1904–05 United States Senate elections

The 1904–05 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with President Theodore Roosevelt's landslide election to a full term and the 1904 House of Representatives elections. 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 1904 and 1905, 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 1.

1904–05 United States Senate elections

← 1902 & 1903February 4, 1904 –
April 20, 1905
1906 & 1907 →

30 of the 90 seats in the United States Senate (as well as special elections)
46 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
 
LeaderWilliam B. AllisonArthur P. Gorman
(retired)
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Leader sinceMarch 4, 1897March 4, 1903
Leader's seatIowaMaryland
Seats before5733
Seats won225
Seats after5732
Seat changeSteadyDecrease 1
Seats up237

Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Republican gain      Republican hold
     Legislature failed to elect

Majority Party before election


Republican

Elected Majority Party


Republican

Party share of seats remained roughly the same, when including vacancies and appointments, and the Republicans retained a significant majority over the Democrats.

Special elections were held in Indiana and Massachusetts, in the former due to the ascension of Charles Fairbanks to the Vice Presidency and in the latter due to the death of longtime Senator George Hoar.

In Georgia, the legislature failed to elect until shortly after the beginning of the 59th Congress on March 4. In Delaware the legislature deadlocked and did not elect a Senator until June 1906.

Results summary

Senate party division, 59th Congress (1905–1907)

  • Majority party: Republican (58)
  • Minority party: Democratic (32)
  • Other parties: (0)
  • Total seats: 90

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

At the beginning of 1904.

D1D2D3D4D5
D15D14D13D12D11D10D9D8D7D6
D16D17D18D19D20D21D22D23D24D25
R56
Retired
R57
Retired
D33
Retired
D32
Ran
D31
Ran
D30
Ran
D29
Ran
D28
Ran
D27
Ran
D26
R55
Retired
R54
Retired
R53
Retired
R52
Retired
R51
Ran
but died
R50
Ran
R49
Ran
R48
Ran
R47
Ran
R46
Ran
Majority →
R36
Ran
R37
Ran
R38
Ran
R39
Ran
R40
Ran
R41
Ran
R42
Ran
R43
Ran
R44
Ran
R45
Ran
R35
Ran
R34R33R32R31R30R29R28R27R26
R16R17R18R19R20R21R22R23R24R25
R15R14R13R12R11R10R9R8R7R6
R1R2R3R4R5

Result of the general elections

D1D2D3D4D5
D15D14D13D12D11D10D9D8D7D6
D16D17D18D19D20D21D22D23D24D25
R56
Gain
V1
R Loss
V2
D Loss
V3
D Loss
D31
Gain
D30
Re-elected
D29
Re-elected
D28
Re-elected
D27
Re-elected
D26
R55
Hold
R54
Hold
R53
Hold
R52
Hold
R51
Hold
R50
Hold
R49
Hold
R48
Re-elected
R47
Re-elected
R46
Re-elected
Majority →
R36
Re-elected
R37
Re-elected
R38
Re-elected
R39
Re-elected
R40
Re-elected
R41
Re-elected
R42
Re-elected
R43
Re-elected
R44
Re-elected
R45
Re-elected
R35
Re-elected
R34R33R32R31R30R29R28R27R26
R16R17R18R19R20R21R22R23R24R25
R15R14R13R12R11R10R9R8R7R6
R1R2R3R4R5

Beginning of the next Congress

D1D2D3D4D5
D15D14D13D12D11D10D9D8D7D6
D16D17D18D19D20D21D22D23D24D25
R56V1V2D32
Appointed
D31D30D29D28D27D26
R55R54R53R52R51R50R49R48R47R46
Majority →
R36R37R38R39R40R41R42R43R44R45
R35R34R33R32R31R30R29R28R27R26
R16R17R18R19R20R21R22R23R24R25
R15R14R13R12R11R10R9R8R7R6
R1R2R3R4R5
Key:
D#Democratic
R#Republican
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Elections during the 58th Congress

Special elections

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1904 or in 1905 before March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Ohio
(Class 1)
Mark HannaRepublican1897 (Appointed)
1898 (special)
1898
Incumbent died February 15, 1904.
New senator elected March 2, 1904.[2]
Republican hold.
Winner was also elected to the next term, see below.
Pennsylvania
(Class 1)
Matthew QuayRepublican1887
1893
1899 (Failure to elect)
1899 (Appointed but disqualified)
1901 (special)
Incumbent died May 28, 1904.
New senator elected January 17, 1905.[citation needed]
Republican hold.
Winner was also elected to the next term, see below.
Massachusetts
(Class 2)
Winthrop M. CraneRepublican1904 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected January 18, 1905.[3]

In this election, the winner was seated March 4, 1905.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Indiana
(Class 3)
Charles W. FairbanksRepublican1897
1903
Incumbent resigned March 3, 1905, to become U.S. Vice President.
New senator elected January 18, 1905 to begin service on the first day of the new Congress.
Republican hold.

Early elections

In these elections, the winners were seated March 4, 1907, in the 60th Congress; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Mississippi
(Class 2)
Anselm J. McLaurinDemocratic1894 (special)
1900
Incumbent re-elected early January 19, 1904.
Louisiana
(Class 2)
Murphy J. FosterDemocratic1900Incumbent re-elected early May 18, 1904.[5]

Races leading to the 59th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1905; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
CaliforniaThomas R. BardRepublican1900Incumbent lost renomination
New senator elected January 11, 1905.[3]
Republican hold.
ConnecticutJoseph Roswell HawleyRepublican1881
1887
1893
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 17, 1905.[6]
Republican hold.
  • Y Morgan Bulkeley (Republican) 228 votes
  • A. Heaton Robertson (Democratic) 37 votes[6]
DelawareL. Heisler BallRepublican1903 (special)Incumbent retired.
Legislature failed to elect.
Republican loss.
Seat would remain vacant until June 13, 1906.
FloridaJames TaliaferroDemocratic1899 (special)Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic loss.
Incumbent would be appointed to start the term.
Appointee was later elected to finish the term, see below.
[data missing]
IndianaAlbert J. BeveridgeRepublican1899Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
MaineEugene HaleRepublican1881
1887
1893
1899
Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
MarylandLouis E. McComasRepublican1898Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected February 4, 1904.
Democratic gain.
MassachusettsHenry Cabot LodgeRepublican1893
1899
Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
MichiganJulius C. BurrowsRepublican1899Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
MinnesotaMoses E. ClappRepublican1901Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
MississippiHernando MoneyDemocratic1897 (Appointed)
1899
Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1904.[8]
MissouriFrancis CockrellDemocratic1874
1881
1887
1893
1899
Incumbent lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic loss.[3]
MontanaParis GibsonDemocratic1901 (special)Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 16, 1905.[3]
Republican gain.
  • Y Thomas H. Carter (Republican) 62 votes
  • W.C. Conrad (Democratic) 28 votes
  • Martin Dee (Fusion) 6 votes
  • Scattering 6 votes[3]
NebraskaCharles Henry DietrichRepublican1901 (special)Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 17, 1905.
Republican hold.
NevadaWilliam Morris StewartRepublican1887
1893
1899
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 25, 1905.[3]
Republican hold.
New JerseyJohn KeanRepublican1899Incumbent re-elected January 2, 1905.
New YorkChauncey DepewRepublican1899Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
North DakotaPorter J. McCumberRepublican1899Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
OhioMarcus A. HannaRepublican1897 (Appointed)
1898 (special)
1898
Incumbent re-elected, but died February 15, 1904.
New senator elected March 2, 1904.[2]
Republican hold.
Winner was also elected to finish the term, see above.
PennsylvaniaPhilander C. KnoxRepublican1904 (Appointed)
1905 (special)
Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
Rhode IslandNelson W. AldrichRepublican1881 (special)
1886
1892
1898
Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905.[3]
TennesseeWilliam B. BateDemocratic1887
1893
1899
Incumbent re-elected January 11, 1905.[3]
TexasCharles Allen CulbersonDemocratic1899Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1905.[3]
UtahThomas KearnsRepublican1901 (special)Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 18, 1905.[3]
Republican hold.
VermontRedfield ProctorRepublican1891 (Appointed)
1892 (special)
1892
1898
Incumbent re-elected October 18, 1904.[9]
VirginiaJohn W. DanielDemocratic1887
1893
1899
Incumbent re-elected January 26, 1904.[4]
WashingtonAddison G. FosterRepublican1899Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected January 27, 1905.[3]
Republican hold.
West VirginiaNathan B. ScottRepublican1899Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1905.[3]
WisconsinJoseph V. QuarlesRepublican1899Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 25, 1905.[10]
Republican hold.
WyomingClarence D. ClarkRepublican1895 (special)
1899
Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1905.[11]

Elections during the 59th Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1905 after March 4; sorted by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Missouri
(Class 1)
VacantLegislature had failed to elect.
New senator elected March 18, 1905.
Republican gain.
Tennessee
(Class 1)
William B. BateDemocratic1887
1893
1899
1905
Incumbent, having just been re-elected, died March 9, 1905.
New senator elected March 21, 1905.
Democratic hold.
Florida
(Class 1)
James TaliaferroDemocratic1899 (special)
1905 (Appointed)
Legislature had failed to elect.
Predecessor was appointed to begin the term.
Interim appointee April 20, 1905.
Connecticut
(Class 3)
Orville H. PlattRepublican1879
1885
1891
1897
1903
Incumbent died April 21, 1905.
New senator elected May 10, 1905.
Republican hold.

Maryland

1904 United States Senate election in Maryland
← 1898February 9, 19041910 →

80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
 
CandidateIsidor RaynerLouis E. McComas
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Legislative vote8036
Percentage70.49%29.51

Isidor Rayner defeated incumbent Louis E. McComas by a margin of 40.98%, or 50 votes for the Class 1 seat.[12]

New York

The 1905 election in New York was held on January 17, 1905, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Chauncey M. Depew had been elected to this seat in 1899, and his term would expire on March 3, 1905. At the State election in November 1904, large Republican majorities were elected for a two-year term (1905-1906) in the State Senate, and for the session of 1905 to the Assembly. The 128th State Legislature met from January 3, 1905, on at Albany, New York.

Late in 1904, Ex-Governor Frank S. Black tried to be nominated to succeed Depew. Black was supported by Governor Benjamin B. Odell Jr., but after intense fighting behind the scenes, Odell finally dropped Black and accepted Depew's re-election which had been supported by his fellow Senator Thomas C. Platt and Speaker S. Frederick Nixon. The Republican caucus met on January 16. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Chauncey M. Depew unanimously.

The Democratic caucus met also on January 16. They nominated again Smith M. Weed who had been the candidate of the Democratic minority in the U.S. Senate election of 1887.

1905 Democratic caucus for United States Senator result
CandidateFirst ballot
42
D. Cady Herrick14

Chauncey M. Depew was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.

1905 United States Senator election result
OfficeHouseRepublicanDemocrat
State Senate
(50 members)
36Smith M. Weed13
State Assembly
(150 members)
100Smith M. Weed44

Note: The votes were cast on January 17, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 18 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

Pennsylvania

The election in Pennsylvania was held on January 17, 1905. Incumbent Philander C. Knox was elected by the Pennsylvania State Assembly to his first full term in the United States Senate.[13]

Republican Matthew Quay was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate in the previous election in January 1901. He served until his death on May 28, 1904.[14] In June 1904, Republican Philander C. Knox was appointed to serve out the remainder of Quay's term, ending on March 4, 1905, when he began a term in his own right.[15]

The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and Senate, convened on January 17, 1905, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1905. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

State Legislature Results[13][16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanPhilander C. Knox (Incumbent) 222 87.40
DemocraticJames K. P. Hall239.06
N/ANot voting93.54
Totals254100.00%

See also

Notes

References