United States Senate elections, 1852 and 1853

United States Senate elections, 1852 and 1853
Various dates
20 of the 62 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
32 seats needed for a majority

  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Whig
Last election 33 seats 22 seats
Seats before 37 22
Seats won 10 4
Seats after 35 18
Seat change Decrease 1 Decrease 4
Seats up 10 9
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Free Soil Know Nothing
Last election 2 seats
Seats before 3 new party
Seats won 2 1
Seats after 2 1
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1
Seats up 1
Majority Party before election

Democratic

 Elected Majority Party

Democratic

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.

Results summary

Senate Party Division, 33rd Congress (1853–1855)

  • Majority Party: Democratic (35–38)
  • Minority Party: Whig Party (19–17)
  • Other Parties: Free Soiler (2–5); Know Nothing (1)
  • Vacant: 5–1
  • 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  
Key:
D# Democratic
FS# Free Soil
KN# Know Nothing
W# Whig
V# Vacant

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.]
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.]
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.]
Connecticut
(Class 1)		 Vacant Legislature failed to elect.
Winner elected May 12, 1852.
Democratic gain.		 √ Isaac Toucey (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
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.]
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.]
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.]

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.]
Arkansas William K. Sebastian Democratic 1848 (Appointed)
1848 (Special)		 Incumbent re-elected in 1853. √ William K. Sebastian (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Delaware Presley Spruance Whig 1846 or 1847 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1853.
Whig hold.		 √ John M. Clayton (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
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.]
Illinois Stephen A. Douglas Democratic 1846 Incumbent re-elected in 1852. √ Stephen A. Douglas (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Iowa George Wallace Jones Democratic 1848 Incumbent re-elected in 1852. √ George Wallace Jones (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
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.]
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.]
Maine James W. Bradbury Democratic 1846 Incumbent retired.
Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic loss.
Seat would remain vacant until 1854.		 [Data unknown/missing.]
Massachusetts John Davis Whig 1835
1841 (Resigned)
1845 (Special)
1847		 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1853.
Whig hold.		 √ Edward Everett (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Michigan Alpheus Felch Democratic 1847 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1853.
Democratic hold.		 √ Charles E. Stuart (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Mississippi Walker Brooke Whig 1852 (Special) Incumbent retired.
Legislature failed to elect.
Whig loss.
Seat would remain vacant until 1854.		 [Data unknown/missing.]
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.]
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.]
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.]
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.]
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.]
Tennessee John Bell Whig 1847 Incumbent re-elected in 1853. √ Spencer Jarnagin (Whig)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Texas Sam Houston Democratic 1846
1847		 Incumbent re-elected in 1853. √ Sam Houston (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Virginia Robert M. T. Hunter Democratic 1846 Incumbent re-elected in 1852. √ Robert M. T. Hunter (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]

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.]

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.]
Rhode Island
(Class 2)		 Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.
Winner elected July 20, 1853.
Democratic gain.		 √ Philip Allen (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Alabama
(Class 2)		 Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.
Winner elected November 29, 1853.
Democratic gain.		 √ Clement Claiborne Clay (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
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.]
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.]

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.

Alabama (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]

House (May 12, 1852)[4]

Massachusetts

Texas

Virginia

See also

References

  • Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov
  • Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy, ed. "The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992". United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
  1. ↑ Byrd, page 164
  2. 1 2 Byrd, page 76.
  3. ↑ Journal of the Senate of the State of Connecticut, May session 1852, pages 41-42.
  4. ↑ "Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Connecticut (May session 1852)". pp. 54, 58.
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