1846–47 United States Senate elections

The 1846–47 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 1846 and 1847, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.

1846–47 United States Senate elections

← 1844 & 1845Various dates1848 & 1849 →

19 of the 58 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
30 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
 
PartyDemocraticWhig
Last election35 seats24 seats
Seats before3323
Seats won107
Seats after3519
Seat changeIncrease 2Decrease 4
Seats up810

 Third partyFourth party
 
PartyLibertyIndependent Democratic
Last electionNew party0
Seats before10
Seats won01
Seats after01
Seat changeDecrease 1Increase 1
Seats up10

Results:
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Independent Democratic gain      Whig hold
     Legislature failed to elect

Majority Party before election


Democratic

Elected Majority Party


Democratic

The Democratic Party gained four seats in the United States Senate.

Results

Senate party division, 30th Congress (1847–1849)

  • Majority party: Democratic (34–38)
  • Minority party: Whig (20–21)
  • Other parties: Independent Democratic (1)
  • Total seats: 58–60

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the February 1846 elections in Texas.

 D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8
D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11D10D9
D19D20D21D22D23D24D25
Ala.
Ran
D26
Ark.
Ran
D27
S.C.
Ran
D28
Tex.
Ran
Majority →D29
N.H.
Ran
W19
Va.
Ran
W20
Del.
Unknown
W21
Ky.
Unknown
W22
Mich.
Retired
W23
Tenn.
Retired
W24
La.
Died
V1D31
Ill.
Retired
D30
Miss.
Unknown
W18
R.I.
Ran
W17
N.C.
Ran
W16
N.J.
Ran
W15
Mass.
Ran
W14
Maine.
Ran
W13
Ga.
Ran
W12W11W10W9
 W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8

As a result of the regular elections

 V3
Iowa
New state
D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8
D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11D10D9
D19D20D21D22D23D24D25
Ala.
Appointee elected
D26
Ark.
Re-elected
D27
S.C.
Re-elected
D28
Tex.
Re-elected
Majority →D29
Ill.
Hold
W19
R.I.
Hold
V1
Tenn.
W Loss
V2ID1
N.H.
Gain
D34
Va.
Gain
D33
Mich.
Gain
D32
Maine.
Hold
D31
Miss.
Hold
D30
La.
Hold
W18
Ky.
Hold
W17
Del.
Hold
W16
N.C.
Re-elected
W15
N.J.
Re-elected
W14
Mass.
Re-elected
W13
Ga.
Re-elected
W12W11W10W9
 V4
Iowa
New state
W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8

As a result of the regular elections

 V2
Iowa
D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8
D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11D10D9
D19D20D21D22D23D24
Va. (sp)
Hold
D25D26D27D28
Majority →D29
W19W20
Tenn.
Gain
W21
N.C. (sp)
Gain
ID1D34D33D32D31D30
W18W17W16W15W14W13W12W11W10W9
 V3
Iowa
W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8
Key:
D#Democratic
ID#Independent Democratic
W#Whig
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 29th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1846 or in 1847 before March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Mississippi
(Class 2)
Joseph W. ChalmersDemocratic1845 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected January 10, 1846.
Texas
(Class 1)
New stateTexas was admitted to the Union December 29, 1845.
Winner elected February 21, 1846.
Democratic gain.
Texas
(Class 2)
Texas was admitted to the Union December 29, 1845.
Winner elected February 21, 1846.
Democratic gain.
New Hampshire
(Class 2)
Benning W. JennessDemocratic1845 (Appointed)Appointee lost election to finish the term.
Winner elected June 13, 1846.
Liberty gain.
Winner was not elected to the next term, see below.
North Carolina
(Class 3)
William H. Haywood Jr.Democratic1843Incumbent resigned July 25, 1846 rather than disobey instructions from the N.C. General Assembly.
Winner elected November 25, 1846.
Whig gain.
Louisiana
(Class 2)
Alexander BarrowWhig1840Incumbent died December 29, 1846.
Winner elected January 21, 1847.
Democratic gain.
Winner was not elected to the next term, see below.
Virginia
(Class 1)
Isaac S. PennybackerDemocratic1845 (special)Incumbent died January 12, 1847.
Winner elected January 21, 1847.
Democratic hold.
Iowa
(Class 2)
New stateIowa was admitted to the Union December 28, 1846.
Legislature failed to elect due to a three-way split that prevented any candidate from earning the required number of 30 legislators' votes.[2]
Seat vacant until December 7, 1848.
Iowa
(Class 3)
Iowa was admitted to the Union December 28, 1846.
Legislature failed to elect due to a three-way split that prevented any candidate from earning the required number of 30 legislators' votes.[2]
Seat vacant until December 7, 1848.

Races leading to the 30th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1847; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
AlabamaDixon Hall LewisDemocratic1844 (Appointed)Incumbent elected to full term in 1847.
ArkansasChester AshleyDemocratic1844 (special)Incumbent re-elected in 1846.
DelawareThomas ClaytonWhig1837 (special)
1841
Unknown in incumbent lost re-election or retired.
Winner elected in 1846 or 1847.
Whig hold.
GeorgiaJohn M. BerrienWhig1825
1829 (Resigned)
1840
1845 (Resigned)
1845 (special)
Incumbent re-elected in 1846.
IllinoisJames SempleDemocratic1843 (Appointed)
? (special)
Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1846.
Democratic hold.
KentuckyJames T. MoreheadWhig1841Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1846 or 1847.
Whig hold.
LouisianaPierre SouléDemocratic1847 (special)Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1847.
Democratic hold.
MaineGeorge EvansWhig1840Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1846.[3]
Democratic gain.
MassachusettsJohn DavisWhig1835
1841 (Resigned)
1845 (special)
Incumbent re-elected in 1847.
MichiganWilliam WoodbridgeWhig1841Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in February 1847.
Democratic gain.
MississippiJoseph W. ChalmersDemocratic1845 (Appointed)
? (special)
Unknown if incumbent lost re-election or retired.
Winner elected in 1846 or 1847.
Democratic hold.
New HampshireJoseph CilleyLiberty1846Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1846.
Independent Democratic gain.
New JerseyJacob W. MillerWhig1841Incumbent re-elected in 1846.
North CarolinaWillie MangumWhig1840 (special)
1841
Incumbent re-elected in 1847.
Rhode IslandJames F. SimmonsWhig1841Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1846 or 1847.
Whig hold.
South CarolinaJohn C. CalhounDemocratic1832 (special)
1834
1840
1843 (Resigned)
1845 (special)
Incumbent re-elected in 1846.
TennesseeSpencer JarnaginWhig1843 (special)Incumbent retired.
Legislature failed to elect.
Whig loss.
TexasSam HoustonDemocratic1846Incumbent re-elected in 1847
VirginiaWilliam S. ArcherWhig1846Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1846.
Democratic gain.

Special elections during the 30th Congress

In this special election, the winner was elected in 1847 after March 4.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Tennessee
(Class 2)
VacantLegislature had earlier failed to elect.
Winner elected November 22, 1847.
Whig gain.

Iowa

Iowa became a state in December 1846, but did not elect its senators until December 1848.

Louisiana

Alexander Barrow (W) died December 29, 1846. Pierre Soulé (D) was elected January 21, 1847 just to finish the term. Solomon W. Downs (D) was elected to the next term.

New Hampshire

Democratic appointee Benning W. Jenness lost the June 13, 1846 election to finish the term and the election the same day to the next term. Joseph Cilley (Liberty) was elected to finish the term, but lost the election to the next term. John P. Hale was (Independent Democratic) was elected to the next term and would later become a Free Soiler.

Virginia

William S. Archer (W) lost re-election to Democrat Robert M. T. Hunter.

Virginia (special)

Isaac S. Pennybacker (D), who was not up for election, died January 12, 1847. James Murray Mason (D) was elected January 21, 1847.

See also

References