# 1851 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

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vte :
The 1851 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held in the 4th Wisconsin Legislature on January 20, 1851. Incumbent Democratic U.S. senator Henry Dodge was re-elected to a full six-year term.
In the 1851 legislative session, Democrats held large majorities in both chambers and neither of the other parties bothered to make a formal nomination. The only real contest was in the Democratic caucuses, where Dodge narrowly won renomination.

## Major candidates
### Democratic

* Henry Dodge, the incumbent U.S. senator, former governor of the Wisconsin Territory.
* James Duane Doty, incumbent U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district, and former governor of the Wisconsin Territory.
* Charles Dunn, former chief justice of the Wisconsin Territory Supreme Court.
* Moses M. Strong, former speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly.

## Results
### Democratic nomination

The Democrats met in caucus on January 19 to select a nominee. Three Democrats were absent from the caucus, but they were joined by Free Soiler George Gale, who afterward became a Democrat. In the initial informal poll, Dodge had the support of only 22 of 61 legislators. His nearest opponent was Moses Strong, with 17 votes. Strong had been speaker of the previous session of the Assembly, and was considered the candidate of the western region of the state; Strong had also been instrumental in the maneuvering to rescind the resolution that had called for the resignation of U.S. senator Isaac P. Walker, seen as an effort to court Walker's eastern constituency.
Over the course of the evening, Dodge's vote count gradually crept up, while Strong faded. Dodge won the nomination on the fourth ballot with just 31 of 61 votes. As it turned out, George Gale's vote in the caucus proved decisive.

### Official vote

1st Vote of the 4th Wisconsin Legislature, January 20, 1851 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Henry Dodge (incumbent) | 69 | 83.13% |
| | Independent Democrat | James Duane Doty | 7 | 8.43% |
| | Whig | Alexander L. Collins | 3 | 3.61% |
| | Whig | Rufus King | 2 | 2.41% |
| | Free Soil | Warren Chase | 1 | 1.20% |
| | Whig | John B. Terry | 1 | 1.20% |
| | | Absent | 2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 42 | 50.60% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 83 | 97.65% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |