1892–93 United States Senate elections

The 1892–93 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with former Democratic President Grover Cleveland's return to power. 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 1892 and 1893, 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 1.

1892–93 United States Senate elections

← 1890 & 1891 Dates vary by state 1894 & 1895 →
29 of the 88 seats in the United States Senate (as well as special elections) 45 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Arthur Pue Gorman[a] John Sherman[b] Party Democratic Republican Leader since March 4, 1889 March 4, 1891 Leader's seat Maryland Ohio Seats before 39 47 Seats won 14 9 Seats after 43 37 Seat change 4 10 Seats up 11 18   Third party Fourth party   Party Populist Silver Republican Seats before 2 New party Seats won 1 1 Seats after 3 1 Seat change 1 1 Seats up 0
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      Silver Republican gain      Populist gain      Legislature failed to elect
Majority Party before election Republican Elected Majority Party Democratic

The Republican Party lost nine seats, losing its majority to the Democratic Party. The Democratic majority, however, was minimal and did not last past the next Congress.

Results summary

Senate party division, 53rd Congress (1893–1895)

• Majority party: Democratic (43)
• Minority party: Republican (37)
• Other parties: Populist (3); Silver (1)
• Vacant: 4
• Total seats: 88

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

						D1	D2	D3	D4
D14	D13	D12	D11	D10	D9	D8	D7	D6	D5
D15	D16	D17	D18	D19	D20	D21	D22	D23	D24
D34 Ran	D33 Ran	D32 Ran	D31 Ran	D30 Ran	D29	D28	D27	D26	D25
D35 Ran	D36 Ran	D37 Ran	D38 Ran	D39 Unknown	D40 Retired	P1	P2	R46 Wis. Retired	R45 Retired
Majority →									R44 Retired
R35 Ran	R36 Ran	R37 Ran	R38 Ran	R39 Ran	R40 Ran	R41 Unknown	R42 Unknown	R43 Retired
R34 Ran	R33 Ran	R32 Ran	R31 Ran	R30 Ran	R29 Ran	R28	R27	R26	R25
R15	R16	R17	R18	R19	R20	R21	R22	R23	R24
R14	R13	R12	R11	R10	R9	R8	R7	R6	R5
						R1	R2	R3	R4

Result of the elections

						D1	D2	D3	D4
D14	D13	D12	D11	D10	D9	D8	D7	D6	D5
D15	D16	D17	D18	D19	D20	D21	D22	D23	D24
D34 Re-elected	D33 Re-elected	D32 Re-elected	D31 Re-elected	D30 Re-elected	D29	D28	D27	D26	D25
D35 Re-elected	D36 Re-elected	D37 Re-elected	D38 Hold	D39 Hold	D30 Gain	D41 Gain	D42 Gain	D43 Wis. Gain	V4 D loss
Majority with vacancies ↑									V3 R loss
R35 Re-elected	R36 Re-elected	R37 Hold	SR1 Gain	P1	P2	P3 Gain	V1 R loss	V2 R loss
R34 Re-elected	R33 Re-elected	R32 Re-elected	R31 Re-elected	R30 Re-elected	R29 Re-elected	R28	R27	R26	R25
R15	R16	R17	R18	R19	R20	R21	R22	R23	R24
R14	R13	R12	R11	R10	R9	R8	R7	R6	R5
						R1	R2	R3	R4

Beginning of the next Congress

						D1	D2	D3	D4
D14	D13	D12	D11	D10	D9	D8	D7	D6	D5
D15	D16	D17	D18	D19	D20	D21	D22	D23	D24
D34	D33	D32	D31	D30	D29	D28	D27	D26	D25
D35	D36	D37	D38	D39	D40	D41	D42	D43	D44 Appointed
Majority with vacancies →
R35	R36	R37	SR1	P1	P2	P3	V1	V2	V3
R34	R33	R32	R31	R30	R29	R28	R27	R26	R25
R15	R16	R17	R18	R19	R20	R21	R22	R23	R24
R14	R13	R12	R11	R10	R9	R8	R7	R6	R5
						R1	R2	R3	R4

Key:	D# Democratic P# Populist R# Republican SR# Silver Republican V# Vacant

Race summaries

Elections during the 52nd Congress

In these special elections the winners were seated during the 52nd Congress in 1892 or in 1893 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Maryland (Class 3)	Charles H. Gibson	Democratic	1891 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected January 21, 1892.[2]	▌Y Charles H. Gibson (Democratic) 93 ▌John Walter Smith (Democratic) 21 ▌Elihu E. Jackson (Democratic) 20 ▌William J. Vannort (Republican) 16 ▌John B. Brown (Democratic) 14 ▌James Pearce (Democratic) 14 ▌John S. Wirt (Unknown) 12 ▌George M. Russum (Republican) 2[3]
Texas (Class 1)	Horace Chilton	Democratic	1891 (appointed)	Interim appointee lost election. New senator elected March 22, 1892.[4] Democratic hold.	▌Y Roger Q. Mills (Democratic) 123 ▌J. W. Bailey (Unknown) 3 ▌Horace Chilton (Democratic) 3 ▌Barney Gibbs (Unknown) 2 ▌David B. Culberson (Democratic) 1 ▌G. W. Jones (Independent) 1 ▌Joseph D. Sayers (Democratic) 1[4]
Vermont (Class 1)	Redfield Proctor	Republican	1891 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected October 18, 1892.[5][4] Winner was also elected to the next term.	▌Y Redfield Proctor (Republican) 124 ▌Edwin J. Phelps[c] (Democratic) 35[4]
West Virginia (Class 2)	John E. Kenna	Democratic	1883 1889	Incumbent died January 11, 1893. New senator elected January 24, 1893. Democratic hold.	▌Y Johnson N. Camden (Democratic) 59 ▌Erwin Maxwell (Republican) 33 ▌M. W. Burgess (Populist) 1[6]
Kentucky (Class 2)	John G. Carlisle	Democratic	1890 (special)	Incumbent resigned February 4, 1893. New senator elected February 15, 1893.[7][8] Democratic hold.	▌Y William Lindsay (Democratic) 79 votes ▌Augustus E. Willson (Republican) 17 votes[7]

In this special election, the winner was seated in the 53rd Congress, starting March 4, 1893.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Kansas (Class 2)	Bishop W. Perkins	Republican	1892 (appointed)	Interim appointee retired. New senator elected on January 25, 1893, but didn't qualify until the next Congress on March 4, 1893. Democratic gain. Immediately thereafter, another joint convention elected J. W. Ady, but that contest of Martin's election was "soon abandoned."[9]	▌Y John Martin (Democratic) 86 ▌M. W. Cobun (Unknown) 4 ▌W. S. Harona (Unknown) 1 ▌S. H. Snyder (Unknown) 1 ▌Fred J. Close (Unknown) 1[9]

In this early regular election, the winner was seated in the 54th Congress, starting March 4, 1895.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Mississippi	Edward C. Walthall	Democratic	1885 (appointed) 1886 (special) 1889	Incumbent re-elected early on January 19, 1892, for the term beginning 1895.[10] Walthall, however, had already been re-elected to next term.[11]	▌Y Edward C. Walthall (Democratic) 135 ▌Clarke Lewis (Democratic) 21 ▌Charles E. Hooker (Democratic) 4[10]

Races leading to the 53rd Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1893; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
California	Charles N. Felton	Republican	1891 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 18, 1893. Democratic gain.	▌Y Stephen M. White (Democratic) [?] ▌Charles N. Felton (Republican) 11 ▌[FNU] Perkins (Republican) 12 ▌Thomas H. Bard (Unknown) 9 ▌[FNU] Cator[d] (Populist) 7[12]
Connecticut	Joseph R. Hawley	Republican	1881 1887	Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1893.[12]	▌Y Joseph R. Hawley (Republican) 138 ▌Carlos French (Democratic) 114 ▌S. B. Forbes (Prohibition) 1[13]
Delaware	George Gray	Democratic	1885 (special) 1887	Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1893.	▌Y George Gray (Democratic) 28 Unopposed[9]
Florida	Samuel Pasco	Democratic	1887	Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. Incumbent was later appointed, then elected; see below.	[data missing]
Indiana	David Turpie	Democratic	1863 (special) 1863 (retired) 1887	Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1893.	▌Y David Turpie (Democratic) 98 ▌Charles W. Fairbanks (Republican) 50[9]
Maine	Eugene Hale	Republican	1881 1887	Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1893.	▌Y Eugene Hale (Republican) 123 ▌Arthur Sewall (Democratic) 42[9]
Maryland	Arthur P. Gorman	Democratic	1880 1886	Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1892.[10]	▌Y Arthur P. Gorman (Democratic) 100 ▌Lloyd Lowndes (Republican) 9[10]
Massachusetts	Henry L. Dawes	Republican	1875 1881 1887	Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 17, 1893. Republican hold.	▌Y Henry Cabot Lodge (Republican) 190 ▌Patrick A. Collins (Democratic) 82[9]
Michigan	Francis B. Stockbridge	Republican	1887	Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1893.	▌Y Francis B. Stockbridge (Republican) 86 ▌Daniel J. Campau[14] (Democratic) 37 ▌Eugene H. Belden (Populist) 5[9]
Minnesota	Cushman Davis	Republican	1886	Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1893, on the second ballot.[9]	▌Y Cushman Davis (Republican) 86 ▌Daniel W. Lawler (Democratic) 48 ▌Sidney M. Owen (Populist) 23[9]
Mississippi	James Z. George	Democratic	1880 1886	Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1892.[10][11]	▌Y James Z. George (Democratic) 101 ▌Ethelbert Barksdale (Democratic) 53 ▌James L. Alcorn (Republican) 1[10]
Missouri	Francis Cockrell	Democratic	1874 1881 1887	Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1893.[15]	▌Y Francis Cockrell (Democratic) 129 ▌Chauncey I. Filley (Republican) 49[9]
Montana	Wilbur F. Sanders	Republican	1890	Legislature failed to elect.[16] Republican loss.	▌William A. Clark (Democratic) ▌Wilbur F. Sanders (Republican) [data missing]
Nebraska	Algernon Paddock	Republican	1875 1880 (lost) 1886	Incumbent retired. New senator elected February 7, 1893, on the seventh ballot.[17] Populist gain.	▌Y William V. Allen (Populist) 70 ▌Algernon Paddock (Republican) 59[17]
Nevada	William M. Stewart	Republican	1887	Incumbent re-elected as a Silver Republican January 24, 1893.[17] Silver Republican gain.	▌Y William M. Stewart (Silver Republican) [data missing]
New Jersey	Rufus Blodgett	Democratic	1886	Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 24, 1893.[18] Democratic hold.	▌Y James Smith Jr. (Democratic) 55 ▌William J. Sewell (Republican) 26[17]
New York	Frank Hiscock	Republican	1887	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 17, 1893. Democratic gain.	▌Y Edward Murphy Jr. (Democratic) 90 ▌Frank Hiscock (Republican) 74 ▌Whitelaw Reid (Republican) 1[17]
North Dakota	Lyman R. Casey	Republican	1889	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected February 20, 1893, on the sixty-first ballot.[19][20] Democratic gain.	▌Y William N. Roach (Democratic) 50 ▌Lyman R. Casey (Republican) 23 ▌John D. Benton (Democratic) eliminated ▌Walter Muir (Independent) eliminated[19]
Ohio	John Sherman	Republican	1861 (special) 1866 1872 1877 (resigned) 1881 1886	Incumbent re-elected January 12, 1892.[10]	▌Y John Sherman (Republican) 111 ▌James E. Neal (Democratic) 37[21]
Pennsylvania	Matthew Quay	Republican	1887	Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1893.	▌Y Matthew Quay (Republican) 64.96% ▌George Ross (Democratic) 31.50% Others; see below.
Rhode Island	Nelson W. Aldrich	Republican	1881 (special) 1886	Incumbent re-elected June 14, 1892.	▌Y Nelson W. Aldrich (Republican) 64 ▌David S. Baker Jr. (Unknown) 38[4]
Tennessee	Washington C. Whitthorne	Democratic	1887	Incumbent retired or lost renomination. New senator elected January 17, 1893. Democratic hold.	▌Y William B. Bate (Democratic) 89 ▌George W. Winstead (Republican) 31 ▌A. E. Garret (Populist) 6[22]
Texas	Roger Q. Mills	Democratic	1892 (special)	Incumbent re-elected January 24, 1893.	▌Y Roger Q. Mills (Democratic) 143 ▌Thomas L. Nugent (Populist) 9 ▌N. W. Cuney (Republican) 1[22]
Vermont	Redfield Proctor	Republican	1891 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected October 18, 1892. Winner was also elected to finish the current term; see above.	▌Y Redfield Proctor (Republican) 124 ▌Edwin J. Phelps[c] (Democratic) 35[4]
Virginia	John W. Daniel	Democratic	1887	Incumbent had already been re-elected early December 16, 1891.
Washington	John B. Allen	Republican	1889	Legislature failed to elect after 101 ballots on March 9, 1893.[23] Republican loss.	▌John B. Allen (Republican) ▌[FNU] Turner[d] (Republican) ▌[FNU] Griggs[d] (Democratic) ▌[FNU] Teats[d] (Populist)[23]
West Virginia	Charles J. Faulkner	Democratic	1887	Incumbent re-elected January 24, 1893.	▌Y Charles J. Faulkner (Democratic) 59 votes ▌Stephen B. Elkins (Republican) 32 votes ▌O. D. Hill (Populist) 2 votes[6]
Wisconsin	Philetus Sawyer	Republican	1887	Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 27, 1893.[24] Democratic gain.	▌Y John L. Mitchell (Democratic) 62.10% ▌John C. Spooner (Republican) 37.10% ▌Edward S. Bragg (Democratic) 0.80%
Wyoming	Francis E. Warren	Republican	1890	Legislature failed to elect.[6] Republican loss.	▌Francis E. Warren (Republican) ▌Clarence D. Clark (Republican)

Elections during the 53rd Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1893 after March 4, and seated in the 53rd Congress.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Florida (Class 1)	Samuel Pasco	Democratic	1887 1893 (failed to elect) 1893 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected April 20, 1893.	▌Y Samuel Pasco (Democratic) [data missing]
Virginia (Class 2)	Eppa Hunton	Democratic	1892 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected December 19, 1893.[25][26]	▌Y Eppa Hunton (Democratic) [data missing]

In this election, the winner was seated in the 54th Congress, starting March 4, 1895.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Virginia (Class 2)	Eppa Hunton	Democratic	1892 (appointed)	Interim appointee retired. New senator elected early December 19, 1893, for the term beginning in 1895.[26] Democratic hold.	▌Y Thomas S. Martin (Democratic) [data missing]

California

See also: List of United States senators from California and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in California

Connecticut

See also: List of United States senators from Connecticut and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Connecticut

Delaware

See also: List of United States senators from Delaware and 1892 United States House of Representatives election in Delaware

Florida

See also: List of United States senators from Florida and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida

Florida (regular)

Florida (special)

Indiana

See also: List of United States senators from Indiana and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana

Kansas (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Kansas and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas

Kentucky (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Kentucky and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky

Maine

See also: List of United States senators from Maine and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine

Maryland

See also: List of United States senators from Maryland

Maryland (regular)

See also: List of United States senators from Maryland

1892 United States Senate election in Maryland

← 1886 January 19, 1892 1898 →
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidate Arthur Pue Gorman Lloyd Lowndes Jr. Party Democratic Republican Legislative vote 80 6 Percentage 93.02% 6.98

Arthur Pue Gorman won re-election against Lloyd Lowndes Jr. by a margin of 86.05%, or 74 votes, for the Class 1 seat.^[27]

Maryland (special)

1892 United States Senate special election in Maryland

← 1890 January 1890 1896 →
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidate Charles Hopper Gibson William J. Vannort Party Democratic Republican Legislative vote 86 8 Percentage 76.11% 7.08%

Charles Hopper Gibson was elected to fill the seat vacated by Ephraim King Wilson II by a margin of 69.03%, or 78 votes, for the Class 3 seat.^[28]

Massachusetts

See also: List of United States senators from Massachusetts and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts

Michigan

See also: List of United States senators from Michigan and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan

Minnesota

See also: List of United States senators from Minnesota and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

Mississippi

See also: List of United States senators from Mississippi and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi

Mississippi (regular, class 1)

Mississippi (regular, class 2)

Early election for the term beginning in 1895.

Missouri

See also: List of United States senators from Missouri and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri

Montana

See also: List of United States senators from Montana and 1892 United States House of Representatives election in Montana

Nebraska

See also: List of United States senators from Nebraska and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska

Nevada

See also: List of United States senators from Nevada and 1892 United States House of Representatives election in Nevada

New Jersey

See also: List of United States senators from New Jersey and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey

New York

Main article: 1893 United States Senate election in New York

See also: List of United States senators from New York and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in New York

The New York election was held on January 18, 1893, by the New York State Legislature.

Incumbent Senator Frank Hiscock was elected to this seat in 1887, with his term to expire on March 3, 1893.

At the controversial State election in November 1891, 17 Democrats, 14 Republicans and 1 Independent were elected for a two-year term (1892-1893) in the State Senate. This was the only time a Democratic majority was seated in the State Senate between 1874 and 1910. At the State election in November 1892, 74 Democrats and 54 Republicans were elected for the session of 1893 to the Assembly. The 116th New York State Legislature met from January 3 to April 20, 1893, at Albany, New York.

The Democratic caucus met on January 10. 90 State legislators attended, only Assemblyman John Cooney, of Brooklyn, was absent due to illness. State Senator Amasa J. Parker Jr. presided. Edward Murphy Jr., a wealthy brewer of Troy, and Chairman of the Democratic State Committee, was nominated by a large majority. The New York Times had suggested earlier to nominate Carl Schurz, a former Republican U.S. Senator from Missouri and U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who lived now in New York City,^[29] but the political machines of upstate boss David B. Hill and Tammany Hall chose a loyal party machine man rather than an Ex-Republican advocate of civil service reform. Even President-elect Grover Cleveland had voiced his disapproval of Murphy, to no avail.^[30]

1893 Democratic caucus

Candidate	First ballot
Y Edward Murphy Jr.	85
W. Bourke Cockran	5

The Republican caucus met on January 11. State Senator Thomas Hunter presided. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Frank Hiscock by acclamation.

Edward Murphy, Jr., was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected. State Senator James T. Edwards (32nd D.), of Randolph, voted for the defeated Republican vice presidential candidate of 1892, Whitelaw Reid.

1893 United States Senator election

House	Democratic		Republican		Republican
State Senate (32 members)	Y Edward Murphy Jr.	17	Frank Hiscock	12	Whitelaw Reid	1
State Assembly (128 members)	Y Edward Murphy Jr.	73	Frank Hiscock	52

Note: The votes were cast on January 17, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 18 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

When Murphy took his seat, for the first time since 1849 New York was represented by two Democrats in the U.S. Senate. Murphy served a single term, remaining in the U.S. Senate until March 3, 1899. In January 1899, Murphy was defeated for re-election by Republican Chauncey M. Depew.

North Dakota

See also: List of United States senators from North Dakota and 1892 United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota

Ohio

See also: List of United States senators from Ohio and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio

Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

The election in Pennsylvania was held January 17, 1893. Incumbent Matthew Quay was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.^[31]

State Legislature Results^[31][32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Matthew Quay (Incumbent)	165	64.96
	Democratic	George Ross	80	31.50
	Republican	John Dalzell	1	0.39
	Democratic	William F. Harrity	1	0.39
	Democratic	William Mutchler	1	0.39
	N/A	Not voting	6	2.36
Totals			254	100.00%

Rhode Island

See also: List of United States senators from Rhode Island and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island

Tennessee

See also: List of United States senators from Tennessee and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee

Texas

See also: List of United States senators from Texas and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas

Texas (regular)

Texas (special)

Vermont

See also: List of United States senators from Vermont and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Vermont

Vermont (regular)

Vermont (special)

Virginia

See also: List of United States senators from Virginia and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia

Virginia (regular, class 1)

Incumbent Senator John W. Daniel (who had been first elected in 1887) was re-elected in 1893.

Virginia (special, class 2)

Democratic incumbent John S. Barbour Jr. died May 14, 1892. Democrat Eppa Hunton was appointed May 28, 1892, to continue until a special election.

Hunton was elected December 20, 1893, to finish the term (ending March 1895).

Washington

See also: List of United States senators from Washington and 1892 United States House of Representatives election in Washington

West Virginia

See also: List of United States senators from West Virginia and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia

West Virginia (regular)

West Virginia (special)

Wisconsin

Senator John L. Mitchell

See also: List of United States senators from Wisconsin and 1892 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin

Two-term Republican Philetus Sawyer retired and two-term Democratic congressman John L. Mitchell was elected to the next term. In the Wisconsin Legislature, Democrats had a majority, but it took 31 ballots for Democrats to pick Mitchell over fellow Democrats John H. Knight and Edward S. Bragg.^[33]

Vote of the Wisconsin Legislature, January 27, 1893^[34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John L. Mitchell	77	58.33
	Republican	John Coit Spooner	46	34.85
	Democratic	Edward S. Bragg	1	0.76
	N/A	No vote	8	6.06
Plurality			31	23.48
Total votes			132	100.0
	Democratic gain from Republican

Wyoming

See also: List of United States senators from Wyoming and 1892 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming

See also

• 1892 United States elections
  • 1892 United States presidential election
  • 1892 United States House of Representatives elections
• 52nd United States Congress
• 53rd United States Congress

Notes

1. as Democratic Caucus Chair
2. as Republican Conference Chair
3. Possibly Edward John Phelps
4. Full name unavailable