# 1878–79 United States Senate elections

The 1878–79 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 1878 and 1879, 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 Democratic Party recaptured control of the Senate for the first time since before the Civil War.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 46th Congress (1879–1881)
* Majority party: Democratic (42)
* Minority party: Republican (31)
* Other parties: Independent (1), Anti-Monopoly (1)
* Total seats: 76

## Change in 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$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ | D$_{25}$ | 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$_{33}$ Unknown | D$_{34}$ Unknown | D$_{35}$ Retired | D$_{36}$ Retired | AM$_1$ | I$_1$ |
| Plurality → | Plurality → | Plurality → | Plurality → | Plurality → | Plurality → | Plurality → | Plurality → | Plurality → | R$_{38}$ Retired |
| R$_{29}$ Unknown | R$_{30}$ Unknown | R$_{31}$ Retired | R$_{32}$ Retired | R$_{33}$ Retired | R$_{34}$ Retired | R$_{35}$ Retired | R$_{36}$ Retired | R$_{37}$ Retired | R$_{38}$ Retired |
| R$_{28}$ Ran | R$_{27}$ Ran | R$_{26}$ Ran | R$_{25}$ Ran | R$_{24}$ Ran | R$_{23}$ Ran | R$_{22}$ Ran | 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$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ | D$_{25}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{19}$ |
| D$_{29}$ Re-elected | D$_{30}$ Re-elected | D$_{31}$ Hold | D$_{32}$ Hold | D$_{33}$ Hold | D$_{34}$ Hold | D$_{35}$ Hold | D$_{36}$ Gain | D$_{37}$ Gain | D$_{38}$ Gain |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | D$_{39}$ Gain |
| R$_{29}$ Hold | R$_{30}$ Hold | R$_{31}$ Gain | V$_1$ R loss | AM$_1$ | I$_1$ | D$_{42}$ Gain | D$_{41}$ Gain | D$_{40}$ Gain | D$_{39}$ Gain |
| R$_{28}$ Hold | R$_{27}$ Re-elected | R$_{26}$ Re-elected | R$_{25}$ Re-elected | R$_{24}$ Re-elected | R$_{23}$ Re-elected | R$_{22}$ Re-elected | 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 V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Special elections during the 45th Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated in 1879 before March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Missouri (Class 3) | David H. Armstrong | Democratic | 1877 (appointed) | Interim appointee retired when successor elected. New senator elected January 27, 1879. Democratic hold. Winner did not run for the next term; see below. | ▌Y James Shields (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Indiana (Class 3) | Daniel W. Voorhees | Democratic | 1877 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 31, 1879. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Michigan (Class 1) | Isaac P. Christiancy | Republican | 1874 | Incumbent resigned February 10, 1879, due to ill health. New senator elected February 22, 1879. Republican hold. | ▌Y Zachariah Chandler (Republican) [data missing] |

### Races leading to the 46th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1885; 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 | George E. Spencer | Republican | 1868 (special) 1872 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in August 1878. Democratic gain. | ▌Y George S. Houston (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Arkansas | Stephen W. Dorsey | Republican | 1872–73 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1878. Democratic gain. | ▌Y James D. Walker (Democratic) [data missing] |
| California | Aaron A. Sargent | Republican | 1872–73 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1878. Democratic gain. | ▌Y James T. Farley (Democratic) 28 ▌Morris Estee (Republican) 12 |
| Colorado | Jerome B. Chaffee | Republican | 1876 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1879. Republican hold. | ▌Y Nathaniel P. Hill (Republican) [data missing] |
| Connecticut | William Barnum | Democratic | 1876 (special) | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1879. Republican gain. | ▌Y Orville H. Platt (Republican) [data missing] |
| Florida | Simon B. Conover | Republican | 1872–73 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 21, 1879. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Wilkinson Call (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Georgia | John B. Gordon | Democratic | 1873 | Incumbent re-elected in 1879. | ▌Y John B. Gordon (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Illinois | Richard J. Oglesby | Republican | 1873 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected Jan 22, 1879. Republican hold. | ▌Y John A. Logan (Republican) 51.46% ▌John C. Black (Democratic) 41.75% ▌Alexander Campbell (Greenback) 4.85% ▌John McAuliffe (Independent) 1.94% |
| Indiana | Daniel W. Voorhees | Democratic | 1877 (appointed) 1879 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1879. | ▌Y Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Iowa | William B. Allison | Republican | 1872 | Incumbent re-elected January 23, 1878. | ▌Y William B. Allison (Republican) 104 ▌Daniel F. Miller (Republican) 35 ▌E. N. Gates (Unknown) 3 |
| Kansas | John J. Ingalls | Republican | 1873 | Incumbent re-elected in 1879. | ▌Y John J. Ingalls (Republican) [data missing] |
| Kentucky | Thomas C. McCreery | Democratic | 1872 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1879. Democratic hold. | ▌Y John Stuart Williams (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Louisiana | James B. Eustis | Democratic | 1876 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1879. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Benjamin F. Jonas (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Maryland | George R. Dennis | Democratic | 1872–73 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 19, 1878. Democratic hold. | ▌Y James Black Groome (Democratic) 78.5% ▌Lewis H. Steiner (Republican) 18.28% ▌John M. Robinson (Democratic) 2.15% ▌James A. Garey (Unknown) 1.08% |
| Missouri | James Shields | Democratic | 1849 (Ill.) 1849 (Ill.–election voided) 1849 (Ill.–special) 1855 (Ill.–lost) 1858 (Minn.) 1859 (Minn.–lost) 1879 (Mo.–special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1879. Democratic hold. | ▌Y George G. Vest (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Nevada | John P. Jones | Republican | 1873 | Incumbent re-elected in 1879. | ▌Y John P. Jones (Republican) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire | Bainbridge Wadleigh | Republican | 1872 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. | [data missing] |
| New York | Roscoe Conkling | Republican | 1867 1873 | Incumbent re-elected January 22, 1879. | ▌Y Roscoe Conkling (Republican) ▌William Dorsheimer (Democratic) ▌Peter Cooper (Greenback) |
| North Carolina | Augustus Merrimon | Democratic | 1872 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1879. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Zebulon Vance (Democratic) ▌Augustus Merrimon (Democratic) |
| Ohio | Stanley Matthews | Republican | 1877 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1878 or 1879. Democratic gain. | ▌Y George H. Pendleton (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Oregon | John H. Mitchell | Republican | 1872 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1878 or 1879. Democratic gain. | ▌Y James H. Slater (Democratic) ▌John H. Mitchell (Republican) [data missing] |
| Pennsylvania | J. Donald Cameron | Republican | 1877 (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1879. | ▌Y J. Donald Cameron (Republican) 53.78% ▌Hiester Clymer (Democratic) 36.65% ▌Daniel Agnew (Greenback) 6.37% ▌Edward McPherson (Republican) 1.20% ▌Russell Thayer (Republican) 0.40% ▌Galusha A. Grow (Republican) 0.40% |
| South Carolina | John J. Patterson | Republican | 1872–73 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1878. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Wade Hampton III (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Vermont | Justin S. Morrill | Republican | 1866 1872 | Incumbent re-elected in 1878. | ▌Y Justin S. Morrill (Republican) [data missing] |
| Wisconsin | Timothy O. Howe | Republican | 1861 1866 1872 | Incumbent lost re-nomination. New senator elected January 22, 1879. Republican hold. | ▌Y Matthew H. Carpenter (Republican) 67.20% ▌Edward George Ryan (Democratic) 22.40% ▌Gabriel Bouck (Democratic) 10.40% |

### Elections during the 46th Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1879 after March 4.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| New Hampshire (Class 3) | Charles H. Bell | Republican | 1879 (appointed) | Legislature had failed to elect; see above. Interim appointee retired when successor elected. New senator elected June 17, 1879. Republican hold. | ▌Y Henry W. Blair (Republican) [data missing] |

## Maryland

James Black Groome was elected by a margin of 60.22%, or 56 votes, for the Class 3 seat.

## New York

In New York, the election was held on January 21, 1879, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Roscoe Conkling had been re-elected in January 1873 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1879. At the State election in November 1877, 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1878–1879) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1878, 97 Republicans, 28 Democrats and 3 Greenbackers were elected for the session of 1879 to the Assembly, and Republican Thomas Murphy was elected to fill the vacancy in the State Senate caused by the death of Democrat John Morrissey. The 102nd New York State Legislature met from January 7 to May 22, 1879, at Albany, New York.
The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 20, Temporary President of the State Senate William H. Robertson presided. Present were all Republican legislators except State Senator Louis S. Goebel (6th D.) and Assemblyman James W. Wadsworth. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Conkling unanimously. The caucus of the Democratic State legislators met also on January 20. State Senator Thomas C. E. Ecclesine (8th D.) offered to adopt a prostest against the senatorial election proceedings, claiming that the senatorial and assembly districts were incorrectly apportioned and thus the State Legislature did not represent the wish of the people of the State. The protest was substituted by a resolution to appoint a committee which would elaborate an address on the apportionment at a later date. Ecclesine then marched out, and the remaining legislators nominated Lieutenant Governor William Dorsheimer for the U.S. Senate.
1879 Democratic caucus for United States Senator result :
| Candidate | First ballot | Second ballot |
| William Dorsheimer | 11 | 18 |
| James F. Starbuck | 8 | 8 |
| DeWitt C. West | 8 | 6 |
| Elijah Ward | 2 | |
The two Greenback assemblymen John Banfield (Chemung Co.) and George E. Williams (Oswego Co.) voted for 87-year-old Peter Cooper, a New York City inventor, industrialist and philanthropist who had run for U.S. president in 1876 on the Greenback ticket.
Roscoe Conkling was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.
1879 United States Senator election result :
| | Republican | Republican | Democrat | Democrat | Greenback | Greenback |
| State Senate (32 members) | Roscoe Conkling | 20 | William Dorsheimer | 12 | | |
| State Assembly (128 members) | Roscoe Conkling | 95 | William Dorsheimer | 23 | Peter Cooper | 2 |
Note: The votes were cast on January 21, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 22 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

## Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, the election was held January 20, 1879. J. Donald Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.
After Sen. Simon Cameron resigned from office, his son J. Donald Cameron was elected by the General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in 1877 to serve the remainder of the unexpired term, which was to expire on March 4, 1879. The Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on January 20, 1879, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1879. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
State Legislature Results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | J. Donald Cameron (Inc.) | 135 | 53.78 |
| | Democratic | Hiester Clymer | 92 | 36.65 |
| | Greenback | Daniel Agnew | 16 | 6.37 |
| | Republican | Edward McPherson | 3 | 1.20 |
| | Republican | Russell Thayer | 1 | 0.40 |
| | Republican | Galusha A. Grow | 1 | 0.40 |
| | N/A | Not voting | 3 | 1.20 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 251 | 100.00% |