United States Senate elections, 1848 and 1849

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United States Senate elections, 1848 and 1849
Flag of the United States (1848-1851).svg
←  1846/47 Various dates 1850/51  →
19 of the 60 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
31 seats needed for a majority

 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Whig
Last election35 seats19 seats
Seats before3821
Seats won99
Seats after3325
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 5Increase2.svg 4
Seats up145
 Third partyFourth party
 
Party Independent Democratic Free Soil
Last election1 seats
Seats before0New party
Seats won01
Seats after11
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg 1
Seats up0
Majority Party before election

Democratic

Elected Majority Party

Democratic

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.

Contents

As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Results

Senate Party Division, 31st Congress (1849–1851)

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8D9D10
D20D19D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11
D21D22D23D24D25
Ran		D26
Ran		D27
Ran		D28
Ran		D29
Ran		D30
Ran
Majority →D31
Ran
W21
Unknown		ID1D38
Retired		D37
Retired		D36
Retired		D35
Retired		D34
Unknown		D33
Ran		D32
Ran
W20
Ran		W19
Ran		W18
Ran		W17
Ran		W16W15W14W13W12W11
W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10

As a result of the elections

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8D9D10
D20D19D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11
D21D22D23D24D25
Re-elected		D26
Re-elected		D27
Re-elected		D28
Re-elected		D29
Re-elected		D30
Hold
Majority →D31
Hold
W21
Gain		W22
Gain		W23
Gain		W24
Gain		W25
Gain		ID1FS1
Gain		D33
Gain		D32
Hold
W20
Hold		W19
Re-elected		W18
Re-elected		W17
Re-elected		W16W15W14W13W12W11
W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10

Note: "Re-elected" includes incumbent appointee elected to the next term.

Beginning of the next Congress

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8D9D10
D20D19D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11
D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28D29D30
Majority →D31
W21W22W23W24W25FS2FS1D33D32
W20W19W18W17W16W15W14W13W12W11
W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10
Key:
D# Democratic
ID# Independent Democratic
FS# Free Soil
W# Whig
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 30th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1848 or in 1849 before March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Mississippi
(Class 1)		 Jefferson Davis Democratic1847 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected January 11, 1848. [1] √ Jefferson Davis (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Connecticut
(Class 1)		 Roger S. Baldwin Whig1847 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected May 1848.√ Roger S. Baldwin (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maine
(Class 1)		 Wyman B. S. Moor Democratic1848 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired when successor elected June 7, 1848.
Democratic hold.		√ Hannibal Hamlin (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Wisconsin
(Class 1)		New StateWisconsin admitted to the Union May 29, 1848.
First senators elected June 8, 1848.
Democratic gain.		√ Henry Dodge (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Wisconsin
(Class 3)		New StateWisconsin admitted to the Union May 29, 1848.
First senators elected June 8, 1848.
Democratic gain.		√ Isaac P. Walker (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Alabama
(Class 3)		 Arthur P. Bagby Democratic 1841 (Special)
1842 		Incumbent resigned June 16, 1848 to become U.S. Minister to Russia.
Successor elected July 1, 1848.
Democratic hold.		√ William R. King (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Arkansas
(Class 2)		 William K. Sebastian Democratic1848 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected November 17, 1848. [2] √ William K. Sebastian (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Iowa
(Class 2)		New StateIowa was admitted to the Union December 28, 1846.
Legislature had failed to elect due to a three-way split that prevented any candidate from earning the required number of 30 legislators' votes. [3]
First senators elected December 7, 1848.
Democratic gain.		√ George Wallace Jones (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Iowa
(Class 3)		New StateIowa was admitted to the Union December 28, 1846.
Legislature had failed to elect due to a three-way split that prevented any candidate from earning the required number of 30 legislators' votes. [3]
First senators elected December 7, 1848.
Democratic gain.		√ Augustus C. Dodge (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Kentucky
(Class 2)		 Thomas Metcalfe Democratic1848 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected January 3, 1849. [4] √ Thomas Metcalfe (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Michigan
(Class 1)		 Thomas Fitzgerald Democratic1848 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
Successor elected January 20, 1849, but did not take his seat until March 4, 1849.
Democratic hold.		√ Lewis Cass (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Delaware
(Class 1)		 John M. Clayton Whig 1829
1835 		Incumbent resigned February 23, 1849 to become U.S. Secretary of State.
Successor elected February 23, 1849.
Whig hold.		√ John Wales (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Races leading to the 31st Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1849; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Alabama William R. King Democratic 1848 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1848 or 1849.√ William R. King (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Arkansas Solon Borland Democratic1848 (Appointed)Incumbent appointee elected to a full term in November 1848. [5] √ Solon Borland (Democratic)
Ambrose Sevier (Democratic) [5]
[Data unknown/missing.]
Connecticut John M. Niles Democratic 1842 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1848 or 1849.
Whig gain.		√ Truman Smith (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Florida James Westcott Democratic 1845 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1848.
Whig gain.		√ Jackson Morton (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Georgia Herschel Vespasian Johnson Democratic1848 (Appointed)Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1847. [6]
Whig gain.		√ William Crosby Dawson (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Illinois Sidney Breese Democratic 1843 Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected January 13, 1849.
Democratic hold.		√ James Shields (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Indiana Edward A. Hannegan Democratic 1842 Incumbent lost renomination.
Winner elected in 1848.
Democratic hold.		√ James Whitcomb (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Kentucky Thomas Metcalfe Whig1848 (Appointed)
? (Special)		Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1849.
Whig hold.		√ Henry Clay (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Louisiana Henry Johnson Whig 1844 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1848.
Democratic gain.		√ Pierre Soulé (Democratic)
Henry Johnson (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maryland James Pearce Whig 1843 Incumbent re-elected in 1849.√ James Pearce (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Missouri David Rice Atchison Democratic1843 (Appointed)
1843 (Special) 		Incumbent re-elected in 1849.√ David Rice Atchison (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
New Hampshire Charles G. Atherton Democratic 1843 (Special) Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1848 or 1849.
Democratic hold.		√ Moses Norris, Jr. (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
New York John Adams Dix Democratic 1845 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election as a Free Soiler.
Winner elected February 6, 1849.
Whig gain.		√ William H. Seward (Whig)
John Adams Dix (Free Soil)
Reuben H. Walworth (Democratic)
Daniel D. Barnard (Whig)
North Carolina George Badger Whig 1846 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1849.√ George Badger (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Ohio William Allen Democratic 1837
1842 		Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1849.
Free Soil gain.		√ Salmon P. Chase (Free Soil)
Thomas Ewing
William Allen (Democratic)
Joshua Reed Giddings
Reuben Hitchcock
Emery D. Potter
David T. Disney
John C. Vaughn
Pennsylvania Simon Cameron Democratic 1845 (Special) Incumbent retired.
Winner elected January 10, 1849.
Whig gain.		√ James Cooper (Whig) 49.62%
Richard Brodhead (Democratic) 46.62%
Thaddeus Stevens (Free Soil) 2.26%
South Carolina Andrew Butler Democratic1846 (Appointed)
? (Special)		Incumbent re-elected in 1848.√ Andrew Butler (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Vermont William Upham Whig 1843 Incumbent re-elected in 1848.√ William Upham (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Wisconsin Isaac P. Walker Democratic 1848 Incumbent re-elected in 1849.√ Isaac P. Walker (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Elections during the 31st Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1849 after March 4.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Illinois
(Class 3)		 James Shields Democratic1848 or 1849Senate voided election March 15, 1849 as incumbent was not to a U.S. citizen long enough as required by the U.S. Constitution.
Incumbent was re-elected October 27, 1849, having by then qualified.
Democratic hold.		√ James Shields (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Alabama
(Class 2)		 Benjamin Fitzpatrick Democratic1848 (Appointed)Unknown if interim appointee retired when successor elected or lost election to finish the term.
Winner elected November 30, 1849.
Democratic hold.		√ Jeremiah Clemens (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
California
(Class 1)		New stateCalifornia admitted as a new state on September 9, 1850.
New senator elected December 20, 1849 and later seated upon statehood.
Democratic gain.		√ John C. Frémont (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
California
(Class 3)		New stateCalifornia admitted as a new state on September 9, 1850.
New senator elected December 20, 1849 and later seated upon statehood.
Democratic gain.		√ William M. Gwin (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Individual elections

New York

The New York election was held February 6, 1849. Barnburner John Adams Dix had been elected in 1845 to this seat after the resignation of Silas Wright, and Dix's term would expire on March 3, 1849. In November 1848, Dix was the Barnburners/Free-Soilers candidate for Governor of New York, but was defeated by Whig Hamilton Fish.

At this time New York Democratic Party was split in two fiercely opposing factions: the Barnburners" and the "Hunkers". The Barnburners organized the Free Soil Party in 1848 and nominated Martin Van Buren for U.S. President. Due to the split, the Whig Party won most of the elective offices by pluralities.

At the State election in November 1847, 24 Whigs and 8 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1848-1849) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1848, 106 Whigs, 15 Free Soilers and 7 Hunkers were elected to the Assembly for the session of 1849. The 72nd New York State Legislature met from January 2 to April 11, 1849, at Albany, New York.

Ex-Governor of New York William H. Seward was nominated by a caucus of Whig State legislators on February 1, 1849. The vote was 88 for Seward, 12 for John A. Collier, 18 scattering and 4 blanks. The incumbent U.S. Senator John Adams Dix ran for re-election supported by the Free Soilers. Ex-Chancellor Reuben H. Walworth was the candidate of the Hunkers. Walworth had been third place in the last gubernatorial election, behind Fish and Dix. Ex-Congressman Daniel D. Barnard (Whig) received 2 scattering votes in the Senate. William H. Seward was the choice of both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected.

House Whig Free Soil Dem./Hunker also ran
State Senate (32 members) William H. Seward 19 John Adams Dix 6 Reuben H. Walworth 2 Daniel D. Barnard 2
State Assembly (128 members) William H. Seward 102 John Adams Dix 15 Reuben H. Walworth 7

Ohio

The two houses of the Ohio General Assembly met in joint session February 22, 1849, with 72 representatives and 35 senators present to elect a Senator (Class 3) to succeed incumbent Wiliam Allen. On the fourth ballot, Salmon P. Chase was elected with a majority of the votes cast, as follows: [7]

Ballot William Allen Thomas Ewing Joshua Reed Giddings Salmon P. Chase Reuben Hitchcock Emery D. Potter David T. Disney John C. Vaughnblank ballotstotal votes cast
12741914121011106
214185200004108
303995300022105
4039115500010106

The second ballot was declared a nullity by Speaker of the Senate Brewster Randall, because there were one more ballots cast than members present.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania election was held January 10, 1849. James Cooper was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. [8]

Incumbent Democrat Simon Cameron, who was elected in 1845, was not a candidate for re-election to another term. The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 10, 1849, to elect a new Senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1849. Three ballots were recorded. The results of the third and final ballot of both houses combined are as follows:

State Legislature Results [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig James Cooper 6649.62
Democratic Richard Brodhead 6246.62
Free Soil Thaddeus Stevens 32.26
N/ANot voting21.50
Totals133100.00%

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Byrd, p. 129.
  2. ↑ Byrd, p. 164.
  3. 1 2 Clark, pp. 17–46, 72–79.
  4. ↑ Byrd, p. 112.
  5. 1 2 http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=1595
  6. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=p90RAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA427&dq=%22william+c.+dawson%22&lr=&as_brr=1&ei=CsTkR7TALI-kswO9g9ncBA#v=onepage&q=%22william%20c.%20dawson%22&f=false
  7. ↑ Taylor, William Alexander; Taylor, Aubrey Clarence (1899). Ohio statesmen and annals of progress: from the year 1788 to the year 1900 ... State of Ohio. p. 232.
  8. 1 2 "U.S. Senate Election - 10 January 1849" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 22 December 2013.

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References

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