1870–71 United States Senate elections

The 1870–71 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 1870 and 1871, 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.

1870–71 United States Senate elections

← 1868 & 1869 Dates vary by state (And other dates for special elections) 1872 & 1873 →
25 of the 70 (4 vacant)/74 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 36 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Henry B. Anthony[a] Party Republican Democratic Leader since March 4, 1863 Leader's seat Rhode Island Last election 57 seats 9 seats Seats before 63 11 Seats won 17 7 Seats after 58 14 Seat change 4 3 Seats up 21 4
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      Legislature failed to elect
Majority Party before election Republican Elected Majority Party Republican

The Republican Party lost five seats, though it still retained an overwhelming majority. In advance of these elections, the last four seceded states were readmitted to the Senate.

Mississippian Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African American to be elected as a U.S. Senator and become a member of Congress.^[2]

In Georgia, Foster Blodgett was elected and presented his credentials as Senator-elect, but the Senate declared him not elected.

In Virginia, Republican John F. Lewis and Democrat John W. Johnston were elected on January 26, 1870, to fill seats that had been vacant since 1864 and 1865.

Results summary

Senate party division, 42nd Congress (1871–1873)

• Majority party: Republican (55)
• Minority party: Democratic (14)
• Other parties: Liberal Republican (1)
• Vacant: (4)
• Total seats: 74

Change in Senate composition

By March 30, 1870

After the readmission of Virginia, Texas, and Mississippi, and the special elections in Iowa and Maine.

D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1	V1
D7	D8	D9	D10 Gain Readmitted	R62 Gain Readmitted	R61 Gain Readmitted	R60 Gain Special	R59 Gain Readmitted	R58 Gain Readmitted	R57 Gain Readmitted
R47	R48	R49	R50	R51	R52	R53	R54	R55	R56 Appointee elected
R46	R45	R44	R43	R42	R41	R40	R39	R38	R37
Majority →									R36
R27	R28	R29	R30	R31	R32	R33	R34	R35
R26	R25	R24	R23	R22	R21	R20	R19	R18	R17
R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16
R6	R5	R4	R3	R2	R1	V2

Before the elections

Including the February 1871 readmission of Georgia.

D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1
D8 Ran	D9 Ran	D10 Unknown	D11 Unknown	R63 Retired	R62 Retired	R61 Retired	R60 Retired	R59 Retired	R58 Unknown
R48 Ran	R49 Ran	R50 Ran	R51 Ran	R52 Ran	R53 Ran	R54 Ran	R55 Unknown	R56 Unknown	R57 Unknown
R47 Ran	R46 Ran	R45 Ran	R44 Ran	R43 Ran	R42	R41	R40	R39	R38
Majority →									R37
R28	R29	R30	R31	R32	R33	R34	R35	R36
R27	R26	R25	R24	R23	R22	R21	R20	R19	R18
R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17
R7	R6	R5	R4	R3	R2	R1

Result of the elections

D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1
D8 Hold	D9 Hold	D10 Hold	D11 Gain	D12 Gain	D13 Gain	D14 Gain	V1 D Loss	V2 R Loss	R58 Hold
R48 Re-elected	R49 Hold	R50 Hold	R51 Hold	R52 Hold	R53 Hold	R54 Hold	R55 Hold	R56 Hold	R57 Hold
R47 Re-elected	R46 Re-elected	R45 Re-elected	R44 Re-elected	R43 Re-elected	R42	R41	R40	R39	R38
Majority →									R37
R28	R29	R30	R31	R32	R33	R34	R35	R36
R27	R26	R25	R24	R23	R22	R21	R20	R19	R18
R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17
R7	R6	R5	R4	R3	R2	R1

Beginning of the next Congress

D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	D1
D8	D9	D10	D11	D12	D13	D14 Gain	V1 D Loss	V2	V3
R48	R49	R50	R51	R52	R53	R54	R55	LR1 Change	V4 R Loss
R47	R46	R45	R44	R43	R42	R41	R40	R39	R38
Majority →									R37
R28	R29	R30	R31	R32	R33	R34	R35	R36
R27	R26	R25	R24	R23	R22	R21	R20	R19	R18
R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17
R7	R6	R5	R4	R3	R2	R1

Key:	D# Democratic LR# Liberal Republican R# Republican V# Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 41st Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1870 or in 1871 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Iowa (Class 2)	James W. Grimes	Republican	1858 1864	Incumbent resigned December 6, 1869 due to ill health. New senator elected January 18, 1870.[3] Winner did not seek election to the next term.	▌Y James B. Howell (Republican) ▌John Thompson Stoneman (Democratic)
Maine (Class 2)	Lot M. Morrill	Republican	1861 (special) 1863 1869 (lost) 1869 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected January 19, 1870 to finish the term. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below.	▌Y Lot M. Morrill (Republican) [data missing]
Virginia (Class 1)	Vacant since January 2, 1864, when Joseph Segar (U) was not seated.[4]			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected January 26, 1870. Republican gain.	▌Y John F. Lewis (Republican) [data missing]
Virginia (Class 2)	Vacant since March 4, 1865, when John Curtiss Underwood (U) was not seated.[5]			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected January 26, 1870. Democratic gain. Winner was also elected late to the next term; see below.	▌Y John W. Johnston (Democratic) [data missing]
Texas (Class 2)	Vacant since July 11, 1861, when John Hemphill (D) was expelled.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected February 22, 1870.[6] Allowed to take office when state readmitted on March 30, 1870. Republican gain. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below.	▌Y Morgan C. Hamilton (Republican) [data missing]
Mississippi (Class 1)	Vacant since January 21, 1861, when Jefferson Davis (D) resigned			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected February 23, 1870. Republican gain.	▌Y Adelbert Ames (Republican) [data missing]
Mississippi (Class 2)	Vacant since January 12, 1861, when Albert G. Brown (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected February 23, 1870. Republican gain. Unknown if winner ran for the next term or retired; see below.	▌Y Hiram R. Revels (Republican) [data missing]
Texas (Class 1)	Vacant since March 23, 1861, when Louis Wigfall (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected March 30, 1870. Republican gain.	▌Y J. W. Flanagan (Republican) [data missing]
Missouri (Class 3)	Daniel T. Jewett	Republican	1870 (appointed)	Interim appointee retired. New senator elected January 20, 1871 to finish the term. Democratic gain.	▌Y Francis Preston Blair Jr. (Democratic) 61.5% ▌John B. Henderson (Republican) 35.5% ▌John F. Benjamin (Republican) 3.0%[7]
Minnesota (Class 2)	William Windom	Republican	1865	Interim appointee was not elected to finish the term. New senator elected January 22, 1871 to finish the term. Republican hold. Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. Instead, interim appointee was elected to the next term; see below.	▌Y Ozora P. Stearns (Republican) 44 (73.3%) ▌Eugene M. Wilson (Democratic) 13 (21.7%) ▌Amos Coggswell (Democratic) 2 (3.3%) ▌Ignatius L. Donnelly (Democratic) 1 (1.7%)[8]
Georgia (Class 3)	Vacant since January 28, 1861, when Alfred Iverson Sr. (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected in 1867, but not seated until readmission on February 1, 1871. Republican gain.	▌Y Joshua Hill (Republican) [data missing]
Georgia (Class 2)	Vacant since February 4, 1861, when Robert Toombs (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected February 24, 1871. Democratic gain. Unknown if winner ran for the next term or retired; see below.	▌Y Homer V. M. Miller (Democratic) [data missing]

Races leading to the 42nd Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1871; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Alabama	Willard Warner	Republican	1868 (readmission)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1870. Democratic gain.	▌Y George Goldthwaite (Democratic) ▌Willard Warner (Republican) [data missing]
Arkansas	Alexander McDonald	Republican	1868 (readmission)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1870. Republican hold.	▌Y Powell Clayton (Republican) ▌Alexander McDonald (Republican) [data missing]
Delaware	Willard Saulsbury Sr.	Democratic	1858 1864	Incumbent lost re-election to his older brother. New senator elected in 1870. Democratic hold.	▌Y Eli Saulsbury (Democratic) ▌Willard Saulsbury Sr. (Democratic) [data missing]
Georgia	Homer V. M. Miller	Democratic	1871 (readmission)	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1876 or 1877. Democratic loss. Senate later refused to seat Senator-elect Foster Blodgett.	▌Y Foster Blodgett (Republican) [data missing]
Illinois	Richard Yates	Republican	1864–65	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1870 or 1871. Republican hold.	▌Y John A. Logan (Republican) [data missing]
Iowa	James B. Howell	Republican	1870 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 18, 1870.[3] Republican hold.	▌Y George G. Wright (Republican) ▌Thomas W. Claggett (Democratic)
Kansas	Edmund G. Ross	Republican	1866 (appointed) 1867 (special)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1871. Republican hold.	▌Y Alexander Caldwell (Republican) ▌Edmund G. Ross (Republican) [data missing]
Kentucky	Thomas C. McCreery	Democratic	1868 (special)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected December 16, 1869. Democratic hold.	▌Y John W. Stevenson (Democratic) 117 ▌ H. F. Finley (Republican) 10 ▌ Richard M. Spalding (Democratic) 5 ▌ John C. Breckinridge (Democratic) 1
Louisiana	John S. Harris	Republican	1868 (readmission)	Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected in 1870 or 1871. Republican hold.	▌Y Joseph R. West (Republican) [data missing]
Maine	Lot M. Morrill	Republican	1861 (special) 1863 1869 (lost) 1869 (appointed) 1870 (special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1870 or 1871.	▌Y Lot M. Morrill (Republican) [data missing]
Massachusetts	Henry Wilson	Republican	1855 (special) 1859 1865	Incumbent re-elected in 1871.	▌Y Henry Wilson (Republican) [data missing]
Michigan	Jacob M. Howard	Republican	1862 (special) 1865	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected January 18, 1871. Republican hold.	▌Y Thomas W. Ferry (Republican) [data missing]
Minnesota	Ozora P. Stearns	Republican	1871 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in January 1871. Republican hold.	▌Y William Windom (Republican) 43 (71.7%) ▌Richard A. Jones (Democratic) 14 (23.3%) ▌Morton S. Wilkinson (Republican) 1 (1.7%) ▌Cornelius F. Buck (Democratic) 1 (1.7%) ▌Thomas Wilson (Republican) 1 (1.7%)[9]
Mississippi	Hiram Rhodes Revels	Republican	1870 (readmission)	Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected January 18, 1870. Republican hold.	▌Y James L. Alcorn (Republican) [data missing]
Nebraska	John M. Thayer	Republican	1867	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1870. Republican hold.	▌Y Phineas Hitchcock (Republican) ▌John M. Thayer (Republican) [data missing]
New Hampshire	Aaron H. Cragin	Republican	1864	Incumbent re-elected in 1870.	▌Y Aaron H. Cragin (Republican) [data missing]
New Jersey	Alexander G. Cattell	Republican	1866 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1870 or 1871. Republican hold.	▌Y Frederick T. Frelinghuysen (Republican) [data missing]
North Carolina	Joseph Abbott	Republican	1868 (readmission)	Incumbent lost renomination. Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. Seat remained vacant until January 30, 1872.	[data missing]
Oregon	George H. Williams	Republican	1864	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1870. Democratic gain.	▌Y James K. Kelly (Democratic) ▌George H. Williams (Republican) [data missing]
Rhode Island	Henry B. Anthony	Republican	1858 1864	Incumbent re-elected in 1870.	▌Y Henry B. Anthony (Republican) [data missing]
South Carolina	Thomas J. Robertson	Republican	1868 (readmission)	Incumbent re-elected in 1870.	▌Y Thomas J. Robertson (Republican) [data missing]
Tennessee	Joseph S. Fowler	Republican	1866 (readmission)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1870 or 1871. Democratic gain.	▌Y Henry Cooper (Democratic) [data missing]
Texas	Morgan C. Hamilton	Republican	1870 (readmission)	Incumbent re-elected in 1870.	▌Y Morgan C. Hamilton (Republican) [data missing]
Virginia	John W. Johnston	Democratic	1870 (readmission)	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. Seat remained vacant until March 15, 1871.	[data missing]
West Virginia	Waitman T. Willey	Republican	1863 1865	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1871. Democratic gain.	▌Y Henry G. Davis (Democratic) [data missing]

Elections during the 42nd Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1871 after March 4.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Virginia (Class 2)	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect. Previous incumbent re-elected March 15, 1871. Democratic gain.	▌ Y John W. Johnston (Democratic) [data missing]
Georgia (Class 2)	Vacant			Foster Blodgett (R) had presented credentials as Senator-elect, but the Senate declared him not elected. New senator elected November 14, 1871. Democratic gain.	▌Y Thomas M. Norwood (Democratic) [data missing]

West Virginia

1871 United States Senate election in West Virginia

← 1865 January 31, 1871 1877 →
Needed to win: Majority of votes cast in each House of the Legislature 54 votes cast in the House; 28 votes needed 21 votes cast in the Senate; 11 votes needed
Candidate Henry G. Davis James H. Brown Party Democratic Republican House vote 39 votes 72.2% 15 votes 27.8% Senate vote 14 votes 66.7% 7 votes 33.3%
U.S. senator before election Waitman T. Willey Republican Elected U.S. Senator Henry G. Davis Democratic

Henry G. Davis, a Democratic state legislator, was elected to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Waitman T. Willey. Davis won the Democratic caucus vote over former legislators Daniel Lamb and Benjamin H. Smith. Davis' victory was attributed to widespread support throughout the state, as well as among party leaders. Nearly all of Lamb's votes, meanwhile, were localized to the Northern Panhandle.^[10]

Democratic nomination

Candidate	First Ballot
	Votes	%
Henry G. Davis	27	52.9
Daniel Lamb	12	23.5
Benjamin H. Smith	12	23.5
Total	51	100
Needed to win	26	>50

Floor vote^[11]

Party		Candidate	House		Senate
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Democratic	Henry G. Davis	39	72.2	14	66.7
	Republican	James H. Brown	15	27.8	7	33.3
Total			54	100	21	100
Needed to win			28	>50	11	>50

See also

• 1870 United States elections
  • 1870–71 United States House of Representatives elections
• 41st United States Congress
• 42nd United States Congress

Notes

1. as Republican Conference Chair