# 1876–77 United States Senate elections

The 1876–77 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with Rutherford B. Hayes's narrow election as president. 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 1876 and 1877, 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.
Although the Republican Party maintained their Senate majority, the Democratic Party gained five seats.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 45th Congress (1877–1879)
* Majority party: Republican (39)
* Minority party: Democratic (35)
* Other parties: Anti-Monopoly (1), Independent (1)
* Total seats: 76

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

After the November 15, 1876 elections in the new state of Colorado.
| 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$_{28}$ Retired | D$_{27}$ Retired | D$_{26}$ Ran | D$_{25}$ Ran | D$_{24}$ Ran | D$_{23}$ Ran | D$_{22}$ Ran | D$_{21}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{19}$ |
| D$_{29}$ Retired | D$_{30}$ Retired | AM$_1$ | R$_{45}$ Retired | R$_{44}$ Retired | R$_{43}$ Retired | R$_{42}$ Retired | R$_{41}$ Unknown | R$_{40}$ Unknown | R$_{39}$ Unknown |
| R$_{39}$ Unknown |||||||||
| R$_{29}$ Ran | R$_{30}$ Ran | R$_{31}$ Ran | R$_{32}$ Ran | R$_{33}$ Ran | R$_{34}$ Ran | R$_{35}$ Ran | R$_{36}$ Ran | R$_{37}$ Ran | R$_{38}$ Ran |
| 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$_1$ | | |

### 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$_{28}$ Hold | D$_{27}$ Hold | D$_{26}$ Hold | D$_{25}$ Re-elected | D$_{24}$ Re-elected | D$_{23}$ Re-elected | D$_{22}$ Re-elected | D$_{21}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{19}$ |
| D$_{29}$ Hold | D$_{30}$ Hold | D$_{31}$ Gain | D$_{32}$ Gain | D$_{33}$ Gain | D$_{34}$ Gain | D$_{35}$ Gain | I$_1$ Gain | AM$_1$ | R$_{39}$ Hold |
| R$_{39}$ Hold |||||||||
| R$_{29}$ Re-elected | R$_{30}$ Re-elected | R$_{31}$ Re-elected | R$_{32}$ Re-elected | R$_{33}$ Re-elected | R$_{34}$ Hold | R$_{35}$ Hold | R$_{36}$ Hold | R$_{37}$ Hold | R$_{38}$ Hold |
| 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$_1$ | | |
| Key: | AM$_#$ Anti-Monopoly Party D$_#$ Democratic I$_#$ Independent R$_#$ Republican |

## Race summaries
### Special elections during the 44th Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1876 or in 1877 before March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Louisiana (Class 3) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Senate had declined to seat rival claimants William L. McMillen and P. B. S. Pinchback. Senator elected January 12, 1876. Democratic gain. | ▌Y James B. Eustis (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Connecticut (Class 3) | James E. English | Democratic | 1875 (appointed) | Interim appointee retired when successor elected. New senator elected May 17, 1876. Democratic hold. | ▌Y William Barnum (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Colorado (Class 2) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Colorado admitted to the Union August 1, 1876. First senator elected November 15, 1876. Republican gain. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Henry M. Teller (Republican) [data missing] |
| Colorado (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Colorado admitted to the Union August 1, 1876. First senator elected November 15, 1876. Republican gain. | ▌Y Jerome B. Chaffee (Republican) [data missing] |
| Tennessee (Class 1) | David M. Key | Democratic | 1875 (appointed) | Interim appointee lost special election. New senator elected January 19, 1877 on the 74th ballot. Democratic hold. | ▌Y James E. Bailey (Democratic) 55 ▌David M. Key (Democratic) 38 ▌W. B. Bates (Unknown) 7 |
| Maine (Class 2) | James G. Blaine | Republican | 1876 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 17, 1877. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y James G. Blaine (Republican) 139 ▌William P. Haines (Unknown) 33 |
| West Virginia (Class 1) | Samuel Price | Democratic | 1876 (appointed) | Interim appointee lost special election. New senator elected January 26, 1877 on the 5th ballot. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Frank Hereford (Democratic) 70 ▌Samuel Price (Democratic) 10 ▌Henry S. Walker (Unknown) 4 ▌R. F. Dennis (Unknown) 1 Other 1 vote |

### Races leading to the 45th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1877; 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 | George Goldthwaite | Democratic | 1870 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1876. Democratic hold. | ▌Y John T. Morgan (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Arkansas | Powell Clayton | Republican | 1870 | Unknown if incumbent retired or ran for re-election. New senator elected January 16, 1877. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Augustus Garland (Democratic) 113 ▌T. D. W. Youlee (Unknown) 8 |
| Colorado | Henry M. Teller | Republican | 1876 (new state) | Incumbent re-elected in 1876 or 1877. | ▌Y Henry M. Teller (Republican) [data missing] |
| Delaware | Eli Saulsbury | Democratic | 1870 | Incumbent re-elected in 1876. | ▌Y Eli Saulsbury (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Georgia | Thomas M. Norwood | Democratic | 1871 (readmission) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 26, 1877 on the fourth ballot. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Benjamin Harvey Hill (Democratic) 114 ▌Thomas M. Norwood (Democratic) 85 ▌Herschel V. Johnson (Democratic) 6 ▌James M. Smith (Democratic) 5 ▌Charles J. Jenkins (Democratic) 1 |
| Illinois | John A. Logan | Republican | 1870–71 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 25, 1877 on the fortieth ballot. Independent gain. | ▌Y David Davis (Independent) 101 ▌Charles B. Lawrence (Unknown) 94 ▌John C. Haines (Republican) 3 ▌John A. Logan (Republican) 1 Other 1 |
| Iowa | George G. Wright | Republican | 1870 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 19, 1876. Republican hold. | ▌Y Samuel J. Kirkwood (Republican) 108 ▌Shepard Leffler (Unknown) 37 |
| Kansas | James M. Harvey | Republican | 1874 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New elected January 31, 1877 on the seventeenth ballot. Republican hold. | ▌Y Preston B. Plumb (Republican) 89 ▌David P. Lowe (Republican) 63 ▌John Martin (Republican) 8 ▌Thomas A. Osborn (Republican) eliminated ▌James M. Harvey (Republican) eliminated Others 3 |
| Kentucky | John W. Stevenson | Democratic | 1871 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1876. Democratic hold. | ▌Y James B. Beck (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Louisiana | Joseph R. West | Republican | 1870–71 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 10, 1877. Republican hold. | ▌Y William P. Kellogg (Republican) [data missing] |
| Maine | James G. Blaine | Republican | 1876 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 16, 1877. Winner also elected to finish the term; see above. | ▌Y James G. Blaine (Republican) 139 ▌William P. Haines (Unknown) 33 |
| Massachusetts | George S. Boutwell | Republican | 1873 (special) | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1877. Republican hold. | ▌Y George F. Hoar (Republican) 146 ▌Josiah G. Abbott (Democratic) 62 ▌George S. Boutwell (Republican) 47 ▌Alexander H. Rice (Republican) 19 ▌Alexander H. Bullock (Republican) 1 ▌Julius H. Seelye (Independent) 1 ▌Paul A. Chadbourne (Republican) 1 |
| Michigan | Thomas W. Ferry | Republican | 1871 | Incumbent re-elected in 1877. | ▌Y Thomas W. Ferry (Republican) [data missing] |
| Minnesota | William Windom | Republican | 1870 (appointed) 1871 | Incumbent re-elected in 1877. | ▌Y William Windom (Republican) [data missing] |
| Mississippi | James L. Alcorn | Republican | 1870 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1876. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Lucius Q. C. Lamar (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Nebraska | Phineas Hitchcock | Republican | 1870 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1877. Republican hold. | ▌Y Alvin Saunders (Republican) ▌Phineas Hitchcock (Republican) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire | Aaron H. Cragin | Republican | 1864 1870 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1876. Republican hold. | ▌Y Edward H. Rollins (Republican) [data missing] |
| New Jersey | Frederick T. Frelinghuysen | Republican | 1870–71 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 24, 1877. Democratic gain. | ▌Y John R. McPherson (Democratic) 41 ▌Cortland Parker (Unknown) 18 ▌George M. Robeson (Republican) 11 ▌Frederick T. Frelinghuysen (Republican) 10 ▌William Walter Phelps (Republican) 1 |
| North Carolina | Matt W. Ransom | Democratic | 1872 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1876. | ▌Y Matt W. Ransom (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Oregon | James K. Kelly | Democratic | 1870 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. | ▌Y La Fayette Grover (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Rhode Island | Henry B. Anthony | Republican | 1858 1864 1870 | Incumbent re-elected in 1876. | ▌Y Henry B. Anthony (Republican) [data missing] |
| South Carolina | Thomas J. Robertson | Republican | 1868 (readmission) 1870 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1876. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Matthew Butler (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Tennessee | Henry Cooper | Democratic | 1870–71 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 10, 1877. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Isham G. Harris (Democratic) 77 ▌L. L. Hawkins (Unknown) 19 ▌James D. Porter (Democratic) 1 ▌Horace Harrison (Republican) 1 ▌W. B. Bates (Unknown) 1 |
| Texas | Morgan C. Hamilton | Republican | 1870 (readmission) 1871 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected May 5, 1876 on third ballot. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Richard Coke (Democratic) 68 ▌John Ireland (Democratic) 49 |
| Virginia | John W. Johnston | Democratic | 1870 (readmission) 1871 | Incumbent re-elected in 1877. | ▌Y John W. Johnston (Democratic) [data missing] |
| West Virginia | Henry G. Davis | Democratic | 1871 | Incumbent re-elected January 26, 1877 on the fourth ballot. | ▌Y Henry G. Davis (Democratic) 60 ▌Charles J. Faulkner (Democratic) 19 ▌Gideon D. Camden (Democratic) 3 ▌John Brannon (Unknown) 2 ▌John J. Davis (Democratic) 1 Other 1 |

### Elections during the 45th Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1877 after March 4.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Pennsylvania (Class 3) | Simon Cameron | Republican | 1857 1861 (resigned) 1867 1873 | Incumbent resigned March 12, 1877. New senator elected March 20, 1877. Republican hold. | ▌Y J. Donald Cameron (Republican) ▌Andrew H. Dill (Democratic) ▌Hiester Clymer (Democratic) ▌Andrew G. Curtin (Democratic) ▌John Jackson (Democratic) |
| Ohio (Class 3) | John Sherman | Republican | 1861 (special) 1866 1872 | Incumbent resigned March 8, 1877 to become U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. New senator elected March 21, 1877. Republican hold. | ▌Y Stanley Matthews (Republican) 82 ▌Alfred Ginther (Unknown) 6 ▌Frank H. Hurd (Democratic) 1 Blank 34 |

## Pennsylvania (special)

The special election in Pennsylvania was held March 20, 1877.
Republican Senator Simon Cameron had been elected to the United States Senate by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in 1867 and was re-elected in 1873. Sen. Cameron resigned on March 12, 1877.
Following the resignation of Simon Cameron, the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on March 20, 1877, to elect a new Senator to fill the vacancy. Former United States Secretary of War J. Donald Cameron, Simon Cameron's son, was elected to complete his father's term, set to expire on March 4, 1879. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
Pennsylvania Results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | J. Donald Cameron | 147 | 58.57 |
| | Democratic | Andrew H. Dill | 92 | 36.65 |
| | Democratic | Hiester Clymer | 1 | 0.40 |
| | Democratic | Andrew G. Curtin | 1 | 0.40 |
| | Democratic | John Jackson | 1 | 0.40 |
| | N/A | Not voting | 9 | 3.59 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 251 | 100.00% |

## Texas

Incumbent Republican Morgan C. Hamilton did not run for re-election. Since his initial election in 1870, the Democratic Party had taken control of the Texas Legislature, ensuring that a Democrat would replace him. Incumbent governor Richard Coke defeated former Texas Supreme Court justice John Ireland on the third ballot. U.S. Representative John Hancock and former governor Fletcher Stockdale also ran, but they dropped out after the second round of balloting.
1876 United States Senate election in Texas first ballot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Richard Coke | 49 | 40.2% |
| | Democratic | John Ireland | 39 | 32.0% |
| | Democratic | John Hancock | 29 | 23.8% |
| | Democratic | Fletcher Stockdale | 5 | 4.1% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 122 | 100.0% |
1876 United States Senate election in Texas third ballot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Richard Coke | 68 | 58.1% |
| | Democratic | John Ireland | 49 | 41.9% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 117 | 100.0% |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

## West Virginia
### West Virginia (special)

First-term Democrat Allen T. Caperton died July 26, 1876, in his second year in office. Fellow-Democrat Samuel Price was appointed August 26, 1876 to continue the term, pending a special election in which he was a candidate. Price lost the election to Democratic congressman Frank Hereford January 26, 1877 on the fourth ballot.
Appointed incumbent Samuel Price and challengers Frank Hereford and Henry S. Walker, three prominent state Democrats, fought for the party's nomination over seven ballots and three sessions, without much movement in any direction. On January 26, with the Democrats unable to make a nomination, legislative Republicans broke the deadlock by throwing their support to Hereford on the floor.
Democratic nomination :
| Candidate | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots |
| Candidate | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| Frank Hereford | 21 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 18 |
| Samuel Price | 20 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 13 | 16 |
| Henry S. Walker | 17 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 23 | 17 |
| Scattered | 7 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| Total | 65 | 66 | 64 | 62 | 63 | 60 | 64 |
| Needed to win | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
House and Senate balloting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | House | House | Senate | Senate |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Frank Hereford | 18 | 28.6 | 3 | 13.0 |
| | Democratic | Samuel Price | 15 | 23.8 | 7 | 30.4 |
| | Democratic | Henry S. Walker | 9 | 14.3 | 6 | 26.1 |
| | Republican | John S. Carlile | 15 | 23.8 | 4 | 17.4 |
| | Democratic | Robert F. Dennis | 2 | 3.2 | 3 | 13.0 |
| | Democratic | Ira J. McGinnis | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| | Democratic | Thomas J. Farnsworth | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| | Democratic | John B. Hoge | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| | Democratic | William E. Arnold | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Total | Total | Total | 63 | 100 | 23 | 100 |
| Needed to win | Needed to win | Needed to win | 32 | >50 | 12 | >50 |
Joint Session balloting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots |
| Party | Party | Candidate | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| | Democratic | Frank Hereford | 21 | 28 | 25 | 70 |
| | Democratic | Samuel Price | 24 | 23 | 26 | 10 |
| | Democratic | Henry S. Walker | 16 | 12 | 19 | 4 |
| | Democratic | James H. Ferguson | 3 | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| | Democratic | Robert F. Dennis | 6 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
| | Other candidates | Other candidates | 17 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | 87 | 87 | 87 | 86 |
| Needed to win | Needed to win | Needed to win | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 |
Hereford resigned from the House January 31, 1877, thereby qualifying for the Senate. He only finished the term and left office in 1881.

### West Virginia (regular)

First-term Democrat Henry G. Davis was re-elected January 26, 1877 on the third ballot.
Democratic nomination :
| Candidate | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots |
| Candidate | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| Charles J. Faulkner | 22 | 24 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 22 | 22 |
| Henry G. Davis | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 22 |
| John Brannon | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| Gideon D. Camden | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| John J. Davis | 4 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Scattered | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Total | 65 | 63 | 63 | 61 | 61 | 64 | 64 |
| Needed to win | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
House and Senate balloting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | House | House | Senate | Senate |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Henry G. Davis | 21 | 33.3 | 6 | 26.1 |
| | Democratic | Charles J. Faulkner | 18 | 28.6 | 7 | 30.4 |
| | Democratic | Gideon D. Camden | 3 | 4.8 | 4 | 17.4 |
| | Democratic | John Brannon | 5 | 7.9 | 2 | 8.7 |
| | Democratic | John J. Davis | 10 | 15.9 | 2 | 8.7 |
| | Democratic | Johnson N. Camden | 1 | 1.6 | 2 | 8.7 |
| | Republican | Archibald Campbell | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| | Democratic | Alpheus F. Haymond | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| | Democratic | Daniel D. Johnson | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| | Democratic | Daniel Lamb | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| | Republican | George Loomis | 1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Total | Total | Total | 63 | 100 | 23 | 100 |
| Needed to win | Needed to win | Needed to win | 32 | >50 | 12 | >50 |
Joint Session balloting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Ballots | Ballots | Ballots |
| Party | Party | Candidate | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| | Democratic | Henry G. Davis | 24 | 26 | 60 |
| | Democratic | Charles J. Faulkner | 24 | 23 | 19 |
| | Democratic | John Brannon | 11 | 15 | 2 |
| | Democratic | Gideon D. Camden | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| | Democratic | John J. Davis | 15 | 12 | 1 |
| | Other candidates | Other candidates | 8 | 5 | 2 |
| Total | Total | Total | 87 | 87 | 87 |
| Needed to win | Needed to win | Needed to win | 44 | 44 | 44 |
Davis would retire after this second term, in 1883.