12 | W11 | W10 | W9 | W8 |
W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 |
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |||
D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 |
D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | V4 D Loss |
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Majority ↑ | |||||||||
W18 | W19 | W20 | W21 | W22 | W23 | W24 | V1 | V2 | V3 |
W17 | W16 | W15 | W14 | W13 | W12 | W11 | W10 | W9 | W8 |
W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 |
D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | |||
D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 |
D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 Hold | D25 Hold | D26 Hold | D27 Gain |
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Majority → | D28 Gain | ||||||||
W18 | W19 | W20 | W21 | W22 | W23 Hold | W24 Hold | D30 Gain | D29 Gain | |
W17 | W16 | W15 | W14 | W13 | W12 | W11 | W10 | W9 | W8 |
W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 |
Key: |
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In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1844 or in 1845 before March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Rhode Island (Class 1) | William Sprague | Whig | 1842 (Special) | Incumbent resigned January 17, 1844. Winner elected January 25, 1844. Law and Order gain. | √ John B. Francis (Law and Order) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Louisiana (Class 3) | Alexander Porter | Whig | 1833 (Special) 1837 (Resigned) 1843 | Incumbent died January 13, 1844. Winner elected February 12, 1844. Whig hold. | √ Henry Johnson (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Arkansas (Class 2) | William S. Fulton | Democratic | 1836 (Special) 1840 | Incumbent died August 15, 1844. Winner elected November 8, 1844. Democratic hold. | √ Chester Ashley (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
New York (Class 1) | Daniel S. Dickinson | Democratic | 1844 (Appointed) | Appointee elected January 18, 1845. Winner would later be elected to the next term, see below. | √ Daniel S. Dickinson (Democratic) 27 Millard Fillmore (Whig) 3 Jonathan Thompson (American Republican) 1 |
New York (Class 3) | Henry A. Foster | Democratic | 1844 (Appointed) | Unknown if appointee retired or lost election. Winner elected January 18, 1845. Democratic hold. | √ John Adams Dix (Democratic) 27 Willis Hall (Whig) 3 Harman B. Cropsey (American Republican) 1 |
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1845; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Connecticut | Jabez W. Huntington | Whig | 1840 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1844 or 1845. | √ Jabez W. Huntington (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Delaware | Richard H. Bayard | Whig | 1836 (Special) 1838 or 1839 1839 (Resigned) 1841 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1845. Whig hold. | √ John M. Clayton (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Florida | New state | Florida was admitted March 3, 1845, but its first Class 1 Senator was elected late, during the next Congress. Vacant. | None. | ||
Indiana | Albert White | Whig | 1838 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1844. Democratic gain. | √ Jesse D. Bright (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Maine | John Fairfield | Democratic | 1843 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1844 or 1845. | √ John Fairfield (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Maryland | William Merrick | Whig | 1838 (Special) 1839 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1844 or 1845. Whig hold. | √ Reverdy Johnson (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Massachusetts | Rufus Choate | Whig | 1841 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1845. Whig hold. | √ Daniel Webster (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Michigan | Augustus S. Porter | Whig | 1840 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1844 or 1845. Democratic gain. | √ Lewis Cass (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Mississippi | John Henderson | Whig | 1838 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost. Winner elected in 1844. Democratic gain. | √ Jesse Speight (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Missouri | Thomas H. Benton | Democratic | 1821 1827 1833 1839 | Incumbent re-elected in 1845. | √ Thomas H. Benton (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
New Jersey | William L. Dayton | Whig | 1842 (Appointed) ? (Special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1845. | √ William L. Dayton (Whig) |
New York | Daniel S. Dickinson | Democratic | 1844 (Appointed) 1845 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected February 4, 1845. | √ Daniel S. Dickinson (Democratic) 25 John C. Clark (Whig) 4 |
Ohio | Benjamin Tappan | Democratic | 1838 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected December 5, 1844. [1] Whig gain. | √ Thomas Corwin (Whig) David T. Disney (Democratic) 46 votes Ebenezer Lane 1 vote. [1] |
Pennsylvania | Daniel Sturgeon | Democratic | 1840 | Incumbent re-elected January 14, 1845. | √ Daniel Sturgeon (Democratic) 54.14% James Cooper (Whig) 36.84% John Ashmead (Know Nothing) 3.76% E. W. Keyser (Know Nothing) 1.50% Jacob Broom (Know Nothing) 0.75% E. C. Reigert (Know Nothing) 0.75% John Sergeant (Whig) 0.75% Not voting 1.50% |
Rhode Island | John B. Francis | Law and Order | 1844 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1844 or 1845. Whig gain. | √ Albert C. Greene (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Tennessee | Ephraim H. Foster | Whig | 1838 (Special) 1839 (Re-elected, but resigned) 1843 (Special) | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1844. Democratic gain. | √ Hopkins L. Turney (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Vermont | Samuel S. Phelps | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected in 1845. | √ Samuel S. Phelps (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Virginia | William C. Rives | Whig | 1832 (Special) 1834 (Resigned) 1836 (Special) 1839 (Legislature failed to elect) 1841 (Special) | Legislature failed to elect. Whig loss. | [Data unknown/missing.] |
In these special elections, the winners were elected in 1845 after March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Pennsylvania (Class 3) | James Buchanan | Democratic | 1834 (Special) 1836 1843 | Incumbent resigned March 5, 1845 to become U.S. Secretary of State. Successor elected March 13, 1845. Democratic hold. | √ Simon Cameron (Democratic) 50.38% George W. Woodward (Democratic) 41.35% J. R. Ingersoll (Whig) 1.50% John Banks (Whig) 0.75% Peter A. Brown (Know Nothing) 0.75% Thomas S. Bell (Unknown) 0.75% T. D. Cochran (Whig) 0.75% Not voting 3.76% |
Massachusetts (Class 2) | Isaac C. Bates | Whig | 1841 (Special) 1841 | Incumbent died March 16, 1845. Successor elected March 24, 1845. Whig hold. | √ John Davis (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Florida (Class 1) | New state | Florida was admitted March 3, 1845. Its first Senators were elected July 1, 1845. Democratic gain. | √ David Levy Yulee (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] | ||
Florida (Class 3) | New state | Florida was admitted March 3, 1845. Its first Senators were elected July 1, 1845. Democratic gain. | √ James Westcott (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] | ||
Georgia (Class 2) | John M. Berrien | Whig | 1825 1829 (Resigned) 1840 | Incumbent resigned in May 1845 to become judge of the Supreme Court of Georgia. He did not remain on the court, however, and was re-elected November 13, 1845. Whig hold. | √ John M. Berrien (Whig) [Data unknown/missing.] |
South Carolina (Class 2) | Vacant | Incumbent Democrat Daniel E. Huger had resigned in the previous Congress. Winner was elected November 26, 1845. Democratic gain. | √ John C. Calhoun (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] | ||
Virginia (Class 1) | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. Winner elected late December 3, 1845. Democratic gain. | √ Isaac S. Pennybacker (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Two special elections were held on January 18, 1845 and one regular election was held on February 4, 1845.
Nathaniel P. Tallmadge had been re-elected in 1840 to the Class 1 seat (term 1839-1845), but resigned on June 17, 1844, to be appointed Governor of Wisconsin Territory by President John Tyler. On November 30, Governor William C. Bouck appointed Lieutenant Governor Daniel S. Dickinson to fill the vacancy temporarily, and Dickinson took his seat on December 9, 1844.
Nathaniel P. Tallmadge was an American lawyer and politician. He was a U.S. Senator from New York and Governor of the Wisconsin Territory.
John Tyler was the tenth president of the United States from 1841 to 1845 after briefly being the tenth vice president (1841); he was elected to the latter office on the 1840 Whig ticket with President William Henry Harrison. Tyler ascended to the presidency after Harrison's death in April 1841, only a month after the start of the new administration. He was a stalwart supporter of states' rights, and as president he adopted nationalist policies only when they did not infringe on the powers of the states. His unexpected rise to the presidency, with the resulting threat to the presidential ambitions of Henry Clay and other politicians, left him estranged from both major political parties.
William Christian Bouck was an American politician from New York. He was the 13th Governor of New York from 1843 to 1844.
Silas Wright, Jr. had been re-elected in 1843 to the Class 3 seat (term 1843-1849), but resigned on November 26, 1844, after his election as Governor of New York. On November 30, Governor William C. Bouck appointed State Senator Henry A. Foster to fill the vacancy temporarily, and Foster took his seat on December 9, 1844.
The Governor of New York is the chief executive of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces.
Henry Allen Foster was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a United States Senator from 1844 to 1845.
The 68th New York State Legislature met from January 7 to May 14, 1845, and the majority Democrats were split between two factions: the "Hunkers" and the "Barnburners". At the Democratic caucus for Speaker Hunker Horatio Seymour received 35 votes against 30 for Barnburner William C. Crain. Both of the temporarily appointed U.S. Senators, Dickinson and Foster, were also Hunkers, but the Barnburners claimed one of the seats.
The 68th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to May 14, 1845, during the first year of Silas Wright's governorship, in Albany.
The New York State Democratic Committee is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of New York. Its headquarters are in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and it has an office in Albany.
Horatio Seymour was an American politician. He served as Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president in the 1868 presidential election.
A Democratic caucus to nominate candidates for the U.S. Senate met in January [2] with 93 state legislators present. To fill the Class 3 vacancy caused by the resignation of Silas Wright, Barnburner John Adams Dix was nominated with 51 votes against Hunker Chief Justice Samuel Nelson with 41 votes. To fill the Class 1 vacancy caused by the resignation of Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, for the remainder of the term which would expire on March 3 next, the incumbent Hunker appointee, Daniel S. Dickinson, was re-nominated.
John Adams Dix was Secretary of the Treasury, Governor of New York and Union major general during the Civil War. He was notable for arresting the pro-Southern Maryland legislature, preventing that divided border state from seceding, and for arranging a system for prisoner exchange via the Dix–Hill Cartel, concluded in partnership with Confederate Major General Daniel Harvey Hill.
Samuel Nelson was an American attorney and appointed as judge of New York State courts. He was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1872. He concurred on the 1857 Dred Scott decision, although for reasons different than Chief Justice Taney.
After these nominations were made, it was moved to adjourn, and to postpone the nomination of a candidate for the full term beginning on March 4, which was rejected by a vote of 55 to 37. Dickinson was then nominated to succeed himself for a full term (1845-1851). The vote was 54 for Dickinson, 13 votes for the Barnburner ex-Congressman Michael Hoffman, 3 votes for the Barnburner ex-Congressman Freeborn G. Jewett , 1 for Hunker Samuel Nelson, and 4 blanks. Many Barnburners refused to vote on this nomination, and then opposed the motion to make the nomination unanimous.
House | Democratic | Whig | American Republican | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State Senate (32 members) | √ John Adams Dix | 27 | Willis Hall | 3 | Harman B. Cropsey | 1 |
State Assembly (128 members) | √ John Adams Dix |
House | Democratic | Whig | American Republican | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State Senate (32 members) | √ Daniel S. Dickinson | 27 | Millard Fillmore | 3 | Jonathan Thompson | 1 |
State Assembly (128 members) | √ Daniel S. Dickinson |
House | Democratic | Whig | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
State Senate (32 members) | √ Daniel S. Dickinson | 25 | John C. Clark | 4 |
State Assembly (128 members) | √ Daniel S. Dickinson |
Dickinson re-took his seat under the new credentials on January 27, 1845, and re-elected, remained in office until March 3, 1851, when his term expired. Dix took his seat on January 27, 1845, and remained in office until March 3, 1849, when his term expired.
The general election was held on January 14, 1845. Incumbent Daniel Sturgeon was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate. [3] The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 14, 1845, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1845. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Daniel Sturgeon (Inc.) | 72 | 54.14 | |
Whig | James Cooper | 49 | 36.84 | |
Know Nothing | John Ashmead | 5 | 3.76 | |
Know Nothing | E. W. Keyser | 2 | 1.50 | |
Know Nothing | Jacob Broom | 1 | 0.75 | |
Know Nothing | E. C. Reigert | 1 | 0.75 | |
Whig | John Sergeant | 1 | 0.75 | |
N/A | Not voting | 2 | 1.50 | |
Totals | 133 | 100.00% |
A special election was held on March 13, 1845. Simon Cameron was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate. [5] Democrat and future President of the United States James Buchanan was elected to the United States Senate by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, in an 1834 special election and was re-elected in 1836 and 1843. Sen. Buchanan resigned on March 5, 1845, after being appointed U.S. Secretary of State by President James K. Polk. [6] Following the resignation of Sen. Buchanan, the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on March 13, 1845, to elect a new Senator to fill the vacancy and serve the remainder of the term set to expire on March 4, 1849. Five ballots were recorded. The results of the fifth and final ballot of both houses combined are as follows:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Simon Cameron | 67 | 50.38 | |
Democratic | George W. Woodward | 55 | 41.35 | |
Whig | J. R. Ingersoll | 2 | 1.50 | |
Whig | John Banks | 1 | 0.75 | |
Know Nothing | Peter A. Brown | 1 | 0.75 | |
Unknown | Thomas S. Bell | 1 | 0.75 | |
Whig | T. D. Cochran | 1 | 0.75 | |
N/A | Not voting | 5 | 3.76 | |
Totals | 133 | 100.00% |
Daniel Stevens Dickinson was a New York politician, most notable as a United States Senator from 1844 to 1851.
The United States Senate elections of 1908 and 1909, some states elected their senators directly even before passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913. Oregon pioneered direct election and experimented with different measures over several years until it succeeded in 1907. Soon after, Nebraska followed suit and laid the foundation for other states to adopt measures reflecting the people's will. By 1912, as many as 29 states elected senators either as nominees of their party's primary or in conjunction with a general election. The Republicans lost two seats overall.
The 1845 United States Senate special election in New York was held on January 18, 1845 by the New York State Legislature to elect two U.S. Senators to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate. The regular 1845 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 4, 1845, to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The 1849 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 6, 1849, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The 1851 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 4 and March 18/19, 1851, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The 1855 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 6, 1855, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The United States Senate elections of 1850 and 1851 were elections which had the Democratic Party lose seats, but retain a majority in the United States Senate.
The United States Senate elections of 1848 and 1849 were elections which had the Democratic Party lose seats but maintain control of the United States Senate.
The United States Senate elections of 1854 and 1855 were elections which saw the final decline of the Whig Party and the continuing majority of the Democrats. Those Whigs in the South who were opposed to secession ran on the "Opposition Party" ticket, and were elected to a minority. Along with the Whigs, the Senate roster also included Free Soilers, Know Nothings, and a new party: the Republicans. Only five of the twenty-one Senators up for election were re-elected.
The United States Senate elections of 1874 and 1875 had the Democratic Party gain nine seats in the United States Senate from the Republican Party. Republicans remained in the majority, however.
The United States Senate elections of 1878 and 1879 were elections which had the Democratic Party retake control of the United States Senate for the first time since before the Civil War.
The United States Senate elections of 1880 and 1881 were elections that coincided with the presidential election of 1880, and had the Democratic Party lose five seats in the United States Senate. The newly elected Readjuster senator caucused with the Republicans, and the Republican Vice President's tie-breaking vote gave the Republicans the slightest majority. All of that changed September 19, 1881 when the Vice President ascended to the Presidency and the Senate became evenly-divided.
The United States Senate elections of 1886 and 1887 were elections that had the Republican Party lose two seats in the United States Senate. At the beginning of the 50th Congress, therefore, Republicans had the slimmest possible majority due to a vacant Democratic seat: 38 out of 75 seats. Once that vacancy was filled, Republicans maintained control as the single Readjuster Senator caucused with them.
The United States Senate elections of 1842 and 1843 were elections which had the Whigs lose seats but maintain control of the United States Senate. Although they lost three seats in the general elections, they gained two of them back by the start of the first session in special elections.
The United States Senate elections of 1840 and 1841 were elections which, corresponding with their Party's success in the 1840 presidential election, had the Whig Party take control of the United States Senate.
The United States Senate elections of 1860 and 1861 were elections corresponding with Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency. The nascent Republican Party increased their Senate seats in the general elections, and after southern Democrats withdrew to join the Confederacy, Republicans gained control of the United States Senate. To establish a quorum with fewer members, a lower total seat number was taken into account.
The United States Senate elections of 1862 and 1863 were elections during the American Civil War in which Republicans increased their control of the U.S. Senate. The Republican Party gained three seats, bringing their majority to 66% of the body. Also caucusing with them were Unionists and Unconditional Unionists. As many Southern states seceded in 1860 and 1861, and members left the Senate to join the Confederacy, or were expelled for supporting the rebellion, seats were declared vacant. To establish a quorum with fewer members, a lower total seat number was taken into account.
The 67th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to May 7, 1844, during the second year of William C. Bouck's governorship, in Albany.
The 1845 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania was held on March 13, 1845. Simon Cameron was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.