# 1836–37 United States Senate elections

The 1836–37 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 1836 and 1837, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3.
In this election cycle, the Jacksonian coalition emerged as the Democratic Party, and the Adams, or Anti-Jackson, coalition emerged as the Whig Party.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 25th Congress (1837–1839)
* Majority party: Democratic (35)
* Minority party: Whig (17–16)
* Other parties: (0–1)
* Total seats: 52

## Change in composition
### Before the special elections

| | | | | NR$_1$ | NR$_2$ | NR$_3$ | NR$_4$ | NR$_5$ | NR$_6$ |
| NR$_{16}$ | NR$_{15}$ | NR$_{14}$ | NR$_{13}$ | NR$_{12}$ | NR$_{11}$ | NR$_{10}$ | NR$_9$ | NR$_8$ | NR$_7$ |
| NR$_{17}$ Del. Resigned | NR$_{18}$ Del. Resigned | NR$_{19}$ Md. Died | NR$_{20}$ N.C. Resigned | NR$_{21}$ La. Resigned | NR$_{22}$ Va. Resigned | NR$_{23}$ Va. Resigned | Ark. New | Ark. New | N$_2$ |
| | | | | | | | | | N$_1$ |
| J$_{17}$ | J$_{18}$ | J$_{19}$ | J$_{20}$ | J$_{21}$ | J$_{22}$ Mich. | J$_{23}$ Mich. | J$_{24}$ N.H. Resigned | V$_1$ La. | N$_1$ |
| J$_{16}$ | J$_{15}$ | J$_{14}$ | J$_{13}$ | J$_{12}$ | J$_{11}$ | J$_{10}$ | J$_9$ | J$_8$ | J$_7$ |
| | | | | J$_1$ | J$_2$ | J$_3$ | J$_4$ | J$_5$ | J$_6$ |

### As a result of the special elections

| | | | | NR$_1$ | NR$_2$ | NR$_3$ | NR$_4$ | NR$_5$ | NR$_6$ |
| NR$_{16}$ | NR$_{15}$ | NR$_{14}$ | NR$_{13}$ | NR$_{12}$ | NR$_{11}$ | NR$_{10}$ | NR$_9$ | NR$_8$ | NR$_7$ |
| NR$_{17}$ Del. Hold | NR$_{18}$ Del. Hold | NR$_{19}$ Md. Hold | N$_2$ | N$_1$ | J$_{31}$ Va. Gain | J$_{30}$ Va. Gain | J$_{29}$ Ark. Gain | J$_{28}$ Ark. Gain | J$_{27}$ N.C. Gain |
| J$_{27}$ N.C. Gain |||||||||
| J$_{17}$ | J$_{18}$ | J$_{19}$ | J$_{20}$ | J$_{21}$ | J$_{22}$ | J$_{23}$ | J$_{24}$ N.H. Hold | J$_{25}$ La. Gain | J$_{26}$ La. Gain |
| J$_{16}$ | J$_{15}$ | J$_{14}$ | J$_{13}$ | J$_{12}$ | J$_{11}$ | J$_{10}$ | J$_9$ | J$_8$ | J$_7$ |
| | | | | J$_1$ | J$_2$ | J$_3$ | J$_4$ | J$_5$ | J$_6$ |

### Before the regular elections

| | | | | NR$_1$ | NR$_2$ | NR$_3$ | NR$_4$ | NR$_5$ | NR$_6$ |
| NR$_{16}$ Ohio Ran | NR$_{15}$ Ky. Ran | NR$_{14}$ Ind. Ran | NR$_{13}$ Ala. Ran | NR$_{12}$ | NR$_{11}$ | NR$_{10}$ | NR$_9$ | NR$_8$ | NR$_7$ |
| NR$_{17}$ La. Ran | NR$_{18}$ Vt. Ran | NR$_{19}$ Conn. Unknown | N$_2$ S.C. Ran | N$_1$ | J$_{31}$ Pa. Ran | J$_{30}$ N.C. Ran | J$_{29}$ N.Y. Ran | J$_{28}$ N.H. Ran | J$_{27}$ Mo. Ran |
| J$_{27}$ Mo. Ran |||||||||
| J$_{17}$ | J$_{18}$ | J$_{19}$ | J$_{20}$ | J$_{21}$ | J$_{22}$ | J$_{23}$ Ark. Ran | J$_{24}$ Ga. Ran | J$_{25}$ Ill. Ran | J$_{26}$ La. Ran |
| J$_{16}$ | J$_{15}$ | J$_{14}$ | J$_{13}$ | J$_{12}$ | J$_{11}$ | J$_{10}$ | J$_9$ | J$_8$ | J$_7$ |
| | | | | J$_1$ | J$_2$ | J$_3$ | J$_4$ | J$_5$ | J$_6$ |

### As a result of the regular elections

"Hold" means the incumbent lost and the winner was from an affiliated new party, either Anti-Jacksonian to Whig or Jacksonian to Democratic.
| | | | | NR$_1$ | NR$_2$ | NR$_3$ | NR$_4$ | NR$_5$ | NR$_6$ |
| W$_{16}$ Vt. Re-elected (was AJ) | W$_{15}$ Ind. Hold (was AJ) | W$_{14}$ La. Re-elected (was AJ) | W$_{13}$ Ky. Re-elected (was AJ) | NR$_{12}$ | NR$_{11}$ | NR$_{10}$ | NR$_9$ | NR$_8$ | NR$_7$ |
| W$_{17}$ S.C. Re-elected (was N) | N$_1$ | D$_{34}$ Ohio Gain (was AJ) | D$_{33}$ Conn. Gain (was AJ) | D$_{32}$ Ala. Gain (was AJ) | D$_{31}$ N.H. Hold (was J) | D$_{30}$ Ill. Hold (was J) | D$_{29}$ Pa. Re-elected (was J) | D$_{28}$ N.C. Re-elected (was J) | D$_{27}$ N.Y. Re-elected (was J) |
| D$_{27}$ N.Y. Re-elected (was J) |||||||||
| J$_{17}$ | J$_{18}$ | J$_{19}$ | J$_{20}$ | J$_{21}$ | J$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ Ark. Re-elected (was J) | D$_{24}$ Ga. Re-elected (was J) | D$_{25}$ La. Re-elected (was J) | D$_{26}$ Mo. Re-elected (was J) |
| J$_{16}$ | J$_{15}$ | J$_{14}$ | J$_{13}$ | J$_{12}$ | J$_{11}$ | J$_{10}$ | J$_9$ | J$_8$ | J$_7$ |
| | | | | J$_1$ | J$_2$ | J$_3$ | J$_4$ | J$_5$ | J$_6$ |

### Beginning of the next Congress

| | | | | W$_1$ New party | W$_2$ New party | W$_3$ New party | W$_4$ New party | W$_5$ New party | W$_6$ New party |
| W$_{16}$ | W$_{15}$ | W$_{14}$ | W$_{13}$ | W$_{12}$ New party | W$_{11}$ New party | W$_{10}$ New party | W$_9$ New party | W$_8$ New party | W$_7$ New party |
| W$_{17}$ | D$_{35}$ New party | D$_{34}$ | D$_{33}$ | D$_{32}$ | D$_{31}$ | D$_{30}$ | D$_{29}$ | D$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ |
| D$_{27}$ |||||||||
| D$_{17}$ New party | D$_{18}$ New party | D$_{19}$ New party | D$_{20}$ New party | D$_{21}$ New party | D$_{22}$ New party | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ | D$_{26}$ |
| D$_{16}$ New party | D$_{15}$ New party | D$_{14}$ New party | D$_{13}$ New party | D$_{12}$ New party | D$_{11}$ New party | D$_{10}$ New party | D$_9$ New party | D$_8$ New party | D$_7$ New party |
| | | | | D$_1$ New party | D$_2$ New party | D$_3$ New party | D$_4$ New party | D$_5$ New party | D$_6$ New party |
| Key: | NR$_#$ National Republican J$_#$ Jacksonian N$_#$ Nullfier | D$_#$ Democratic W$_#$ Whig V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries

Bold states link to specific election articles.

### Elections seated during the 24th Congress

In these elections, senators were elected to finish terms already in progress either as special elections or as elections to a new state. senators were seated during 1836 or before March 4, 1837; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Louisiana (Class 2) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Charles Gayarré had been elected but resigned due to ill health without having taken his seat. New senator elected January 13, 1836. Jacksonian gain. Winner served in the next Congress as a Democrat. | ▌Y Robert C. Nicholas (Jacksonian) [data missing] |
| Virginia (Class 1) | John Tyler | National Republican | 1827 1833 | Incumbent resigned February 29, 1836. New senator elected March 4, 1836. Jacksonian gain. Winner served in the next Congress as a Democrat. | ▌Y William C. Rives (Jacksonian) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire (Class 3) | Isaac Hill | Jacksonian | 1831 | Incumbent resigned May 30, 1836 to become Governor of New Hampshire. New senator elected June 8, 1836. Jacksonian hold. Winner lost re-election to the next term; see below. | ▌Y John Page (Jacksonian) [data missing] |
| Delaware (Class 1) | Arnold Naudain | National Republican | 1830 (special) 1832 | Incumbent resigned June 16, 1836. New senator elected June 17, 1836. National Republican hold. Winner served in the next Congress as a Whig. | ▌Y Richard H. Bayard (National Republican) [data missing] |
| Arkansas (Class 2) | New seats | New seats | New seats | New state. New senator elected September 19, 1836. Jacksonian gain. Winner served in the next Congress as a Democrat. | ▌Y William S. Fulton (Jacksonian) 60 votes |
| Arkansas (Class 3) | New seats | New seats | New seats | New state. New senator elected September 19, 1836. Jacksonian gain. Winner was also re-elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Ambrose H. Sevier (Jacksonian) 56 votes ▌H. F. Walworth (Unknown) 4 votes |
| North Carolina (Class 3) | Willie P. Mangum | National Republican | 1830 | Incumbent resigned November 26, 1836. New senator elected December 5, 1836. Jacksonian gain. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Robert Strange (Jacksonian) [data missing] |
| Virginia (Class 2) | Benjamin W. Leigh | National Republican | 1834 (special) 1835 | Incumbent resigned July 4, 1836. New senator elected December 12, 1836. Jacksonian gain. Winner would resign at the end of this Congress; see below. | ▌Y Richard E. Parker (Jacksonian) [data missing] |
| Maryland (Class 3) | Robert H. Goldsborough | National Republican | 1813 1819 (retired or lost) 1835 (special) | Incumbent died October 5, 1836. New senator elected December 31, 1836. National Republican hold. Winner was also re-elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y John S. Spence (National Republican) [data missing] |
| Delaware (Class 2) | John M. Clayton | National Republican | 1829 1835 | Incumbent resigned December 29, 1836. New senator elected January 9, 1837. National Republican hold. Winner served in the next Congress as a Whig. | ▌Y Thomas Clayton (National Republican) [data missing] |
| Louisiana (Class 3) | Alexander Porter | National Republican | 1833 (special) | Incumbent resigned January 5, 1837 due to ill health. New senator elected January 12, 1837. Jacksonian gain. Winner was also re-elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Alexandre Mouton (Jacksonian) [data missing] |

### Races leading to the 25th Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1837; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Alabama | Gabriel Moore | Whig (National Republican) | 1831 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1837. Democratic gain. | ▌Y John McKinley (Democratic) ▌Gabriel Moore (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Arkansas | Ambrose Sevier | Democratic (Jacksonian) | 1836 (new seat) | Incumbent re-elected in 1837. | ▌Y Ambrose Sevier (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Connecticut | Gideon Tomlinson | Whig (National Republican) | 1831 | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected in 1836 or 1837. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Perry Smith (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Georgia | Alfred Cuthbert | Democratic (Jacksonian) | 1835 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1837. | ▌Y Alfred Cuthbert (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Illinois | William Lee D. Ewing | Democratic (Jacksonian) | 1835 (appointed) | Interim appointee lost election. New senator elected in 1837. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Richard M. Young (Democratic) ▌William Lee D. Ewing (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Indiana | William Hendricks | Whig (National Republican) | 1824 1830 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1836. Whig hold. | ▌Y Oliver H. Smith (Whig) ▌William Hendricks (Whig) [data missing] |
| Kentucky | Henry Clay | Whig (National Republican) | 1806 (special) 1807 (retired) 1810 (appointed) 1811 (retired) 1831 (late) | Incumbent re-elected in 1836. | ▌Y Henry Clay (Whig) [data missing] |
| Louisiana | Alexandre Mouton | Democratic (Jacksonian) | 1837 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1837. | ▌Y Alexandre Mouton (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Maryland | John S. Spence | Whig (National Republican) | 1836 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1837. | ▌Y John S. Spence (Whig) [data missing] |
| Missouri | Lewis F. Linn | Democratic (Jacksonian) | 1833 (appointed) ? (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1836. | ▌Y Lewis F. Linn (Democratic) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire | John Page | Democratic (Jacksonian) | 1836 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1837. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Franklin Pierce (Democratic) [data missing] |
| New York | Silas Wright Jr. | Democratic (Jacksonian) | 1826 (Late) | Incumbent re-elected February 7, 1837. | ▌Y Silas Wright Jr. (Democratic) 26+85 ▌Ambrose L. Jordan (Whig) 3+27 |
| North Carolina | Willie P. Mangum | Whig (National Republican) | 1830 | Incumbent resigned November 26, 1836. New senator elected in 1836. Democratic gain. Successor also elected to finish the current term, see above. | ▌Y Robert Strange (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Ohio | Thomas Ewing | Whig (National Republican) | 1830 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in January 1837. Democratic gain. | ▌Y William Allen (Democratic) ▌Thomas Ewing (Whig) [data missing] |
| Pennsylvania | James Buchanan | Democratic (Jacksonian) | 1834 (special) | Incumbent re-elected December 14, 1836. | ▌Y James Buchanan (Democratic) 85 ▌Thomas M. T. McKennan (Whig) 24 ▌Charles B. Penrose (Whig) 21 ▌Thomas Cunningham (Democratic) 1 ▌Isaac Leet (Democratic) 1 ▌Not voting 1 |
| South Carolina | William C. Preston | Nullifier | 1833 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1837 as a Whig. | ▌Y William C. Preston (Whig) [data missing] |
| Vermont | Samuel Prentiss | Whig (National Republican) | 1831 | Incumbent re-elected in 1837. | ▌Y Samuel Prentiss (Whig) [data missing] |

### Elections during the 25th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated in 1837 after March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Virginia (Class 2) | Richard E. Parker | Democratic | 1836 (special) | Incumbent resigned March 4, 1837 to become judge of the Supreme Court of Virginia. New senator elected March 14, 1837. Democratic hold. | ▌Y William H. Roane (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Alabama (Class 3) | John McKinley | Democratic | 1833 (special) | Incumbent resigned April 22, 1837 to become Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. New senator elected June 19, 1837. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Clement C. Clay (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Georgia (Class 2) | John Pendleton King | Democratic | 1833 (special) | Incumbent resigned November 1, 1837. New senator elected November 22, 1837. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Wilson Lumpkin (Democratic) 55.10% ▌John M. Berrien (Whig) 39.18% ▌Daniel M. Stewart (Democratic) 1.63% Scattering 4.08% |

## Alabama

There were two elections in Alabama in this cycle, both for the same seat.

### Alabama (regular)

First-term senator Anti-Jacksonian Gabriel Moore lost re-election in November 1836 to Jacksonian John McKinley.

### Alabama (special)

Shortly after the new term started, Jacksonian-now-Democrat John McKinley resigned to become Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He was replaced by fellow Democrat Clement C. Clay in a June 19, 1837 special election.
Clay would serve only until November 15, 1841, when he, too, resigned.

## Arkansas

Arkansas became a new state and elected its two senators in a joint session of the Arkansas General Assembly on September 19, 1836.
Jacksonian former Governor of Arkansas Territory William Fulton was elected to the Class 2 seat, with the term ending March 3, 1841.
Jacksonian former delegate Ambrose Sevier was elected to the Class 3 seat, with the term ending March 3, 1837.
Sevier was also re-elected in 1837 to the next term that would end in 1843.

## Georgia

There were two elections in Georgia in this cycle.

### Georgia (special)
## Illinois
## Louisiana

There were two elections in Louisiana in this cycle, both for the same seat.
Anti-Jacksonian Alexander Porter resigned January 5, 1837 due to ill health.

### Louisiana (special)

Jacksonian Alexandre Mouton was elected January 12, 1837 to finish Porter's term, ending March 3, 1837.

### Louisiana (regular)

Jacksonian Alexandre Mouton was also elected as a Democrat in 1837 (possibly re-elected) to the next term, beginning March 4, 1837.

## Maryland
### Maryland (special)

Anti-Jacksonian Robert Henry Goldsborough died October 5, 1836. Anti-Jacksonian John S. Spence was elected in late 1836 to finish Goldsborough's term, ending March 3, 1837.

### Maryland (regular)

John S. Spence won election to a full term an unknown margin of votes, for the Class 3 seat.

## New York

Silas Wright Jr., had been elected in 1833 to this seat after the resignation of William L. Marcy who had been elected Governor of New York. Wright's term would expire on March 3, 1837.
At the State election in November 1836, 94 Democrats and 34 Whigs were elected to the Assembly, and seven of the eight State senators elected were Democrats. The 60th New York State Legislature met from January 3 to May 16, 1837, at Albany. The party strength in the Assembly as shown by the election for Speaker was: 80 for Democrat Edward Livingston and 27 for Whig Luther Bradish.
Wright was re-nominated in a Democratic caucus by a large majority. Silas Wright Jr., was the choice of both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected.
| House | Democratic | Democratic | Whig | Whig |
| State Senate (32 members) | Silas Wright Jr. | 26 | Ambrose L. Jordan | 3 |
| State Assembly (128 members) | Silas Wright Jr. | 85 | Ambrose L. Jordan | 27 |

## North Carolina

There were two elections in North Carolina in this cycle, both for the same seat.
Anti-Jacksonian Willie P. Mangum resigned November 26, 1836.

### North Carolina (special)

Jacksonian Robert Strange was elected in late 1836 to finish Mangum's term, ending March 3, 1837.

### North Carolina (regular)

Jacksonian Robert Strange was also elected as a Democrat in 1836, to the next term, beginning March 4, 1837.

## Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on December 14, 1836, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1837. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
Pennsylvania General Assembly Results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | James Buchanan (Incumbent) | 85 | 63.91 |
| | Whig | Thomas M. T. McKennan | 24 | 18.05 |
| | Whig | Charles B. Penrose | 21 | 15.79 |
| | Democratic | Thomas Cunningham | 1 | 0.75 |
| | Democratic | Isaac Leet | 1 | 0.75 |
| | N/A | Not voting | 1 | 0.75 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 133 | 100.00% |

## Virginia (special)

There were three special elections in Virginia in this cycle.

### Virginia (special, class 1)

Two-term Anti-Jacksonian (and future President) John Tyler resigned February 29, 1836 due to policial differences and conflict with the Virginia House of Delegates, which had come under control of the rival Jacksonians.
Former Jacksonian senator William C. Rives (who had served in the class 2 seat from December 10, 1832, to February 22, 1834) was elected March 4, 1836 to finish Tyler's term that would end March 3, 1839.

### Virginia (special, class 2 1836)

Anti-Jacksonian Benjamin W. Leigh, who had served in the seat since an 1834 special election and re-elected in 1835, resigned July 4, 1836 to return to his private legal practice.
Jacksonian Richard E. Parker was elected December 12, 1836, but he would only remain in the seat for four months.

### Virginia (special, class 2 1837)

Parker, now a Democrat, was elected to the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and so he resigned from the Senate March 13, 1837.
Fellow Democrat William H. Roane was elected March 14, 1837 to finish the term that would end March 3, 1841.