1882–83 United States Senate elections

The 1882–83 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. 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 1882 and 1883, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.^[2] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.

1882–83 United States Senate elections

← 1880 & 1881 Dates vary by state[a] 1884 & 1885 →
26 of the 76 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 39 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Henry B. Anthony[b] (retired) George H. Pendleton[c] Party Republican Democratic Leader since March 4, 1863 March 4, 1881 Leader's seat Rhode Island Ohio Seats before 37 37 Seats won 11 13 Seats after 37 36 Seat change 1 Seats up 11 14   Third party Fourth party   Leader William Mahone[d] Party Readjuster Independent Leader since March 4, 1881 Leader's seat Virginia Seats before 1 1 Seats won 1 0 Seats after 2 0 Seat change 1 1 Seats up 0 1
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      Readjuster gain      Legislature failed to elect
Majority Party before election Republican[1] Elected Majority Party Republican[1]

The Republicans retained a narrow majority — 39 (and later 40) out of 76 seats — with the Readjusters in their caucus.

Results summary

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

Parties						Total
		Democratic	Independent	Readjuster	Republican
Before these elections		37	1	1	37	76
Not up		23	0	1	26	50
	Class 1 (1880/81 → 1886/87)	9	0	1	15	25
	Class 3 (1878/79 → 1884/85)	14	0	0	11	25
Up		15	1	0	13	29
	Regular: Class 2	14	1	0	11	26
	Special: Class 1	0	0	0	0	0
	Special: Class 2	1	0	0	2	3
	Special: Class 3	0	0	0	0	0
Regular election
Incumbent retired		3	1	0	3	7
	Held by same party	2	0	—	2	4
	Replaced by other party	1 Independent replaced by 1 Republican 1 Republican replaced by 1 Democrat 1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican				3
	Result	3	0	0	4	7
Incumbent ran		11	0	0	8	19
	Won re-election	10	0	0	4	14
	Lost re-election and gained by other party	1 Democrat replaced by 1 Readjuster				1
	Lost re-election without an elected successor	1 Republican lost and legislature failed to elect				1
	Lost renomination but held by same party	0	0	0	3	3
	Result	10	0	1	7	18
Total elected		13	0	1	11	25
Net change		1	1	1		3
Result		36	0	2	37	75

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

After the November 15, 1882 special election in Georgia.

D8	D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1
D9	D10	D11	D12	D13	D14	D15	D16	D17	D18
D28 Ran	D27 Ran	D26 Ran	D25 Ran	D24 Ran	D23	D22	D21	D20	D19
D29 Ran	D30 Ran	D31 Ran	D32 Ran	D33 Ran	D34 Ran	D35 Retired	D36 Retired	D37 Retired	I1 Retired
Plurality, with Readjuster in caucus and VP tie-breaking vote ↓									RA1
R29 Ran	R30 Ran	R31 Ran	R32 Ran	R33 Ran	R34 Ran	R35 Retired	R36 Retired	R37 Retired
R28 Ran	R27 Ran	R26	R25	R24	R23	R22	R21	R20	R19
R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17	R18
R8	R7	R6	R5	R4	R3	R2	R1

After the elections

D8	D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1
D9	D10	D11	D12	D13	D14	D15	D16	D17	D18
D28 Re-elected	D27 Re-elected	D26 Re-elected	D25 Re-elected	D24 Re-elected	D23	D22	D21	D20	D19
D29 Re-elected	D30 Re-elected	D31 Re-elected	D32 Re-elected	D33 Re-elected	D34 Hold	D35 Hold	D36 Gain	V1 R Loss	RA2 Gain
Majority, with Readjusters in caucus ↓									RA1
R29 Re-elected	R30 Re-elected	R31 Hold	R32 Hold	R33 Hold	R34 Hold	R35 Hold	R36 Gain	R37 Gain
R28 Re-elected	R27 Re-elected	R26	R25	R24	R23	R22	R21	R20	R19
R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17	R18
R8	R7	R6	R5	R4	R3	R2	R1

Key:	D# Democratic I# Independent RA# Readjuster R# Republican V# Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 47th Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1882 or in 1883 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Iowa (Class 2)	James W. McDill	Republican	1881 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected January 25, 1882. Winner did not run for re-election; see below.	▌Y James W. McDill (Republican) ▌Moses M. Ham (Democratic) ▌Daniel Campbell (Unknown)[3]
Georgia (Class 2)	Benjamin H. Hill	Democratic	1877	Incumbent died August 16, 1882. New senator elected November 15, 1882. Democratic hold. Winner did not run for re-election; see below.	▌Y Pope Barrow (Democratic) [data missing]
Colorado (Class 2)	George M. Chilcott	Republican	1882 (appointed)	Interim appointee retired. New senator elected January 27, 1883. Republican hold. Winner did not run for re-election; see below.	▌Y Horace Tabor (Republican) [data missing]

Races leading to the 48th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1883; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Alabama	John T. Morgan	Democratic	1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1882.	▌Y John T. Morgan (Democratic) [data missing]
Arkansas	Augustus Garland	Democratic	1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1883.	▌Y Augustus Garland (Democratic) [data missing]
Colorado	Horace Tabor	Republican	1883 (special)	Incumbent retired. Republican hold.	▌Y Thomas M. Bowen (Republican) [data missing]
Delaware	Eli Saulsbury	Democratic	1870 1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1883.	▌Y Eli Saulsbury (Democratic) [data missing]
Georgia	Middleton P. Barrow	Democratic	1882 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1883. Democratic hold.	▌Y Alfred H. Colquitt (Democratic) [data missing]
Illinois	David Davis	Independent	1876–77	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1882. Republican gain.	▌Y Shelby M. Cullom (Republican) [data missing]
Iowa	James W. McDill	Republican	1881 (appointed) 1882 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 25, 1882. Republican hold.	▌Y James F. Wilson (Republican) ▌La Vega G. Kinne (Unknown) ▌Daniel P. Stubbs (Greenback)[3]
Kansas	Preston B. Plumb	Republican	1877	Incumbent re-elected January 24, 1883.[4]	▌Y Preston B. Plumb (Republican) 127 ▌John Martin (Democratic) 20 ▌J. G. Bayne (Unknown) 12 ▌John A. Anderson (Republican) 3 ▌George W. Glick (Democratic) 1[4]
Kentucky	James B. Beck	Democratic	1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1882.	▌Y James B. Beck (Democratic) [data missing]
Louisiana	Joseph R. West	Republican	1876	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1882. Democratic gain.	▌Y Randall L. Gibson (Democratic) [data missing]
Maine	William P. Frye	Republican	1881 (special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1883.	▌Y William P. Frye (Republican) [data missing]
Massachusetts	George Frisbie Hoar	Republican	1877	Incumbent re-elected in 1883.	▌Y George Frisbie Hoar (Republican) [data missing]
Michigan	Thomas W. Ferry	Republican	1871 1877	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1882 or 1883. Republican hold.	▌Y Thomas W. Palmer (Republican) [data missing]
Minnesota	William Windom	Republican	1870 (appointed) 1871 1877 1881 (special)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1883. Republican hold.	▌Y Dwight M. Sabin (Republican) [data missing]
Mississippi	Lucius Q. C. Lamar	Democratic	1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1883.	▌Y Lucius Q. C. Lamar (Democratic) [data missing]
Nebraska	Alvin Saunders	Republican	1877	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1883. Republican hold.	▌Y Charles F. Manderson (Republican) [data missing]
New Hampshire	Edward H. Rollins	Republican	1876	Incumbent lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss.	None.
New Jersey	John R. McPherson	Democratic	1877	Incumbent re-elected in 1883.	▌Y John R. McPherson (Democratic) 43 ▌Garret Hobart (Republican) 36 Others 2 [data missing]
North Carolina	Matt W. Ransom	Democratic	1872 (special) 1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1883.	▌Y Matt W. Ransom (Democratic) [data missing]
Oregon	La Fayette Grover	Democratic	1882–83	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1882. Republican gain.	▌Y Joseph N. Dolph (Republican) [data missing]
Rhode Island	Henry B. Anthony	Republican	1858 1864 1870 1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1882.	▌Y Henry B. Anthony (Republican) [data missing]
South Carolina	Matthew Butler	Democratic	1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1882.	▌Y Matthew Butler (Democratic) [data missing]
Tennessee	Isham G. Harris	Democratic	1877	Incumbent re-elected in 1883.	▌Y Isham G. Harris (Democratic) [data missing]
Texas	Richard Coke	Democratic	1876	Incumbent re-elected in 1882.	▌Y Richard Coke (Democratic) [data missing]
Virginia	John W. Johnston	Democratic	1871 1877	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected early December 21, 1881.[5] Readjuster gain. Winner caucused with the Republicans.[5]	▌Y Harrison H. Riddleberger (Readjuster) ▌John W. Johnston (Democratic) [data missing]
West Virginia	Henry G. Davis	Democratic	1871 1877	Incumbent retired. Democratic hold.	▌Y John E. Kenna (Democratic) [data missing]

Elections during the 48th Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1883 after March 4.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
New Hampshire	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected August 2, 1883.[6] Republican gain.	▌Y Austin F. Pike (Republican) 181 ▌Hiram Bingham III (Republican) 112 ▌Gilman Marston (Republican) 19 ▌Edward H. Rollins (Republican) 1 ▌William S. Ladd (Republican) 1 ▌Aaron F. Stevens (Republican) 1

Iowa

Main articles: 1882 United States Senate election in Iowa and 1882 United States Senate special election in Iowa

On January 25, 1882, the Iowa General Assembly elected James W. McDill (Republican) to finish the term over Moses M. Ham and Daniel Campbell.^[3] James F. Wilson (Republican) was elected to the full six-year term on January 25, 1882, over La Vega G. Kinne and Daniel P. Stubbs.^[3]

West Virginia

1883 United States Senate election in West Virginia

← 1877 January 23, 1883 1889 →
Needed to win: Majority of votes cast in each House of the Legislature 62 votes cast in the House, 32 needed 26 votes cast in the Senate, 14 needed
Candidate John E. Kenna George Loomis Party Democratic Republican House vote 37 votes 59.7% 22 votes 35.5% Senate vote 17 votes 65.4% 7 votes 26.9%
U.S. senator before election Henry G. Davis Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John E. Kenna Democratic

On January 23, 1883, each House of the West Virginia Legislature chose a senator to replace retiring incumbent, Henry G. Davis. In both chambers, the ballot was a three-way race between John E. Kenna, a Democratic congressman, George Loomis, a state judge and former state senator, and Berkeley County resident John Tabb Janney.^[7] In the House, the final count was 37 votes for Kenna, 22 votes for Loomis, and 3 votes for Janney. In the Senate, the final count was 17 votes for Kenna, 7 votes for Loomis, and 2 votes for Janney.^[8] Kenna, having received the majority of votes in both chambers, was declared duly elected as senator.

See also

• 1882 United States elections
  • 1882 United States House of Representatives elections
• 47th United States Congress
• 48th United States Congress

Notes

1. And other dates for special elections
2. as Republican Conference Chair
3. as Democratic Caucus Chair
4. as the leader of Readjuster Party

References

1. The Readjusters caucused with the Republicans.
2. "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
3. Clark, p. 199
4. Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. ... Kansas: Standard Publishing Company. p. 757. ISBN 9780722249055.
5. Jones Salmon, Emily. "Harrison H. Riddleberger (1843–1890)". Encyclopedia Virginia/Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
6. "A Long Dead-Lock Broken: Austin F. Pike Elected Senator from New-Hampshire". New York Times. August 3, 1883. p. 1. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
7. Atkinson, George Wesley (1890). Prominent Men of West Virginia. W.L. Callin. p. 381.
8. Journal of the House of Delegates of the State of West Virginia. West Virginia Legislature. January 24, 1883. p. 100.

• Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov
• Clark, Dan Elbert (1912). History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa. Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa.