# 1888–89 United States Senate elections

The 1888–89 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with Benjamin Harrison's victory over incumbent President Grover Cleveland. 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 1888 and 1889, 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 2.
Both parties were unchanged in the regular elections, but later special elections would give Republicans an eightseat majority, mostly from newly admitted states.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 51st Congress (1889–1891)
* Majority party: Republican (39 to 51)
* Minority party: Democratic (37 to 35)
* Other parties: (0)
* Total seats: 76 to 88

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

| D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ | D$_5$ | D$_4$ | D$_3$ | D$_2$ | D$_1$ | | |
| D$_9$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ |
| D$_{28}$ Ran | D$_{27}$ Ran | D$_{26}$ Ran | D$_{25}$ Ran | D$_{24}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{19}$ |
| D$_{29}$ Ran | D$_{30}$ Ran | D$_{31}$ Ran | D$_{32}$ Ran | D$_{33}$ Ran | D$_{34}$ Ran | D$_{35}$ Ran | D$_{36}$ Ran | D$_{37}$ Ran | RA$_1$ Retired |
| Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | Majority with Readjuster in caucus → | R$_{38}$ Retired |
| R$_{29}$ Ran | R$_{30}$ Ran | R$_{31}$ Ran | R$_{32}$ Ran | R$_{33}$ Ran | R$_{34}$ Ran | R$_{35}$ Ran | R$_{36}$ Unknown | R$_{37}$ Unknown | R$_{38}$ Retired |
| R$_{28}$ Ran | R$_{27}$ Ran | R$_{26}$ | R$_{25}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{19}$ |
| R$_9$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{15}$ | R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ |
| R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ | R$_5$ | R$_4$ | R$_3$ | R$_2$ | R$_1$ | | |

### After the elections

| D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ | D$_5$ | D$_4$ | D$_3$ | D$_2$ | D$_1$ | | |
| D$_9$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ |
| D$_{28}$ Re-elected | D$_{27}$ Re-elected | D$_{26}$ Re-elected | D$_{25}$ Re-elected | D$_{24}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{19}$ |
| D$_{29}$ Re-elected | D$_{30}$ Re-elected | D$_{31}$ Re-elected | D$_{32}$ Re-elected | D$_{33}$ Re-elected | D$_{34}$ Re-elected | D$_{35}$ Re-elected | D$_{36}$ Re-elected | D$_{37}$ Gain | V$_1$ R Loss |
| Majority due to vacancy → | Majority due to vacancy → | Majority due to vacancy → | Majority due to vacancy → | Majority due to vacancy → | Majority due to vacancy → | Majority due to vacancy → | Majority due to vacancy → | Majority due to vacancy → | R$_{38}$ Gain |
| R$_{29}$ Re-elected | R$_{30}$ Re-elected | R$_{31}$ Re-elected | R$_{32}$ Re-elected | R$_{33}$ Re-elected | R$_{39}$ Re-elected | R$_{35}$ Hold | R$_{36}$ Hold | R$_{37}$ Hold | R$_{38}$ Gain |
| R$_{28}$ Re-elected | R$_{27}$ Re-elected | R$_{26}$ | R$_{25}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{19}$ |
| R$_9$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{15}$ | R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ |
| R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ | R$_5$ | R$_4$ | R$_3$ | R$_2$ | R$_1$ | | |

### Beginning of the next Congress

| D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ | D$_5$ | D$_4$ | D$_3$ | D$_2$ | D$_1$ | | |
| D$_9$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ |
| D$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ | D$_{25}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{19}$ |
| D$_{29}$ | D$_{30}$ | D$_{31}$ | D$_{32}$ | D$_{33}$ | D$_{34}$ | D$_{35}$ | D$_{36}$ | D$_{37}$ | R$_{39}$ Gain |
| R$_{39}$ Gain |||||||||
| R$_{29}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{33}$ | R$_{34}$ | R$_{35}$ | R$_{36}$ | R$_{37}$ | R$_{38}$ |
| R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ | R$_{25}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{19}$ |
| R$_9$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{15}$ | R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ |
| R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ | R$_5$ | R$_4$ | R$_3$ | R$_2$ | R$_1$ | | |

### End of 1889

| | | | | | | | | | D$_1$ |
| D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ | D$_5$ | D$_4$ | D$_3$ | D$_2$ |
| D$_{12}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ |
| D$_{31}$ | D$_{30}$ | D$_{29}$ | D$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ | D$_{25}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{22}$ |
| D$_{32}$ | D$_{33}$ | D$_{34}$ | D$_{35}$ | D$_{36}$ | D$_{37}$ | R$_{45}$ New state | R$_{44}$ New state | R$_{43}$ New state | R$_{42}$ New state |
| R$_{42}$ New state |||||||||
| R$_{32}$ | R$_{33}$ Hold | R$_{34}$ Hold | R$_{35}$ | R$_{36}$ | R$_{37}$ | R$_{38}$ | R$_{39}$ | R$_{40}$ New state | R$_{41}$ New state |
| R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ | R$_{25}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{22}$ |
| R$_{12}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{15}$ | R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ |
| R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ | R$_5$ | R$_4$ | R$_3$ | R$_2$ |
| | | | | | | | | | R$_1$ |
| Key: | D$_#$ Democratic RA$_#$ Readjuster R$_#$ Republican V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Special elections during the 50th Congress

There were no special elections during 1888 or in 1889 before March 4.

### Races leading to the 51st Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1889; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Alabama | John T. Morgan | Democratic | 1876 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y John T. Morgan (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Arkansas | James H. Berry | Democratic | 1885 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y James H. Berry (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Colorado | Thomas M. Bowen | Republican | 1882–83 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1889. Republican hold. | ▌Y Edward O. Wolcott (Republican) [data missing] |
| Delaware | Eli Saulsbury | Democratic | 1870 1876 1883 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1888 or 1889. Republican gain. | ▌Y Anthony C. Higgins (Republican) ▌Eli Saulsbury (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Georgia | Alfred H. Colquitt | Democratic | 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y Alfred H. Colquitt (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Illinois | Shelby M. Cullom | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y Shelby M. Cullom (Republican) [data missing] |
| Iowa | James F. Wilson | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1888. | ▌Y James F. Wilson (Republican) ▌Thomas J. Anderson (Democratic) ▌Daniel Campbell (Unknown) ▌J. R. Reed (Unknown) ▌John A. T. Hull (Republican) ▌Henry C. Wallace (Republican) |
| Kansas | Preston B. Plumb | Republican | 1877 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y Preston B. Plumb (Republican) [data missing] |
| Kentucky | James B. Beck | Democratic | 1876 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y James B. Beck (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Louisiana | Randall L. Gibson | Democratic | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y Randall L. Gibson (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Maine | William P. Frye | Republican | 1881 (special) 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y William P. Frye (Republican) [data missing] |
| Massachusetts | George F. Hoar | Republican | 1877 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y George F. Hoar (Republican) [data missing] |
| Michigan | Thomas W. Palmer | Republican | 1882–83 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1889. Republican hold. | ▌Y James McMillan (Republican) [data missing] |
| Minnesota | Dwight M. Sabin | Republican | 1883 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1888. Republican hold. | ▌Y W. D. Washburn (Republican) [data missing] |
| Mississippi | Edward C. Walthall | Democratic | 1885 (appointed) 1886 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y Edward C. Walthall (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Nebraska | Charles F. Manderson | Republican | 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y Charles F. Manderson (Republican) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire | William E. Chandler | Republican | 1887 (special) | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. Gilman Marston (R) was appointed to start the next term and Chandler was later elected to finish the term; see below. | [data missing] |
| New Jersey | John R. McPherson | Democratic | 1877 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y John R. McPherson (Democratic) 43 ▌ William J. Sewell (Republican) 38 |
| North Carolina | Matt W. Ransom | Democratic | 1872 (special) 1876 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y Matt W. Ransom (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Oregon | Joseph N. Dolph | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y Joseph N. Dolph (Republican) [data missing] |
| Rhode Island | Jonathan Chace | Republican | 1885 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y Jonathan Chace (Republican) [data missing] |
| South Carolina | Matthew Butler | Democratic | 1876 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y Matthew Butler (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Tennessee | Isham G. Harris | Democratic | 1877 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y Isham G. Harris (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Texas | Richard Coke | Democratic | 1876 1882 | Incumbent re-elected in 1888. | ▌Y Richard Coke (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Virginia | Harrison H. Riddleberger | Readjuster | 1881 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected early December 20, 1887. Democratic gain. | ▌Y John S. Barbour Jr. (Democratic) [data missing] |
| West Virginia | John E. Kenna | Democratic | 1883 | Incumbent re-elected in 1889. | ▌Y John E. Kenna (Democratic) [data missing] |

### Elections during the 51st Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1889 after March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Rhode Island (Class 2) | Jonathan Chace | Republican | 1885 (special) 1888 | Incumbent resigned April 9, 1889. New senator elected April 10, 1889. Republican hold. | ▌Y Nathan F. Dixon III (Republican) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire (Class 2) | Gilman Marston | Republican | 1889 (Appointed) | Interim appointee retired or lost election to finish the term. New senator elected June 18, 1889. Republican hold. | ▌Y William E. Chandler (Republican) [data missing] |
| South Dakota (Class 2) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | South Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889. First senators elected October 16, 1889, in advance of statehood. Republican gain. | ▌Y Richard F. Pettigrew (Republican) 108 ▌Bartlett Tripp (Democratic) 14 Absent/not voting 2 |
| South Dakota (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | South Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889. First senators elected October 16, 1889, in advance of statehood. Republican gain. | ▌Y Gideon C. Moody (Republican) 107 ▌Merritt H. Day (Democratic) 14 |
| Washington (Class 1) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Washington admitted to the Union November 11, 1889. First senators elected November 20, 1889. Republican gain. | ▌Y John B. Allen (Republican) [data missing] |
| Washington (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Washington admitted to the Union November 11, 1889. First senators elected November 20, 1889. Republican gain. | ▌Y Watson C. Squire (Republican) [data missing] |
| North Dakota (Class 1) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | North Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889. First senators elected November 25, 1889. Republican gain. | ▌Y Lyman R. Casey (Republican) 62 ▌Martin N. Johnson (Republican) 26 ▌Daniel W. Maratta (Democratic) 4 |
| North Dakota (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | North Dakota admitted to the Union November 2, 1889. First senators elected November 25, 1889. Republican gain. | ▌Y Gilbert A. Pierce (Republican) 56 ▌Michael L. McCormack (Democratic) 6 |