1888 and 1889 United States Senate elections
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26 of the 76 seats in the United States Senate (as well as special elections) 39 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1888 and 1889 United States Senate elections were elections that coincided with Benjamin Harrison's victory over incumbent President Grover Cleveland. Both parties were unchanged in the regular elections, but later special elections would give Republicans an eight-seat majority, mostly from newly admitted states.
As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures.
Results summary[]
Senate Party Division, 51st Congress (1889–1891)
- Majority Party: Republican (39 to 51)
- Minority Party: Democratic (37 to 35)
- Other Parties: (0)
- Total Seats: 76 to 88
Change in Senate composition[]
Before the elections[]
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 | D23 | D22 | D21 | D20 | D19 |
D29 Ran |
D30 Ran |
D31 Ran |
D32 Ran |
D33 Ran |
D34 Ran |
D35 Ran |
D36 Ran |
D37 Ran |
RA1 Retired |
Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | R38 Retired | ||||||||
R29 Ran |
R30 Ran |
R31 Ran |
R32 Ran |
R33 Ran |
R34 Ran |
R35 Ran |
R36 Unknown |
R37 Unknown | |
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 | D23 | D22 | D21 | D20 | D19 |
D29 Re-elected |
D30 Re-elected |
D31 Re-elected |
D32 Re-elected |
D33 Re-elected |
D34 Re-elected |
D35 Re-elected |
D36 Re-elected |
D37 Gain |
V1 R Loss |
Majority due to vacancy → | R38 Gain | ||||||||
R29 Re-elected |
R30 Re-elected |
R31 Re-elected |
R32 Re-elected |
R33 Re-elected |
R39 Re-elected |
R35 Hold |
R36 Hold |
R37 Hold | |
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 |
Beginning of the next Congress[]
D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 | D2 | D1 | ||
D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 | D14 | D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 |
D28 | D27 | D26 | D25 | D24 | D23 | D22 | D21 | D20 | D19 |
D29 | D30 | D31 | D32 | D33 | D34 | D35 | D36 | D37 | R39 Gain |
Majority → | |||||||||
R29 | R30 | R31 | R32 | R33 | R34 | R35 | R36 | R37 | R38 |
R28 | R27 | 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 |
End of 1889[]
D1 | |||||||||
D11 | D10 | D9 | D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 | D2 |
D12 | D13 | D14 | D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 | D19 | D20 | D21 |
D31 | D30 | D29 | D28 | D27 | D26 | D25 | D24 | D23 | D22 |
D32 | D33 | D34 | D35 | D36 | D37 | R45 New state |
R44 New state |
R43 New state |
R42 New state |
Majority → | |||||||||
R32 | R33 Hold |
R34 Hold |
R35 | R36 | R37 | R38 | R39 | R40 New state |
R41 New state |
R31 | R30 | R29 | R28 | R27 | R26 | R25 | R24 | R23 | R22 |
R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 |
R11 | R10 | R9 | R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 | R4 | R3 | R2 |
R1 |
Key: |
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Race summaries[]
Special elections during the 50th Congress[]
There were no special elections during 1888 or in 1889 before March 4.
Races leading to the 51st Congress[]
In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1889; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
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Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | John Tyler Morgan | Democratic | 1876 1882 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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Arkansas | James Berry | Democratic | 1885 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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Colorado | Thomas M. Bowen | Republican | 1882 or 1883 | Unknown if retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1889. Republican hold. |
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Delaware | Eli M. Saulsbury | Democratic | 1870 1876 1883 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1888 or 1889. Republican gain. |
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Georgia | Alfred H. Colquitt | Democratic | 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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Illinois | Shelby M. Cullom | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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Iowa | James F. Wilson | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1888. |
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Kansas | Preston B. Plumb | Republican | 1877 1883 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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Kentucky | James B. Beck | Democratic | 1876 1882 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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Louisiana | Randall L. Gibson | Democratic | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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Maine | William P. Frye | Republican | 1881 (Special) 1883 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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Massachusetts | George Frisbie Hoar | Republican | 1877 1883 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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Michigan | Thomas W. Palmer | Republican | 1882 or 1883 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1889. Republican hold. |
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Minnesota | Dwight M. Sabin | Republican | 1883 | Incumbent lost renomination. Winner elected in 1888. Republican hold. |
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Mississippi | Edward C. Walthall | Democratic | 1885 (Appointed) 1886 (Special) |
Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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Nebraska | Charles F. Manderson | Republican | 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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New Hampshire | William E. Chandler | Republican | 1887 (Special) | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. An interim senator was appointed to start the next term and the incumbent was later elected to finish that term, see below. |
[data unknown/missing] |
New Jersey | John R. McPherson | Democratic | 1877 1883 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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North Carolina | Matt W. Ransom | Democratic | 1872 (Special) 1876 1883 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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Oregon | Joseph N. Dolph | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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Rhode Island | Jonathan Chace | Republican | 1885 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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South Carolina | Matthew Butler | Democratic | 1876 1882 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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Tennessee | Isham G. Harris | Democratic | 1877 1883 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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Texas | Richard Coke | Democratic | 1876 1882 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1888. |
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Virginia | Harrison H. Riddleberger | Readjuster | 1881 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected early December 20, 1887.[3] Democratic gain. |
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West Virginia | John E. Kenna | Democratic | 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. |
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Elections during the 51st Congress[]
In these elections, the winners were elected in 1889 after March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Rhode Island (Class 2) |
Jonathan Chace | Republican | 1885 (Special) 1888 |
Incumbent resigned April 9, 1889. Winner was elected April 10, 1889. Republican hold. |
|
New Hampshire (Class 2) |
Gilman Marston | Republican | 1889 (Appointed) | Unknown if interim appointee retired or lost election to finish the term. Winner elected June 18, 1889. Republican hold. |
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South Dakota (Class 2) |
New state | South Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889. First senators elected October 16, 1889, in advance of statehood.[4] Republican gain. |
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South Dakota (Class 3) |
South Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889. First senators elected October 16, 1889, in advance of statehood.[4] Republican gain. |
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Washington (Class 1) |
New state | Washington admitted to the Union November 11, 1889. First senator elected November 20, 1889. Republican gain. |
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Washington (Class 3) |
Washington admitted to the Union November 11, 1889. First senator elected November 20, 1889. Republican gain. |
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North Dakota (Class 1) |
New state | North Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889. First senators elected November 25, 1889.[5] Republican gain. |
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North Dakota (Class 3) |
North Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889. First senators elected November 25, 1889.[5] Republican gain. |
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See also[]
- 1888 United States elections
- 50th United States Congress
- 51st United States Congress
References[]
- 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.
- Journal of the House of the First Legislative Assembly begun and held at the Capitol at Bismarck, November 19, 1889 to March 18, 1890. Tribune, Printers and Binders. 1890.
- Journal of the House of Representatives of the Special Session of the South Dakota Legislature. Free Press Company. 1889.
- 1888 United States Senate elections
- 1889 United States Senate elections