The 1794–95 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 1794 and 1795, 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 3.
This was the first election cycle with organized political parties in the United States, with the Federalist Party emerging from the Pro Administration coalition, and the Democratic-Republican Party emerging from the Anti-Administration coalition.
Results summary Senate party division, 4th Congress (1795–1797)
Majority party: Federalist (20) Minority party: Democratic-Republican (10) Other parties: 0 Total seats: 30
Change in composition
Before the elections Note: There were no political parties in the 3rd Congress. Members are informally grouped here into factions of similar interest, based on an analysis of their voting record.
After the March 31, 1794 special election in Pennsylvania.
A A A A A A A A A A A A A V P Majority → P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Results of the elections
A A A A A A A A DR DR V F F F F F P P P P P P F F F P P P P P
Beginning of the next Congress
Seven senators who were considered "Anti-Administration" became Democratic-Republicans and eleven "Pro-Administration" became Federalists.
DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR F F F F F Majority → F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F Key: A Anti-Administration DR Democratic-Republican F Federalist P Pro-Administration V Vacant
Race summaries Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.
Special elections during the 3rd Congress In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1795; ordered by election date.
State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party First elected Pennsylvania(Class 1) Albert Gallatin Anti-Administration1793 Incumbent disqualified February 28, 1794.New senator elected March 31, 1794.Pro-Administration gain.Winner became a Federalist in the next Congress. Virginia(Class 1) James Monroe Anti-Administration1790 Incumbent resigned May 11, 1794 to become U.S. Minister to France.New senator elected November 18, 1794.Anti-Administration hold.Winner became a Democratic-Republican in the next Congress. Virginia(Class 2) John Taylor Anti-Administration1792 Incumbent resigned May 11, 1794.New senator elected November 18, 1794.Anti-Administration hold.Winner became a Democratic-Republican in the next Congress. Delaware(Class 1) Vacant George Read (P) resigned September 18, 1793 to become Chief Justice of Delaware.New senator elected February 7, 1795.Pro-Administration gain.Winner became a Federalist in the next Congress.
Races leading to the 4th Congress In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1795; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party First elected Connecticut Stephen Mitchell Pro-Administration 1793 Incumbent appointee retired.New senator's election date unknown.Federalist gain. Georgia James Gunn Anti-Administration 1789 Incumbent re-elected November 13, 1794 as a Federalist.Federalist gain. Kentucky John Edwards Anti-Administration1792 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in 1794 on the second ballot.Federalist gain. Maryland John Henry Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent re-elected in 1795 as a Federalist.Federalist gain. New Hampshire John Langdon Anti-Administration 1788 Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date as a Democratic-Republican.Democratic-Republican gain. New York Rufus King Pro-Administration 1789 Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1795 to a new party.Federalist gain. North Carolina Benjamin Hawkins Anti-Administration 1789 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in 1795 on the fifth ballot.Democratic-Republican gain. Pennsylvania Robert Morris Pro-Administration 1788 Incumbent retired.New senator elected February 26, 1795.Federalist gain. South Carolina Ralph Izard Pro-Administration 1789 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1794 on the second ballot.Federalist gain. Vermont Stephen R. Bradley Anti-Administration1791 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1794.Federalist gain.
Elections during the 4th Congress There were no elections in 1795 after March 4.
Connecticut
Delaware (special)
The Delaware special election was held February 7, 1795. Incumbent Senator George Read had resigned to take the position of Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. Henry Latimer defeated the former Governor of Delaware, Governor of Pennsylvania and Continental Congressmen from Delaware and Pennsylvania by one vote.
Georgia
Kentucky
Maryland
John Henry won election over James Lloyd by an unknown number of votes for the Class 3 seat.
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (special)
Pennsylvania (regular)
Incumbent Federalist Robert Morris, who was elected in 1788, was not a candidate for re-election to another term. The Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on February 26, 1795, to elect a senator for the term beginning March 4, 1795.
South Carolina
Vermont
Virginia
Even though neither of Virginia's incumbent's terms were up, both resigned in 1794, leading to two special elections.
Future-president James Monroe resigned March 27, 1794 to become U.S. Minister to France.
Stevens Thomson Mason was elected November 18, 1794 and would become a Democratic-Republican in the next Congress.
Virginia (special, class 2)
Incumbent John Taylor of Caroline resigned May 11, 1794.
Henry Tazewell was elected November 18, 1794 and would become a Democratic-Republican in the next Congress.
See also 1794 United States elections 1794–95 United States House of Representatives elections 3rd United States Congress 4th United States Congress
References
External links