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. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The Republican Party gained plurality control of the Senate with the support of the Populist Party and the 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.
D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D Majority with vacancies → R R R S P P P V V V R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Result of the general elections D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D P P V V No majority R R R R R S P P V V R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Result of the special elections and party change
D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D P P P P V ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) S R R R R R R R R S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
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 1886 18891892 Incumbent resigned due to ill health.New senator elected February 7, 1894.Democratic hold.Walthall, however, had already been re-elected to next term. Louisiana(Class 2) Donelson Caffery Democratic 1892 Interim appointee elected May 23, 1894.Winner had already been elected to the next term; see below. Louisiana(Class 3) Newton C. Blanchard Democratic 1894 Interim appointee elected May 23, 1894. Georgia(Class 2) Patrick Walsh Democratic 1894 Interim appointee elected November 7, 1894.Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. North Carolina(Class 3) Thomas Jarvis Democratic 1894 Interim appointee retired or lost election to finish the term.New senator elected November 7, 1894.Republican gain.New senator qualified January 23, 1895. Montana(Class 1) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.New senator elected January 16, 1895.Republican gain. Wyoming(Class 1) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.New senator elected January 23, 1895.Republican gain. California(Class 3) George C. Perkins Republican 1893 Interim appointee elected January 23, 1895. Michigan(Class 1) John Patton Jr. Republican 1894 Interim appointee lost election to finish the term.New senator elected January 24, 1895.Republican hold. Washington(Class 1) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.New senator elected February 1, 1895.Republican gain.
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 Electoralhistory Alabama John T. Morgan Democratic 187618821888 Incumbent re-elected in 1894. Arkansas James Berry Democratic 1885 1889 Incumbent re-elected in 1895. Colorado Edward O. Wolcott Republican 1889 Incumbent re-elected in 1895. Delaware Anthony C. Higgins Republican 1888–89 Legislature failed to elect.Republican loss. Anthony C. Higgins (Republican) Georgia Patrick Walsh Democratic 1894 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected in 1894.Democratic hold. Idaho George Shoup Republican 1890 Incumbent re-elected in 1895. Illinois Shelby M. Cullom Republican 18821888 Incumbent re-elected in 1894. Iowa James F. Wilson Republican 1888 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 17, 1894.Republican hold. Kansas John Martin Democratic 1893 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in January 1895.Republican gain. Kentucky William Lindsay Democratic 1893 Incumbent re-elected January 16, 1894, after an election on January 9, 1894. Louisiana Donelson Caffery Democratic 1891 Interim appointee elected May 14, 1894.Winner was later elected to finish the current term; see below. Maine William P. Frye Republican 1881 18831889 Incumbent re-elected in 1895. Massachusetts George F. Hoar Republican 187718831889 Incumbent re-elected in 1895. Michigan James McMillan Republican 1889 Incumbent re-elected in 1895. Minnesota W. D. Washburn Republican 1888 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1895.Republican hold. Mississippi Anselm J. McLaurin Democratic 1894 (special) Incumbent retired as predecessor had already been elected early to the next term January 20, 1892.Democratic hold. Montana Thomas C. Power Republican 1890 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in January 1895.Republican hold. Nebraska Charles F. Manderson Republican 18831888 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected January 15, 1895.Republican hold. New Hampshire William E. Chandler Republican 1887 1889 1889 Incumbent re-elected in 1895. New Jersey John R. McPherson Democratic 187718831889 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in 1895.Republican gain. North Carolina Matt W. Ransom Democratic 1872 187618831889 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1894.Populist gain. Oregon Joseph N. Dolph Republican 18821888 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected February 23, 1895.Republican hold. Rhode Island Nathan F. Dixon III Republican 1889 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1894.Republican hold. South Carolina Matthew Butler Democratic 187618821888 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected in 1894.Democratic hold. South Dakota Richard F. Pettigrew Republican 1889 Incumbent re-elected in 1894. Tennessee Isham G. Harris Democratic 187718831889 Incumbent re-elected in 1895. Texas Richard Coke Democratic 187618831889 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 23, 1895.Democratic hold. Virginia Eppa Hunton Democratic 1892 1893 Incumbent retired.New senator was already elected early December 19, 1893.Democratic hold. West Virginia Johnson N. Camden Democratic 1893 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected January 23, 1895.Republican gain. Wyoming Joseph M. Carey Republican 1890 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1895.Republican hold.
Elections during the 54th Congress There were no elections in 1895 after March 4.
Alabama
Former brigadier general in the Confederate States Army John T. Morgan 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.
Arkansas
California (special)
Colorado
Delaware
Georgia
Georgia (special)
Idaho
Illinois
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
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)
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)
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
Massachusetts
Michigan
Michigan (special)
Minnesota
Mississippi
Mississippi (special)
Montana
Montana (special)
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
North Carolina
North Carolina (special)
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington (special)
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
Wyoming
Wyoming (special)
See also 1894 United States elections 1894 United States House of Representatives elections 53rd United States Congress 54th United States Congress
Notes
References