# 1842–43 United States Senate elections

The 1842–43 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 1842 and 1843, 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.
The Whigs lost seats but maintained control of the Senate. Although they lost three seats in the regular elections, they gained two of them back by the start of the first session in special elections.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 28th Congress (1843–1845)
* Majority party: Whig (27)
* Minority party: Democratic (22–23)
* Other parties: (0–1)
* Total seats: 52–54

## Change in Senate composition
### Before the elections

After July 1842 appointment in New Jersey.
| | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ Ran | D$_{15}$ Ran | D$_{14}$ Ran | D$_{13}$ Ran | D$_{12}$ Ran | D$_{11}$ Ran | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ |
| D$_{17}$ Unknown | D$_{18}$ Unknown | D$_{19}$ Retired | D$_{20}$ Retired | V$_2$ | V$_1$ | W$_{30}$ Resigned | W$_{29}$ Retired | W$_{28}$ Unknown | W$_{27}$ Unknown |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | W$_{26}$ Ran |
| W$_{17}$ | W$_{18}$ | W$_{19}$ | W$_{20}$ | W$_{21}$ | W$_{22}$ | W$_{23}$ | W$_{24}$ Ran | W$_{25}$ Ran | W$_{26}$ Ran |
| W$_{16}$ | W$_{15}$ | W$_{14}$ | W$_{13}$ | W$_{12}$ | W$_{11}$ | W$_{10}$ | W$_9$ | W$_8$ | W$_7$ |
| | | | | W$_1$ | W$_2$ | W$_3$ | W$_4$ | W$_5$ | W$_6$ |

### Result of the elections

| | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ Re-elected | D$_{15}$ Re-elected | D$_{14}$ Re-elected | D$_{13}$ Re-elected | D$_{12}$ Re-elected | D$_{11}$ Re-elected | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ |
| D$_{17}$ Re-elected | D$_{18}$ Hold | D$_{19}$ Hold | D$_{20}$ Hold | D$_{21}$ Hold | D$_{22}$ Gain | D$_{23}$ Gain | V$_2$ | V$_1$ | W$_{27}$ Hold |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | W$_{26}$ Hold |
| W$_{17}$ | W$_{18}$ | W$_{19}$ | W$_{20}$ | W$_{21}$ | W$_{22}$ | W$_{23}$ | W$_{24}$ Re-elected | W$_{25}$ Re-elected | W$_{26}$ Hold |
| W$_{16}$ | W$_{15}$ | W$_{14}$ | W$_{13}$ | W$_{12}$ | W$_{11}$ | W$_{10}$ | W$_9$ | W$_8$ | W$_7$ |
| | | | | W$_1$ | W$_2$ | W$_3$ | W$_4$ | W$_5$ | W$_6$ |

### Beginning of the next Congress

| | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ |
| D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | V$_3$ D Loss | V$_2$ | V$_1$ | W$_{27}$ |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | W$_{26}$ |
| W$_{17}$ | W$_{18}$ | W$_{19}$ | W$_{20}$ | W$_{21}$ | W$_{22}$ | W$_{23}$ | W$_{24}$ | W$_{25}$ | W$_{26}$ |
| W$_{16}$ | W$_{15}$ | W$_{14}$ | W$_{13}$ | W$_{12}$ | W$_{11}$ | W$_{10}$ | W$_9$ | W$_8$ | W$_7$ |
| | | | | W$_1$ | W$_2$ | W$_3$ | W$_4$ | W$_5$ | W$_6$ |

### Beginning of the first session of the next Congress (December 4, 1843)

| | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ |
| D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ Hold | D$_{22}$ Hold | D$_{23}$ Gain | W$_{29}$ Gain | W$_{28}$ Gain | W$_{27}$ |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | W$_{26}$ |
| W$_{17}$ | W$_{18}$ | W$_{19}$ | W$_{20}$ | W$_{21}$ | W$_{22}$ | W$_{23}$ | W$_{24}$ | W$_{25}$ | W$_{26}$ |
| W$_{16}$ | W$_{15}$ | W$_{14}$ | W$_{13}$ | W$_{12}$ | W$_{11}$ | W$_{10}$ | W$_9$ | W$_8$ | W$_7$ |
| | | | | W$_1$ | W$_2$ | W$_3$ | W$_4$ | W$_5$ | W$_6$ |
| Key: | D$_#$ Democratic W$_#$ Whig V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries

Bold states link to specific election articles.

### Special elections during the 27th Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected during 1842 or in 1843 before March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Rhode Island (Class 1) | Nathan F. Dixon | Whig | 1838 or 1839 | Incumbent died January 29, 1842. New senator elected February 18, 1842. Whig hold. | ▌Y William Sprague (Whig) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire (Class 3) | Leonard Wilcox | Democratic | 1842 (appointed) | Incumbent had been appointed March 1, 1842, to continue the term of Franklin Pierce (D), who had resigned February 28, 1842. Incumbent appointee elected in June 1842. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Leonard Wilcox (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Vermont (Class 3) | Samuel C. Crafts | Whig | 1842 (appointed) | Incumbent had been appointed April 23, 1842, to continue the term of Samuel Prentiss (W), who had resigned April 11, 1842, to become judge of the U.S. District Court of Vermont. Incumbent appointee elected October 26, 1842. Whig hold. | ▌Y Samuel C. Crafts (Whig) [data missing] |
| South Carolina (Class 3) | William C. Preston | Whig | 1833 (special) 1837 | Incumbent resigned November 29, 1842. New senator elected December 23, 1842. Democratic gain. | ▌Y George McDuffie (Democratic) [data missing] |

### Races leading to the 28th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1843; 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 | Arthur P. Bagby | Democratic | 1841 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1842. | ▌Y Arthur P. Bagby (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Arkansas | Ambrose Sevier | Democratic | 1836 1837 | Incumbent re-elected in 1843. | ▌Y Ambrose Sevier (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Connecticut | Perry Smith | Democratic | 1837 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1842 but, due to ill health and a credentials challenge, was unable to serve until May 16, 1844; nevertheless, his term began March 4, 1843. Democratic hold. | ▌Y John M. Niles (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Georgia | Alfred Cuthbert | Democratic | 1835 (special) 1837 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1843. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Walter T. Colquitt (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Illinois | Richard M. Young | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1843. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Sidney Breese (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Indiana | Oliver H. Smith | Whig | 1836 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1842. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Edward A. Hannegan (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Kentucky | John J. Crittenden | Whig | 1816 1819 (resigned) 1835 1841 (retired) 1842 (appointed) ? (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 7, 1843. | ▌Y John J. Crittenden (Whig) 88 votes ▌Richard Mentor Johnson (Democratic) 43 votes |
| Louisiana | Charles M. Conrad | Whig | 1842 (appointed) | Interim appointee lost election. New senator elected in 1843 but, due to ill health, did not take the seat. Whig hold. | ▌Y Alexander Porter (Whig) ▌Charles M. Conrad (Whig) |
| Maryland | John L. Kerr | Whig | 1841 (special) | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1843. Whig hold. | ▌Y James Pearce (Whig) [data missing] |
| Missouri | Lewis F. Linn | Democratic | 1833 (appointed) ? (special) 1836 | Incumbent re-elected in 1842. | ▌Y Lewis F. Linn (Democratic) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire | Leonard Wilcox | Democratic | 1842 (appointed) 1842 (special) | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1843. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Charles G. Atherton (Democratic) [data missing] |
| New York | Silas Wright Jr. | Democratic | 1833 (special) 1837 | Incumbent re-elected February 7, 1843. | ▌Y Silas Wright Jr. (Democratic) ▌Millard Fillmore (Whig) ▌John A. Collier (Whig) ▌Willis Hall (Whig) ▌George W. Patterson (Whig) ▌George A. Simmons (Whig) ▌Luther Bradish (Whig) ▌Gulian C. Verplanck (Whig) |
| North Carolina | William A. Graham | Whig | 1840 (special) | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1843. Democratic gain. | ▌Y William H. Haywood Jr. (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Ohio | William Allen | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected in 1842. | ▌Y William Allen (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Pennsylvania | James Buchanan | Democratic | 1834 (special) 1836 | Incumbent re-elected in 1843. | ▌Y James Buchanan (Democratic) 56.06% ▌John Banks (Whig) 40.91% ▌Richard Brodhead (Democratic) 0.76% ▌John Gibons 0.76% |
| South Carolina | George McDuffie | Democratic | 1842 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1842 or 1843. | ▌Y George McDuffie (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Vermont | Samuel C. Crafts | Whig | 1842 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1843. Whig hold. | ▌Y William Upham (Whig) [data missing] |

### Elections during the 28th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were elected in 1843 after March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| South Carolina (Class 2) | John C. Calhoun | Democratic | 1832 (special) 1834 1840 | Incumbent resigned March 3, 1843. New senator elected March 4, 1843. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Daniel Elliott Huger (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Tennessee (Class 1) | Alfred O. P. Nicholson | Democratic | 1840 (appointed) | Incumbent resigned February 7, 1842. New senator elected October 17, 1843. Whig gain. | ▌Y Ephraim H. Foster (Whig) [data missing] |
| Tennessee (Class 2) | Vacant since 1841 | Vacant since 1841 | Vacant since 1841 | Legislature had failed to elect since the 27th Congress. New senator elected October 17, 1843. Whig gain. | ▌Y Spencer Jarnagin (Whig) [data missing] |
| Maine (Class 1) | Reuel Williams | Democratic | 1837 (special) | Incumbent resigned February 15, 1843. Winner was elected December 4, 1843. Democratic hold. | ▌Y John Fairfield (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Missouri (Class 3) | David Rice Atchison | Democratic | 1843 (appointed) | Incumbent had been appointed October 14, 1843, when Lewis F. Linn (D) had died October 3, 1843. Incumbent was subsequently elected sometime in 1843 after October 14. Democratic hold. | ▌Y David Rice Atchison (Democratic) [data missing] |

## Complete list of races
### Maryland

James Pearce won election by an unknown margin of votes, for the Class 3 seat.

### New York

The election was held February 7, 1843, by the New York State Legislature. Silas Wright Jr. had been elected in 1833 to this seat after the resignation of William L. Marcy, and had been re-elected in 1837. Wright's term would expire on March 3, 1843. At the State election in November 1842, Democrat William C. Bouck was elected Governor, 92 Democrats and 36 Whigs were elected to the Assembly, and 8 Democrats and 1 Whig were elected to the State Senate. The 66th New York State Legislature met from January 3 to April 18, 1843, at Albany, New York. The incumbent U.S. Senator Silas Wright Jr. was re-nominated unanimously by a Democratic caucus on the eve of the election. Congressman Millard Fillmore was the candidate of the Whig Party. Silas Wright Jr. was the choice of both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected.
| Candidate | Party | Senate (32 members) | Assembly (128 members) |
| Silas Wright Jr. | Democrat | 17 | 77 |
| Millard Fillmore | Whig | 6 | 16 |
| John A. Collier | Whig | 1 | 6 |
| Willis Hall | Whig | | 4 |
| George W. Patterson | Whig | | 3 |
| George A. Simmons | Whig | | 2 |
| Luther Bradish | Whig | 1 | |
| Gulian C. Verplanck | Whig | | 1 |
Wright continued in the U.S. Senate, and remained in office until November 1844 when he resigned after his election as Governor of New York. Henry A. Foster was appointed to fill the vacancy temporarily, but the State Legislature elected John A. Dix for the remainder of Wright's term.

### Pennsylvania

The election was held January 10, 1843. Future President of the United States James Buchanan 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 10, 1843, to elect a new Senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1843. Incumbent Democrat James Buchanan, who was elected in 1834 and re-elected in 1836, was a successful candidate for re-election to another term. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
State Legislature Results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | James Buchanan (Incumbent) | 74 | 56.06 |
| | Whig | John Banks | 54 | 40.91 |
| | Democratic | Richard Brodhead | 1 | 0.76 |
| | Unknown | John Gibons | 1 | 0.76 |
| | N/A | Not voting | 2 | 1.52 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 132 | 100.00% |

### Tennessee

In 1841, Spencer Jarnagin was nominated for U.S. Senator by the Whig caucus in the Tennessee General Assembly. However, some of the Democrats in the legislature decided that no Senator would be preferable to a Whig. Known as the "Immortal Thirteen" by Tennessee Democrats, they refused to allow a quorum on the issue. By the time Jarnagin was eventually elected to the seat and sworn in, over two and half years, almost half of the term, had elapsed. Jarnagin finally assumed office on October 17, 1843.