United States Senate elections, 1852 and 1853
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The United States Senate elections of 1852 and 1853 were elections which had the Democratic Party gain two seats in the United States Senate, and which coincided with the 1852 Presidential election. Only six of the twenty Senators up for election were re-elected.
As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.
Senate Party Division, 33rd Congress (1853–1855)
- Majority Party: Democratic (35)
- Minority Party: Whig Party (19)
- Other Parties: Free Soiler (2); Know Nothing (1)
- Vacant: 5
- Total Seats: 62
Change in Senate composition
Before the elections
After the July 6, 1852 appointment in Kentucky.
D1 | |||||||||
D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 |
D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 |
D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 Ran |
D28 Ran |
D29 Ran |
D30 Ran |
D31 Ran |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Majority → | D32 Unknown | ||||||||
W22 Retired |
FS1 | FS2 | FS3 Retired |
D37 Retired |
D36 Retired |
D35 Retired |
D34 Unknown |
D33 Unknown | |
W21 Retired |
W20 Retired |
W19 Retired |
W18 Unknown |
W17 Unknown |
W16 Ran |
W15 Ran |
W14 | W13 | W12 |
W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 |
W1 |
As a result of the elections
D1 | |||||||||
D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 |
D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 |
D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 Re-elected |
D28 Re-elected |
D29 Re-elected |
D30 Re-elected |
D31 Re-elected |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Majority → | D32 Hold | ||||||||
KN1 Gain |
FS1 | FS2 | V1 D Loss |
V2 D Loss |
D36 Gain |
D35 Gain |
D34 Hold |
D33 Hold | |
V3 W Loss |
V4 W Loss |
V5 W Loss |
W18 Gain |
W17 Hold |
W16 Hold |
W15 Re-elected |
W14 | W13 | W12 |
W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 |
W1 |
At the beginning of the next Congress
D1 | |||||||||
D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 |
D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 |
D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 | D31 |
Majority → | D32 | ||||||||
FS1 | V1 | V2 | V3 | V4 | V5 | D35 | D34 | D33 | |
FS2 | KN1 | W19 Gain |
W18 | W17 | W16 | W15 | W14 | W13 | W12 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 |
W1 |
At the beginning of the first session, December 5, 1853
D1 | |||||||||
D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 |
D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 |
D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 | D31 |
Majority → | D32 | ||||||||
FS2 | V2 | V2 | V3 | D37 Gain |
D36 Gain |
D35 | D34 | D33 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FS1 | KN1 | W19 | W18 | W17 | W16 | W15 | W14 | W13 | W12 |
W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 |
W1 |
Race summaries
Special elections during the 32nd Congress
In these elections, the winners were seated during 1852 or in 1853 before March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
California (Class 1) |
Vacant | Legislature failed to elect. Winner elected January 30, 1852. Democratic gain. |
√ John B. Weller (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Mississippi (Class 2) |
Henry S. Foote | Democratic | 1846 or 1847 | Incumbent resigned January 8, 1852 to become Governor of Mississippi. Winner elected February 18, 1852. Whig gain. Winner then retired at the end of the term, see below. |
√ Walker Brooke (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Mississippi (Class 1) |
John J. McRae | Democratic | 1851 (Appointed) | Interim appointee replaced by an elected successor. Winner elected March 17, 1852. Democratic hold. |
√ Stephen Adams (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Connecticut (Class 1) |
Vacant | Legislature failed to elect. Winner elected May 12, 1852. Democratic gain. |
√ Isaac Toucey (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Kentucky (Class 3) |
David Meriwether | Democratic | 1852 (Appointed) | Interim appointee retired when elected successor qualified. Winner elected September 1, 1852. Whig gain. |
√ Archibald Dixon (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
South Carolina (Class 2) |
William F. De Saussure | Democratic | 1852 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected November 29, 1852.[1] Winner was not elected to the next term, see below. |
√ William F. De Saussure (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Indiana (Class 3) |
Charles W. Cathcart | Democratic | 1852 (Appointed) | Incumbent retired when elected successor qualified. Winner elected January 18, 1853. Democratic hold. |
√ John Pettit (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Races leading to the 33rd Congress
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1853; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | Jeremiah Clemens | Democratic | 1849 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. Seat would remain vacant until November 29, 1853, see below. |
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Arkansas | William K. Sebastian | Democratic | 1848 (Appointed) 1848 (Special) |
Incumbent re-elected in 1853. | √ William K. Sebastian (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Delaware | Presley Spruance | Whig | 1846 or 1847 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1853. Whig hold. |
√ John M. Clayton (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Georgia | Robert M. Charlton | Democratic | 1852 (Appointed) | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1852. Democratic hold. |
√ Robert Toombs (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Illinois | Stephen A. Douglas | Democratic | 1846 | Incumbent re-elected in 1852. | √ Stephen A. Douglas (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Iowa | George W. Jones | Democratic | 1848 | Incumbent re-elected in 1852. | √ George W. Jones (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Louisiana | Solomon W. Downs | Democratic | 1847 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1852. Whig gain. |
√ Judah P. Benjamin (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Kentucky | Joseph R. Underwood | Whig | 1846 or 1847 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1852 or 1853. Know Nothing gain. |
√ John B. Thompson (Know Nothing) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Maine | James W. Bradbury | Democratic | 1846 | Incumbent retired. Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. Seat would remain vacant until 1854. |
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Massachusetts | John Davis | Whig | 1835 1841 (Resigned) 1845 (Special) 1847 |
Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1853. Whig hold. |
√ Edward Everett (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Michigan | Alpheus Felch | Democratic | 1847 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1853. Democratic hold. |
√ Charles E. Stuart (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Mississippi | Walker Brooke | Whig | 1852 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Legislature failed to elect. Whig loss. Seat would remain vacant until 1854. |
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
New Hampshire | John P. Hale | Free Soil | 1846 | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. President. Winner elected in 1852. Democratic gain. |
√ Charles G. Atherton (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
New Jersey | Jacob W. Miller | Whig | 1840 1846 |
Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1852 or 1853. Democratic gain. |
√ William Wright (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
North Carolina | Willie Mangum | Whig | 1830 1840 (Special) 1841 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Leglislature failed to elect. Whig loss. Seat would remain vacant until 1854. |
Willie Mangum (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Rhode Island | John Hopkins Clarke | Whig | 1846 or 1847 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Leglislature failed to elect. Whig loss. Seat would remain vacant until July 20, 1853, see below. |
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
South Carolina | William F. De Saussure | Democratic | 1852 (Appointed) 1852 (Special) |
Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1852 or 1853. Democratic hold. |
√ Josiah J. Evans (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Tennessee | John Bell | Whig | 1847 | Incumbent re-elected in 1853. | √ Spencer Jarnagin (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Texas | Sam Houston | Democratic | 1846 1847 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1853. | √ Sam Houston (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Virginia | Robert M. T. Hunter | Democratic | 1846 | Incumbent re-elected in 1852. | √ Robert M. T. Hunter (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Race leading to the 34th Congress
In this general election, the winner was elected for the term beginning March 4, 1855.
This election involved a Class 3 seat.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Kentucky (Class 3) |
Archibald Dixon | Whig | 1852 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1853, far in advance of the term beginning March 4, 1855. Whig hold. |
√ John J. Crittenden (Whig) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Elections during the 33rd Congress
In these elections, the winners were elected in 1853 on or after March 4; ordered by date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
New Jersey (Class 1) |
Robert F. Stockton | Democratic | 1851 | Incumbent resigned January 10, 1853 to become president of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Company. Winner elected March 4, 1853. Democratic hold. |
√ John Renshaw Thomson (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Rhode Island (Class 2) |
Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. Winner elected July 20, 1853. Democratic gain. |
√ Philip Allen (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Alabama (Class 2) |
Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. Winner elected November 29, 1853. Democratic gain. |
√ Clement Claiborne Clay (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Alabama (Class 3) |
Benjamin Fitzpatrick | Democratic | 1848 (Appointed) 1849 Elected successor qualified 1853 (Appointed) |
Interim appointee elected December 12, 1853.[2] | √ Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Louisiana (Class 3) |
Pierre Soulé | Democratic | 1847 (Special) 1847 (Left office) 1848 |
Incumbent resigned to become U.S. Minister to Spain. Winner elected December 5, 1853. Democratic hold. |
√ John Slidell (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Complete list of races
Alabama
Class 2: Late election
The legislature failed to elect a Senator for the other seat, previously held by Jeremiah Clemens (Democratic). On November 29, 1853, Clement Claiborne Clay (Democratic) was finally elected late to the seat.
Class 3: Special
On December 20, 1852, Senator William R. King (Democratic) resigned due to poor health. On January 14, 1853, Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democratic) was appointed to continue the term, and he was elected December 12, 1853 to finish the term.[2]
Connecticut
Senate (May 11, 1852)[3]
- √ Isaac Toucey 13
- Roger Baldwin 6
- Francis Gillette 1
House (May 12, 1852)[4]
- √ Isaac Toucey 124
- Roger Baldwin 84
- Francis Gillette 6
- Samuel Ingham 3
- S. H. Beardsley 1
Massachusetts
Texas
See also
References
- Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov
- ↑ Byrd, Robert C.; Wolff, Wendy (October 1, 1993). "The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992" (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 164.
- 1 2 Byrd, page 76.
- ↑ Journal of the Senate of the State of Connecticut, May session 1852, pages 41-42.
- ↑ "Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Connecticut (May session 1852)". pp. 54, 58.
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