# 1894–95 United States Senate elections

The 1894–95 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 1894 and 1895, 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.
The Republican Party gained plurality control of the Senate with the support of the Populist Party and Silver Party.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 54th Congress (1895–1897)
* Plurality: Republican: 42
* Minority: Democrats: 39
* Other parties: Populist: 4, Silver: 2
* Total: 88
* Vacant: 1, due to failure to elect. Later filled by a Democrat

## Change in composition
### Before the elections

At the beginning of 1894, including early elections in Mississippi and Virginia.
| | | | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ |
| D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ |
| D$_{34}$ Ky. Ran | D$_{33}$ Ga. Ran | D$_{32}$ Ark. Ran | D$_{31}$ Ala. Ran | D$_{30}$ | D$_{29}$ | D$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| D$_{35}$ La. Ran | D$_{36}$ N.C. Ran | D$_{37}$ S.C. Ran | D$_{38}$ Tenn. Ran | D$_{39}$ W.Va. Ran | D$_{40}$ Kan. Unknown | D$_{41}$ N.J. Unknown | D$_{42}$ Miss. Retired | D$_{43}$ Texas Retired | D$_{44}$ Va. Retired |
| D$_{44}$ Va. Retired |||||||||
| R$_{35}$ Iowa Retired | R$_{36}$ Mont. Retired | R$_{37}$ R.I. Retired | S$_1$ | P$_1$ | P$_2$ | P$_3$ | V$_3$ | V$_2$ | V$_1$ |
| R$_{34}$ Neb. Unknown | R$_{33}$ Wyo. Ran | R$_{32}$ S.D. Ran | R$_{31}$ Ore. Ran | R$_{30}$ N.H. Ran | R$_{29}$ Minn. Ran | R$_{28}$ Mich. Ran | R$_{27}$ Mass. Ran | R$_{26}$ Maine Ran | R$_{25}$ Ill. Ran |
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ Colo. Ran | R$_{23}$ Del. Ran | R$_{24}$ Idaho Ran |
| R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ | R$_5$ |
| | | | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ |

### Result of the general elections

| | | | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ |
| D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ |
| D$_{34}$ La. Appointee elected | D$_{33}$ Ky. Re-elected | D$_{32}$ Ark. Re-elected | D$_{31}$ Ala. Re-elected | D$_{30}$ | D$_{29}$ | D$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| D$_{35}$ Tenn. Re-elected | D$_{36}$ Ga. Hold | D$_{37}$ Miss. Hold | D$_{38}$ S.C. Hold | D$_{39}$ Texas Hold | D$_{40}$ Va. Hold | P$_4$ N.C. Gain | P$_3$ | V$_1$ | V$_2$ |
| No majority ||||||||||
| R$_{35}$ R.I. Hold | R$_{36}$ Wyo. Hold | R$_{37}$ Kan. Gain | R$_{38}$ N.J. Gain | R$_{39}$ W.Va. Gain | S$_1$ | P$_1$ | P$_2$ | V$_4$ Del. R Loss | V$_3$ |
| R$_{34}$ Ore. Hold | R$_{33}$ Neb. Hold | R$_{32}$ Mont. Hold | R$_{31}$ Minn. Hold | R$_{30}$ Iowa Hold | R$_{29}$ S.D. Re-elected | R$_{28}$ N.H. Re-elected | R$_{27}$ Mich. Re-elected | R$_{26}$ Mass. Re-elected | R$_{25}$ Maine Re-elected |
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ Colo. Re-elected | R$_{23}$ Idaho Re-elected | R$_{24}$ Ill. Re-elected |
| R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ | R$_5$ |
| | | | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ |

### Result of the special elections and party change

| | | | | | | D$_1$ Calif. Appointee elected | D$_2$ La. Appointee elected | D$_3$ | D$_4$ |
| D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ |
| D$_{34}$ La. Appointee elected | D$_{33}$ | D$_{32}$ | D$_{31}$ | D$_{30}$ | D$_{29}$ | D$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| D$_{35}$ | D$_{36}$ Ga. Appointee elected | D$_{37}$ Miss. Hold | D$_{38}$ | D$_{39}$ | P$_4$ | P$_3$ | P$_2$ | P$_1$ | V$_1$ |
| ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | ↓ Republican plurality (majority with Silver support →) | S$_1$ |
| R$_{35}$ | R$_{36}$ | R$_{37}$ | R$_{38}$ | R$_{39}$ Mont. Gain from V | R$_{40}$ Wash. Gain from V | R$_{41}$ Wyo. Gain from V | R$_{42}$ N.C. Gain from D | S$_2$ Nev. Changed from R | S$_1$ |
| R$_{34}$ | R$_{33}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ | R$_{25}$ |
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{24}$ |
| R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ | R$_5$ |
| | | | | | | R$_1$ Mich. Hold | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ |
| Key: | D$_#$ Democratic P$_#$ Populist R$_#$ Republican S$_#$ Silver V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Elections during the 53rd Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1894 or in 1895 before March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Mississippi (Class 2) | Edward C. Walthall | Democratic | 1885 (appointed) 1886 (special) 1889 1892 (early) | Incumbent resigned due to ill health. New senator elected February 7, 1894. Democratic hold. Walthall, however, had already been re-elected to next term. | ▌Y Anselm J. McLaurin (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Louisiana (Class 2) | Donelson Caffery | Democratic | 1892 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected May 23, 1894. Winner had already been elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Donelson Caffery (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Louisiana (Class 3) | Newton C. Blanchard | Democratic | 1894 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected May 23, 1894. | ▌Y Newton C. Blanchard (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Georgia (Class 2) | Patrick Walsh | Democratic | 1894 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected November 7, 1894. Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Patrick Walsh (Democratic) [data missing] |
| North Carolina (Class 3) | Thomas Jarvis | Democratic | 1894 (appointed) | Interim appointee retired or lost election to finish the term. New senator elected November 7, 1894. Republican gain. New senator qualified January 23, 1895. | ▌Y Jeter C. Pritchard (Republican) [data missing] |
| Montana (Class 1) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected January 16, 1895. Republican gain. | ▌Y Lee Mantle (Republican) [data missing] |
| Wyoming (Class 1) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected January 23, 1895. Republican gain. | ▌Y Clarence D. Clark (Republican) [data missing] |
| California (Class 3) | George C. Perkins | Republican | 1893 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 23, 1895. | ▌Y George C. Perkins (Republican) [data missing] |
| Michigan (Class 1) | John Patton Jr. | Republican | 1894 (appointed) | Interim appointee lost election to finish the term. New senator elected January 24, 1895. Republican hold. | ▌Y Julius C. Burrows (Republican) [data missing] |
| Washington (Class 1) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected February 1, 1895. Republican gain. | ▌Y John L. Wilson (Republican) [data missing] |

### Elections leading to the 54th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1895; 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 1888 | Incumbent re-elected in 1894. | ▌Y John T. Morgan (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Arkansas | James Berry | Democratic | 1885 (special) 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. | ▌Y James Berry (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Colorado | Edward O. Wolcott | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. | ▌Y Edward O. Wolcott (Republican) [data missing] |
| Delaware | Anthony C. Higgins | Republican | 1888–89 | Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. | ▌Anthony C. Higgins (Republican) [data missing] |
| Georgia | Patrick Walsh | Democratic | 1894 (special) | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Augustus Bacon (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Idaho | George Shoup | Republican | 1890 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. | ▌Y George Shoup (Republican) [data missing] |
| Illinois | Shelby M. Cullom | Republican | 1882 1888 | Incumbent re-elected in 1894. | ▌Y Shelby M. Cullom (Republican) [data missing] |
| Iowa | James F. Wilson | Republican | 1888 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 17, 1894. Republican hold. | ▌Y John H. Gear (Republican) ▌Horace Boies (Democratic) |
| Kansas | John Martin | Democratic | 1893 (special) | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in January 1895. Republican gain. | ▌Y Lucien Baker (Republican) [data missing] |
| Kentucky | William Lindsay | Democratic | 1893 (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1894. | ▌Y William Lindsay (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Louisiana | Donelson Caffery | Democratic | 1891 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected May 14, 1894. Winner was later elected to finish the current term; see below. | ▌Y Donelson Caffery (Democratic) 97 ▌[FNU] Jones (Unknown) 21 ▌Allen Barksdale (Unknown) 7 |
| Maine | William P. Frye | Republican | 1881 (special) 1883 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. | ▌Y William P. Frye (Republican) [data missing] |
| Massachusetts | George F. Hoar | Republican | 1877 1883 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. | ▌Y George F. Hoar (Republican) [data missing] |
| Michigan | James McMillan | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. | ▌Y James McMillan (Republican) [data missing] |
| Minnesota | W. D. Washburn | Republican | 1888 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican hold. | ▌Y Knute Nelson (Republican) ▌W. D. Washburn (Republican) [data missing] |
| Mississippi | Anselm J. McLaurin | Democratic | 1894 (special) | Incumbent retired as predecessor had already been elected early to the next term January 20, 1892. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Edward C. Walthall (Democratic) ▌Clerk Lewis (Unknown) ▌C. E. Hooker (Unknown) |
| Montana | Thomas C. Power | Republican | 1890 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in January 1895. Republican hold. | ▌Y Thomas H. Carter (Republican) [data missing] |
| Nebraska | Charles F. Manderson | Republican | 1883 1888 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected January 15, 1895. Republican hold. | ▌Y John M. Thurston (Republican) ▌William Jennings Bryan (Democratic) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire | William E. Chandler | Republican | 1887 (special) 1889 (failure to elect) 1889 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. | ▌Y William E. Chandler (Republican) [data missing] |
| New Jersey | John R. McPherson | Democratic | 1877 1883 1889 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican gain. | ▌Y William Joyce Sewell (Republican) [data missing] |
| North Carolina | Matt W. Ransom | Democratic | 1872 (special) 1876 1883 1889 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1894. Populist gain. | ▌Y Marion Butler (Populist) ▌Matt W. Ransom (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Oregon | Joseph N. Dolph | Republican | 1882 1888 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected February 23, 1895. Republican hold. | ▌Y George W. McBride (Republican) ▌Joseph N. Dolph (Republican) [data missing] |
| Rhode Island | Nathan F. Dixon III | Republican | 1889 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1894. Republican hold. | ▌Y George P. Wetmore (Republican) [data missing] |
| South Carolina | Matthew Butler | Democratic | 1876 1882 1888 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Benjamin Tillman (Democratic) [data missing] |
| South Dakota | Richard F. Pettigrew | Republican | 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1894. | ▌Y Richard F. Pettigrew (Republican) [data missing] |
| Tennessee | Isham G. Harris | Democratic | 1877 1883 1889 | Incumbent re-elected in 1895. | ▌Y Isham G. Harris (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Texas | Richard Coke | Democratic | 1876 1882 1888 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1894. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Horace Chilton (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Virginia | Eppa Hunton | Democratic | 1892 (appointed) 1893 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator was already elected early December 19, 1893. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Thomas S. Martin (Democratic) [data missing] |
| West Virginia | Johnson N. Camden | Democratic | 1893 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 23, 1895. Republican gain. | ▌Y Stephen B. Elkins (Republican) 60 ▌Johnson N. Camden (Democratic) 29 ▌[FNU] Neal (Populist) 2 |
| Wyoming | Joseph M. Carey | Republican | 1890 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1895. Republican hold. | ▌Y Francis E. Warren (Republican) ▌Joseph M. Carey (Republican) |

### Elections during the 54th Congress

There were no elections in 1895 after March 4.

## Alabama

Former brigadier general in the Confederate States Army John T. Morgan was re-elected as one of the two senators in the state of Alabama. His tenure as senator ended in 1907 when he died in office.

## Louisiana

Interim appointee Donelson Caffery (D) was elected May 14, 1894 to the next term. He was later (May 23, 1894) elected to finish the current term.

## Louisiana (special, class 2)

Randall L. Gibson (D) had been re-elected in 1889, but died December 15, 1892. Donelson Caffery (D) was appointed by the Governor of Louisiana December 31, 1892 to continue the term, pending a special election. On May 14, 1894, Caffery was elected to the next term, and on May 23, 1894, Caffery was elected to finish the current term.

## Louisiana (special, class 3)

Edward Douglass White (D) had been elected in 1891, but resigned March 12, 1894 when appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Newton C. Blanchard (D) was appointed by the Governor of Louisiana March 12, 1894 to continue the term, pending a special election. On May 23, 1894, Blanchard was elected to finish the current term, which would end March 3, 1897.

## Washington (special)

John B. Allen (R) had been elected in 1889 as one of the first senators from Washington. In 1893, however, the Washington State Legislature failed to elect a senator for the term beginning March 4, 1893. The governor appointed Allen to serve until March 20, 1893, but the Senate rejected his credentials.
John L. Wilson (R) was elected February 1, 1895 to finish the term, that would end March 3, 1899, taking his seat February 19, 1895.