Various dates 1846 / 1847 → 23 27 27 24 | 23 seats 27 seats 8 8 3 3 | |
The United States Senate elections of 1844 and 1845 were elections which, coinciding with James K. Polk's election, had the Democratic Party retake control of the United States Senate, gaining a net total of eleven seats from the Whigs.
Contents
- Results summary
- Special elections during the 28th Congress
- Races leading to the 29th Congress
- Special elections during the 29th Congress
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- References
As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.
Results summary
Senate Party Division, 29th Congress (1845–1847)
Special elections during the 28th Congress
In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1844 or in 1845 before March 4; ordered by election date.
Races leading to the 29th Congress
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1845; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.
Special elections during the 29th Congress
In these special elections, the winners were elected in 1845 after March 4; ordered by election date.
New York
Two special elections were held on January 18, 1845 and one regular election was held on February 4, 1845.
Nathaniel P. Tallmadge had been re-elected in 1840 to the Class 1 seat (term 1839-1845), but resigned on June 17, 1844, to be appointed Governor of Wisconsin Territory by President John Tyler. On November 30, Governor William C. Bouck appointed Lieutenant Governor Daniel S. Dickinson to fill the vacancy temporarily, and Dickinson took his seat on December 9, 1844.
Silas Wright, Jr. had been re-elected in 1843 to the Class 3 seat (term 1843-1849), but resigned on November 26, 1844, after his election as Governor of New York. On November 30, Governor William C. Bouck appointed State Senator Henry A. Foster to fill the vacancy temporarily, and Foster took his seat on December 9, 1844.
The 68th New York State Legislature met from January 7 to May 14, 1845, and the majority Democrats were split between two factions: the "Hunkers" and the "Barnburners". At the Democratic caucus for Speaker Hunker Horatio Seymour received 35 votes against 30 for Barnburner William C. Crain. Both of the temporarily appointed U.S. Senators, Dickinson and Foster, were also Hunkers, but the Barnburners claimed one of the seats.
A Democratic caucus to nominate candidates for the U.S. Senate met in January with 93 state legislators present. To fill the Class 3 vacancy caused by the resignation of Silas Wright, Barnburner John Adams Dix was nominated with 51 votes against Hunker Chief Justice Samuel Nelson with 41 votes. To fill the Class 1 vacancy caused by the resignation of Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, for the remainder of the term which would expire on March 3 next, the incumbent Hunker appointee, Daniel S. Dickinson, was re-nominated.
After these nominations were made, it was moved to adjourn, and to postpone the nomination of a candidate for the full term beginning on March 4, which was rejected by a vote of 55 to 37. Dickinson was then nominated to succeed himself for a full term (1845-1851). The vote was 54 for Dickinson, 13 votes for the Barnburner ex-Congressman Michael Hoffman, 3 votes for the Barnburner ex-Congressman Freeborn G. Jewett , 1 for Hunker Samuel Nelson, and 4 blanks. Many Barnburners refused to vote on this nomination, and then opposed the motion to make the nomination unanimous.
Dickinson re-took his seat under the new credentials on January 27, 1845, and re-elected, remained in office until March 3, 1851, when his term expired. Dix took his seat on January 27, 1845, and remained in office until March 3, 1849, when his term expired.
Pennsylvania
The general election was held on January 14, 1845. Incumbent Daniel Sturgeon was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate. The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 14, 1845, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1845. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
A special election was held on March 13, 1845. Simon Cameron was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate. Democrat and future President of the United States James Buchanan was elected to the United States Senate by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, in an 1834 special election and was re-elected in 1836 and 1843. Sen. Buchanan resigned on March 5, 1845, after being appointed U.S. Secretary of State by President James K. Polk. Following the resignation of Sen. Buchanan, the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on March 13, 1845, to elect a new Senator to fill the vacancy and serve the remainder of the term set to expire on March 4, 1849. Five ballots were recorded. The results of the fifth and final ballot of both houses combined are as follows: