The 1916 United States Senate elections were elections that coincided with the re-election of President Woodrow Wilson. This was the first election since the enactment of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913 that all 32 Class 1 senators were selected by direct or popular elections instead of state legislatures. Republicans gained a net of two seats from the Democrats, and then an additional two seats through mid-term vacancies, thereby reducing Democrats to a 52–44 majority.

Gains, losses, and holds Retirements Four Republicans and two Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Arkansas California Maine (special) New Mexico New York Pennsylvania

Defeats Nine Democrats and five Republicans sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

StateSenatorReplaced by Delaware Florida Indiana (special) Indiana Maine Maryland Minnesota New Jersey Rhode Island Tennessee Utah West Virginia Wyoming

Post-election changes Eight Democrats and two Republicans died during the 65th Congress, and initially were all replaced by appointees except in Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, Democratic Senator Paul O. Husting died on October 21, 1917, and his seat remained vacant until an April 1918 election. StateSenatorReplaced by Idaho(Class 3) Kentucky(Class 2) Louisiana(Class 3) Missouri(Class 3) Nevada(Class 3) New Hampshire(Class 3) New Jersey(Class 2) Oregon(Class 2) South Carolina(Class 2) Wisconsin(Class 3)

Change in composition Before the 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 D D D D D D D D Majority → D R R D D D D D D D 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 R R R R

Elections results   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 D D D D Majority → D R R R R D D D D D 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 R R R R Key D Democratic R Republican

Race summaries

Special elections during the 64th Congress In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1916 or before March 4, 1917; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Maine(Class 2) Edwin C. Burleigh Republican 1913 Incumbent died June 16, 1916.A new senator elected September 11, 1916.Republican hold. Arkansas(Class 3) James P. Clarke Democratic 190319091914 Incumbent died October 1, 1916.New senator elected November 7, 1916.Democratic hold. Indiana(Class 3) Thomas Taggart Democratic 1916 Interim appointee lost election to finish term.New senator elected November 7, 1916.Republican gain.

Elections leading to the 65th Congress In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1917; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Arizona Henry F. Ashurst Democratic 1912 Incumbent re-elected. California John D. Works Republican 1911 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. Connecticut George P. McLean Republican 1911 Incumbent re-elected. Delaware Henry A. du Pont Republican 1906 1911 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Florida Nathan P. Bryan Democratic 1911 1911 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Indiana John W. Kern Democratic 1911 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. Maine Charles F. Johnson Democratic 1911 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected September 11, 1916.Republican gain. Maryland Blair Lee I Democratic 1913 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Republican gain. Massachusetts Henry Cabot Lodge Republican 1893189919051911 Incumbent re-elected Michigan Charles E. Townsend Republican 1911 Incumbent re-elected. Minnesota Moses E. Clapp Republican 1901 19051911 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Republican hold. Mississippi John Sharp Williams Democratic 1908 Incumbent re-elected. Missouri James A. Reed Democratic 1911 Incumbent re-elected. Montana Henry L. Myers Democratic 1911 Incumbent re-elected. Nebraska Gilbert Hitchcock Democratic 1911 Incumbent re-elected. Nevada Key Pittman Democratic 1913 Incumbent re-elected. New Jersey James E. Martine Democratic 1911 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. New Mexico Thomas B. Catron Republican 1912 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Democratic gain. New York James A. O'Gorman Democratic 1911 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican gain. North Dakota Porter J. McCumber Republican 1911 Incumbent re-elected. Ohio Atlee Pomerene Democratic 1911 Incumbent re-elected. Pennsylvania George T. Oliver Republican 1909 1911 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Republican hold. Rhode Island Henry F. Lippitt Republican 1911 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Tennessee Luke Lea Democratic 1911 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected.Democratic hold. Texas Charles A. Culberson Democratic 189919051911 Incumbent re-elected. Utah George Sutherland Republican 19051911 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain. Vermont Carroll S. Page Republican 1908 1910 Incumbent re-elected. Virginia Claude A. Swanson Democratic 1910 1911 1912 Incumbent re-elected. Washington Miles Poindexter Republican 1911 Incumbent re-elected. West Virginia William E. Chilton Democratic 1911 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Republican gain. Wisconsin Robert M. La Follette Republican 19051911 Incumbent re-elected. Wyoming Clarence D. Clark Republican 1911 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected.Democratic gain.

Closest races Eighteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

State Party of winner Margin Indiana (special) Republican (flip) 1.37% Indiana Republican (flip) 1.63% Maryland Republican (flip) 1.7% West Virginia Republican (flip) 1.97% Missouri Democratic 3.12% Ohio Democratic 3.14% Connecticut Republican 3.93% Nebraska Democratic 4.1% Delaware Democratic (flip) 4.9% New Mexico Democratic (flip) 5.06% Wyoming Democratic (flip) 6.0% Massachusetts Republican 6.37% Nevada Democratic 6.53% Maine Republican (flip) 6.63% Montana Democratic 7.66% Maine (special) Republican 8.79% Rhode Island Democratic (flip) 8.82% Tennessee Democratic 9.67%

Arizona

Arkansas (special)

Three-term Democratic Senate President pro tempore James Paul Clarke died on October 1, 1916.

Democrat William F. Kirby was elected on November 7, 1916, to finish the term. He served only the rest of this term, losing renomination in 1920.

California

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Indiana

There were two elections held on November 7, 1916, due to a vacancy. The elections converted both seats from Democratic to Republican, thus marking the first time since the popular-election of senators was mandated by the Seventeenth Amendment three years earlier that both Senate seats in a state flipped from one party to the other in a single election cycle.

Indiana (special)

Two-term Democrat Benjamin F. Shively was re-elected in 1914 and served until he died on March 14, 1916. Democrat Thomas Taggart was appointed by Governor Samuel Ralston on March 20 to continue the term until a November 7, 1916, special election. Taggart lost the special election to Republican James Eli Watson.

Watson would finish out the term, be re-elected twice, and serve until his 1932 re-election loss.

Indiana (regular)

One-term Democrat John W. Kern was elected in 1911. He lost re-election to Republican Harry Stewart New.

New served only until losing renomination in 1922. Kern died on August 17, 1917, the same year he left the U.S. Senate.

Maine

There were two elections due to a vacancy. Both elections were held on September 11, 1916, as Maine routinely held its annual elections in September at the time.

Maine (special)

One-term Republican Edwin C. Burleigh was elected in 1913, and died on June 16, 1916. Republican Bert M. Fernald was elected on September 12, 1916, to finish the term.

Fernand would later be re-elected twice and serve until his 1926 death.

Maine (regular)

One-term Democrat Charles Fletcher Johnson was elected in 1911. He lost re-election to Republican Frederick Hale.

Hale would later be re-elected three times and serve until his 1935 retirement.

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Dakota

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Incumbent Democrat Charles Culberson survived a challenge from former Governor Oscar Colquitt in the Democratic primary, then easily won the general election.

Utah

Vermont

The 1916 United States Senate election in Vermont took place on November 7, 1916. It was the second direct election for the U.S. Senate to take place in Vermont following the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and the first for Vermont's Class I seat. The incumbent, Republican Carroll S. Page, successfully ran for re-election to a second full term.

In the primary election held on September 11, Page gained re-nomination by winning 62 percent of the vote to defeat former governor Allen M. Fletcher (20.3) and current governor Charles W. Gates (17.7).

With the Republican Party dominant in Vermont, as it had been since its founding in the 1850s, Democratic candidate Oscar C. Miller was little more than a token opponent for Page. In the general election, Page defeated Miller 74.4 percent to 23.5.

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

See also 1916 United States elections 1916 United States House of Representatives elections 64th United States Congress 65th United States Congress

Notes

References