United States Senate elections, 1878 and 1879

United States Senate elections, 1878 and 1879

November 1878
? seats in the United States Senate
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Republican Last election 35 seats 40 seats Seats won 42 33 Seat change 7 7
Majority Party before election Republican Party Elected Majority Party Democratic Party

The United States Senate elections of 1878 and 1879 were elections which had the Democratic Party retake control of the United States Senate for the first time since before the Civil War.

As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Results

46th Congress (1879–1881)

• Majority Party: Democratic (42)
• Minority Party: Republican (33)
• Other Parties: Independent (1)
• Total Seats: 76

Change in Senate composition

Senate composition in the 45th Congress  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   I   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   R   R   R	Senate composition in the 46th Congress  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   I   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    I  =Independent

Race summaries

Special elections during the 45th Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1878 or in 1879 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Missouri (Class 3)	David H. Armstrong	Democratic	1877 (Appointed)	Interim appointee retired when successor elected. Winner elected January 27, 1879. Democratic hold. Winner did not run for the next term, see below.	√ James Shields (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]

Races leading to the 46th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1879; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Missouri	James Shields	Democratic	1848 or 1849 (Illinois) 1849 (Illinois: Election voided) 1849 (Illinois: Special) 1855 (Illinois: Lost) 1858 (Minnesota) 1879 (Missouri: Special)	Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1879. Democratic hold.	√ George G. Vest (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
North Carolina	Augustus Merrimon	Democratic	1872	Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1879. Democratic hold.	√ Zebulon Vance (Democratic) Augustus Merrimon (Democratic)

Elections during the 46th Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1879 on or after March 4; ordered by date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history

See also

• United States elections, 1878
• United States House of Representatives elections, 1878
• 45th United States Congress
• 46th United States Congress

References

• Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov