1894–95 United States Senate elections

The 1894–95 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 1894 and 1895, 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 2.

1894–95 United States Senate elections

← 1892 & 1893 Dates vary by state 1896 & 1897 →
30 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 John Sherman[a] Arthur Pue Gorman[b] Party Republican Democratic Leader since March 4, 1891 March 4, 1889 Leader's seat Ohio Maryland Seats before 37 44 Seats won 18 10 Seats after 39 40 Seat change 2 4 Seats up 16 14   Third party Fourth party   Party Populist Silver Seats before 3 1 Seats won 1 0 Seats after 4 1 Seat change 1 Seats up 0 0
Results of the elections:      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      Populist gain      Legislature failed to elect
Majority Party before election Democratic Elected Majority Party Republican

The Republican Party gained plurality control of the Senate with the support of the Populist Party and Silver Party.

Results summary

Senate party division, 54th Congress (1895–1897)

• Plurality: Republican: 42
• Minority: Democrats: 39
• Other parties: Populist: 4, Silver: 2
• Total: 88
• Vacant: 1, due to failure to elect. Later filled by a Democrat

Change in composition

Before the elections

At the beginning of 1894, including early elections in Mississippi and Virginia.

						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 Ky. Ran	D33 Ga. Ran	D32 Ark. Ran	D31 Ala. Ran	D30	D29	D28	D27	D26	D25
D35 La. Ran	D36 N.C. Ran	D37 S.C. Ran	D38 Tenn. Ran	D39 W.Va. Ran	D40 Kan. Unknown	D41 N.J. Unknown	D42 Miss. Retired	D43 Texas Retired	D44 Va. Retired
Majority with vacancies →
R35 Iowa Retired	R36 Mont. Retired	R37 R.I. Retired	S1	P1	P2	P3	V3	V2	V1
R34 Neb. Unknown	R33 Wyo. Ran	R32 S.D. Ran	R31 Ore. Ran	R30 N.H. Ran	R29 Minn. Ran	R28 Mich. Ran	R27 Mass. Ran	R26 Maine Ran	R25 Ill. Ran
R15	R16	R17	R18	R19	R20	R21	R22 Colo. Ran	R23 Del. Ran	R24 Idaho Ran
R14	R13	R12	R11	R10	R9	R8	R7	R6	R5
						R1	R2	R3	R4

Result of the general 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 La. Appointee elected[c]	D33 Ky. Re-elected	D32 Ark. Re-elected	D31 Ala. Re-elected	D30	D29	D28	D27	D26	D25
D35 Tenn. Re-elected	D36 Ga. Hold	D37 Miss. Hold[d]	D38 S.C. Hold	D39 Texas Hold	D40 Va. Hold[d]	P4 N.C. Gain	P3	V1	V2
No majority
R35 R.I. Hold	R36 Wyo. Hold	R37 Kan. Gain	R38 N.J. Gain	R39 W.Va. Gain	S1	P1	P2	V4 Del. R Loss	V3
R34 Ore. Hold	R33 Neb. Hold	R32 Mont. Hold	R31 Minn. Hold	R30 Iowa Hold	R29 S.D. Re-elected	R28 N.H. Re-elected	R27 Mich. Re-elected	R26 Mass. Re-elected	R25 Maine Re-elected
R15	R16	R17	R18	R19	R20	R21	R22 Colo. Re-elected	R23 Idaho Re-elected	R24 Ill. Re-elected
R14	R13	R12	R11	R10	R9	R8	R7	R6	R5
						R1	R2	R3	R4

Result of the special elections and party change

						D1 Calif. Appointee elected	D2 La. Appointee elected	D3	D4
D14	D13	D12	D11	D10	D9	D8	D7	D6	D5
D15	D16	D17	D18	D19	D20	D21	D22	D23	D24
D34 La. Appointee elected[c]	D33	D32	D31	D30	D29	D28	D27	D26	D25
D35	D36 Ga. Appointee elected	D37 Miss. Hold	D38	D39	P4	P3	P2	P1	V1
↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →)									S1
R35	R36	R37	R38	R39 Mont. Gain from V	R40 Wash. Gain from V	R41 Wyo. Gain from V	R42 N.C. Gain from D	S2 Nev. Changed from R
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 Mich. Hold	R2	R3	R4

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

Race summaries

Elections during the 53rd Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1894 or in 1895 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Mississippi (Class 2)	Edward C. Walthall	Democratic	1885 (appointed) 1886 (special) 1889 1892 (early)	Incumbent resigned due to ill health. New senator elected February 7, 1894. Democratic hold. Walthall, however, had already been re-elected to next term.[2]	▌Y Anselm J. McLaurin (Democratic) [data missing]
Louisiana (Class 2)	Donelson Caffery	Democratic	1892 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected May 23, 1894.[3] Winner had already been elected to the next term; see below.	▌Y Donelson Caffery (Democratic) [data missing]
Louisiana (Class 3)	Newton C. Blanchard	Democratic	1894 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected May 23, 1894.[4]	▌Y Newton C. Blanchard (Democratic) [data missing]
Georgia (Class 2)	Patrick Walsh	Democratic	1894 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected November 7, 1894.[5] Winner was not elected to the next term; see below.	▌Y Patrick Walsh (Democratic) [data missing]
North Carolina (Class 3)	Thomas Jarvis	Democratic	1894 (appointed)	Interim appointee retired or lost election to finish the term. New senator elected November 7, 1894. Republican gain. New senator qualified January 23, 1895.	▌Y Jeter C. Pritchard (Republican) [data missing]
Montana (Class 1)	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected January 16, 1895. Republican gain.	▌Y Lee Mantle (Republican) [data missing]
Wyoming (Class 1)	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected January 23, 1895. Republican gain.	▌Y Clarence D. Clark (Republican) [data missing]
California (Class 3)	George C. Perkins	Republican	1893 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected January 23, 1895.[6]	▌Y George C. Perkins (Republican) [data missing]
Michigan (Class 1)	John Patton Jr.	Republican	1894 (appointed)	Interim appointee lost election to finish the term. New senator elected January 24, 1895. Republican hold.	▌Y Julius C. Burrows (Republican) [data missing]
Washington (Class 1)	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected February 1, 1895. Republican gain.	▌Y John L. Wilson (Republican) [data missing]

Elections leading to the 54th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1895; 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 1882 1888	Incumbent re-elected in 1894.	▌Y John T. Morgan (Democratic) [data missing]
Arkansas	James Berry	Democratic	1885 (special) 1889	Incumbent re-elected in 1895.	▌Y James Berry (Democratic) [data missing]
Colorado	Edward O. Wolcott	Republican	1889	Incumbent re-elected in 1895.	▌Y Edward O. Wolcott (Republican) [data missing]
Delaware	Anthony C. Higgins	Republican	1888–89	Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss.	▌Anthony C. Higgins (Republican) [data missing]
Georgia	Patrick Walsh	Democratic	1894 (special)	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold.	▌Y Augustus Bacon (Democratic) [data missing]
Idaho	George Shoup	Republican	1890	Incumbent re-elected in 1895.	▌Y George Shoup (Republican) [data missing]
Illinois	Shelby M. Cullom	Republican	1882 1888	Incumbent re-elected in 1894.	▌Y Shelby M. Cullom (Republican) [data missing]
Iowa	James F. Wilson	Republican	1888	Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 17, 1894.[7] Republican hold.	▌Y John H. Gear (Republican) ▌Horace Boies (Democratic)
Kansas	John Martin	Democratic	1893 (special)	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in January 1895. Republican gain.	▌Y Lucien Baker (Republican) [data missing]
Kentucky	William Lindsay	Democratic	1893 (special)	Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1894.[8]	▌Y William Lindsay (Democratic) [data missing]
Louisiana	Donelson Caffery	Democratic	1891 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected May 14, 1894.[9] Winner was later elected to finish the current term; see below.	▌Y Donelson Caffery (Democratic) 97 ▌[FNU] Jones (Unknown) 21 ▌Allen Barksdale (Unknown) 7[9]
Maine	William P. Frye	Republican	1881 (special) 1883 1889	Incumbent re-elected in 1895.	▌Y William P. Frye (Republican) [data missing]
Massachusetts	George F. Hoar	Republican	1877 1883 1889	Incumbent re-elected in 1895.	▌Y George F. Hoar (Republican) [data missing]
Michigan	James McMillan	Republican	1889	Incumbent re-elected in 1895.	▌Y James McMillan (Republican) [data missing]
Minnesota	W. D. Washburn	Republican	1888	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican hold.	▌Y Knute Nelson (Republican) ▌W. D. Washburn (Republican) [data missing]
Mississippi	Anselm J. McLaurin	Democratic	1894 (special)	Incumbent retired as predecessor had already been elected early to the next term January 20, 1892.[2] Democratic hold.	▌Y Edward C. Walthall (Democratic) ▌Clerk Lewis (Unknown) ▌C. E. Hooker (Unknown)[2]
Montana	Thomas C. Power	Republican	1890	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in January 1895.[10] Republican hold.	▌Y Thomas H. Carter (Republican) [data missing]
Nebraska	Charles F. Manderson	Republican	1883 1888	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected January 15, 1895. Republican hold.	▌Y John M. Thurston (Republican) ▌William Jennings Bryan (Democratic) [data missing]
New Hampshire	William E. Chandler	Republican	1887 (special) 1889 (failure to elect) 1889 (special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1895.	▌Y William E. Chandler (Republican) [data missing]
New Jersey	John R. McPherson	Democratic	1877 1883 1889	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican gain.	▌Y William Joyce Sewell (Republican) [data missing]
North Carolina	Matt W. Ransom	Democratic	1872 (special) 1876 1883 1889	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1894. Populist gain.	▌Y Marion Butler (Populist) ▌Matt W. Ransom (Democratic) [data missing]
Oregon	Joseph N. Dolph	Republican	1882 1888	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected February 23, 1895.[11] Republican hold.	▌Y George W. McBride (Republican) ▌Joseph N. Dolph (Republican) [data missing]
Rhode Island	Nathan F. Dixon III	Republican	1889 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1894. Republican hold.	▌Y George P. Wetmore (Republican) [data missing]
South Carolina	Matthew Butler	Democratic	1876 1882 1888	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold.	▌Y Benjamin Tillman (Democratic) [data missing]
South Dakota	Richard F. Pettigrew	Republican	1889	Incumbent re-elected in 1894.	▌Y Richard F. Pettigrew (Republican) [data missing]
Tennessee	Isham G. Harris	Democratic	1877 1883 1889	Incumbent re-elected in 1895.	▌Y Isham G. Harris (Democratic) [data missing]
Texas	Richard Coke	Democratic	1876 1882 1888	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold.	▌Y Horace Chilton (Democratic) [data missing]
Virginia	Eppa Hunton	Democratic	1892 (appointed) 1893 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator was already elected early December 19, 1893.[12] Democratic hold.	▌Y Thomas S. Martin (Democratic) [data missing]
West Virginia	Johnson N. Camden	Democratic	1893 (special)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 23, 1895.[13] Republican gain.	▌Y Stephen B. Elkins (Republican) 60 ▌Johnson N. Camden (Democratic) 29 ▌[FNU] Neal (Populist) 2[13]
Wyoming	Joseph M. Carey	Republican	1890	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican hold.	▌Y Francis E. Warren (Republican) ▌Joseph M. Carey (Republican)

Elections during the 54th Congress

There were no elections in 1895 after March 4.

Alabama

See also: List of United States senators from Alabama

Former brigadier general in the Confederate States Army John T. Morgan^[14] was re-elected as one of the two senators in the state of Alabama. His tenure as senator ended in 1907 when he died in office.^[15]

Arkansas

See also: List of United States senators from Arkansas

California (special)

See also: List of United States senators from California

Colorado

See also: List of United States senators from Colorado

Delaware

See also: List of United States senators from Delaware

Georgia

See also: List of United States senators from Georgia

Georgia (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Georgia

Idaho

See also: List of United States senators from Idaho

Illinois

See also: List of United States senators from Illinois

Iowa

See also: List of United States senators from Iowa

Kansas

See also: List of United States senators from Kansas

Kentucky

See also: List of United States senators from Kentucky

Louisiana

See also: List of United States senators from Louisiana

Interim appointee Donelson Caffery (D) was elected May 14, 1894 to the next term. He was later (May 23, 1894) elected to finish the current term.

Louisiana (special, class 2)

See also: List of United States senators from Louisiana

Randall L. Gibson (D) had been re-elected in 1889, but died December 15, 1892. Donelson Caffery (D) was appointed by the Governor of Louisiana December 31, 1892 to continue the term, pending a special election. On May 14, 1894, Caffery was elected to the next term, and on May 23, 1894, Caffery was elected to finish the current term.

Louisiana (special, class 3)

See also: List of United States senators from Louisiana

Edward Douglass White (D) had been elected in 1891, but resigned March 12, 1894 when appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Newton C. Blanchard (D) was appointed by the Governor of Louisiana March 12, 1894 to continue the term, pending a special election. On May 23, 1894, Blanchard was elected to finish the current term, which would end March 3, 1897.

Maine

See also: List of United States senators from Maine

Massachusetts

See also: List of United States senators from Massachusetts

Michigan

See also: List of United States senators from Michigan

Michigan (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Michigan

Minnesota

See also: List of United States senators from Minnesota

Mississippi

Main article: 1892 United States Senate elections in Mississippi

See also: List of United States senators from Mississippi

Mississippi (special)

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

Montana

See also: List of United States senators from Montana

Montana (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Montana

Nebraska

See also: List of United States senators from Nebraska

New Hampshire

See also: List of United States senators from New Hampshire

New Jersey

See also: List of United States senators from New Jersey

North Carolina

See also: List of United States senators from North Carolina

North Carolina (special)

See also: List of United States senators from North Carolina

Oregon

See also: List of United States senators from Oregon

Rhode Island

See also: List of United States senators from Rhode Island

South Carolina

See also: List of United States senators from South Carolina

South Dakota

See also: List of United States senators from South Dakota

Tennessee

See also: List of United States senators from Tennessee

Texas

See also: List of United States senators from Texas

Virginia

Main article: 1893 United States Senate election in Virginia

See also: List of United States senators from Virginia

Washington (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Washington

John B. Allen (R) had been elected in 1889 as one of the first senators from Washington. In 1893, however, the Washington State Legislature failed to elect a senator for the term beginning March 4, 1893. The governor appointed Allen to serve until March 20, 1893, but the Senate rejected his credentials.

John L. Wilson (R) was elected February 1, 1895 to finish the term, that would end March 3, 1899, taking his seat February 19, 1895.

West Virginia

See also: List of United States senators from West Virginia

Wyoming

See also: List of United States senators from Wyoming

Wyoming (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Wyoming

See also

• 1894 United States elections
  • 1894 United States House of Representatives elections
• 53rd United States Congress
• 54th United States Congress

Notes

1. as Republican Conference Chair
2. as Democratic Caucus Chair
3. Same result for this seat in general and special elections
4. Elected early

1. "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
2. "GEORGE AND WALTHALL ELECTED". The New York Times. January 20, 1892. p. 1.
3. Byrd, p. 114.
4. Byrd, p. 115.
5. Byrd, p. 96.
6. Byrd, p. 83.
7. Clark, p. 234.
8. Kleber, John E. (1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. University Press of Kentucky. p. 558. ISBN 0-8131-2883-8.
9. "MR. CAFFERY HIS OWN SUCCESSOR". The New York Times. May 15, 1894. p. 1.
10. Goodspeed, p. 457.
11. "George Wycliffe McBride". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
12. ""TWO VIRGINIA SENATORS ELECTED"". The New York Times. December 20, 1893.
13. "Elkins Elected in West Virginia". The New York Times. January 24, 1895. p. 5.
14. "The Selma Times-Journal 15 Mar 1924, page 8".
15. Fry, Joseph A. (1992). John Tyler Morgan and the search for southern autonomy. University of Tennessee Press. ISBN 978-0-87049-753-7.

References

• Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy (ed.). The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789–1992. United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 978-0-16-063256-3.
• Clark, Dan Elbert (1913). "History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa". Iowa City, Iowa.
• Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, ed. (1904). "The Province and the States: A History of the Province of Louisiana Under France and Spain, And of the Territories and States of the United States Formed Therefrom" (Vol. VI ed.). Madison, Wisconsin: Western Historical Association.