# 1904–05 United States Senate elections

The 1904–05 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with President Theodore Roosevelt's landslide election to a full term and the 1904 House of Representatives elections. 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 1904 and 1905, 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 1.
Party share of seats remained roughly the same, when including vacancies and appointments, and the Republicans retained a significant majority over the Democrats.
Special elections were held in Indiana and Massachusetts, in the former due to the ascension of Charles Fairbanks to the Vice Presidency and in the latter due to the death of longtime Senator George Hoar.
In Georgia, the legislature failed to elect until shortly after the beginning of the 59th Congress on March 4. In Delaware the legislature deadlocked and did not elect a Senator until June 1906.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 59th Congress (1905–1907)
* Majority party: Republican (58)
* Minority party: Democratic (32)
* Other parties: (0)
* Total seats: 90

## Shifts in Party Control Post-Election

Despite legislative deadlocks and the long periods of vacancy in some states, the Republican Party's dominance in the Senate was further solidified in these elections. The party's strong performance in the Senate mirrored President Theodore Roosevelt's landslide victory in the 1904 presidential election. This continuity of Republican control in both the executive and legislative branches contributed to the implementation of Roosevelt's progressive policies, such as trust-busting and railroad regulation, further cementing the party's influence during the early 20th century.

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

At the beginning of 1904.
| | | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| R$_{56}$ Retired | R$_{57}$ Retired | D$_{33}$ Retired | D$_{32}$ Ran | D$_{31}$ Ran | D$_{30}$ Ran | D$_{29}$ Ran | D$_{28}$ Ran | D$_{27}$ Ran | D$_{26}$ |
| R$_{55}$ Retired | R$_{54}$ Retired | R$_{53}$ Retired | R$_{52}$ Retired | R$_{51}$ Ran but died | R$_{50}$ Ran | R$_{49}$ Ran | R$_{48}$ Ran | R$_{47}$ Ran | R$_{46}$ Ran |
| R$_{46}$ Ran |||||||||
| R$_{36}$ Ran | R$_{37}$ Ran | R$_{38}$ Ran | R$_{39}$ Ran | R$_{40}$ Ran | R$_{41}$ Ran | R$_{42}$ Ran | R$_{43}$ Ran | R$_{44}$ Ran | R$_{45}$ Ran |
| R$_{35}$ Ran | R$_{34}$ | R$_{33}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{25}$ |
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ |
| | | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ |

### Result of the general elections

| | | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| R$_{56}$ Gain | V$_1$ R Loss | V$_2$ D Loss | V$_3$ D Loss | D$_{31}$ Gain | D$_{30}$ Re-elected | D$_{29}$ Re-elected | D$_{28}$ Re-elected | D$_{27}$ Re-elected | D$_{26}$ |
| R$_{55}$ Hold | R$_{54}$ Hold | R$_{53}$ Hold | R$_{52}$ Hold | R$_{51}$ Hold | R$_{50}$ Hold | R$_{49}$ Hold | R$_{48}$ Re-elected | R$_{47}$ Re-elected | R$_{46}$ Re-elected |
| R$_{46}$ Re-elected |||||||||
| R$_{36}$ Re-elected | R$_{37}$ Re-elected | R$_{38}$ Re-elected | R$_{39}$ Re-elected | R$_{40}$ Re-elected | R$_{41}$ Re-elected | R$_{42}$ Re-elected | R$_{43}$ Re-elected | R$_{44}$ Re-elected | R$_{45}$ Re-elected |
| R$_{35}$ Re-elected | R$_{34}$ | R$_{33}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{25}$ |
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ |
| | | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ |

### Beginning of the next Congress

| | | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| R$_{56}$ | V$_1$ | V$_2$ | D$_{32}$ Appointed | D$_{31}$ | D$_{30}$ | D$_{29}$ | D$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ |
| R$_{55}$ | R$_{54}$ | R$_{53}$ | R$_{52}$ | R$_{51}$ | R$_{50}$ | R$_{49}$ | R$_{48}$ | R$_{47}$ | R$_{46}$ |
| R$_{46}$ |||||||||
| R$_{36}$ | R$_{37}$ | R$_{38}$ | R$_{39}$ | R$_{40}$ | R$_{41}$ | R$_{42}$ | R$_{43}$ | R$_{44}$ | R$_{45}$ |
| R$_{35}$ | R$_{34}$ | R$_{33}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{25}$ |
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ |
| | | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ |
| Key: | D$_#$ Democratic R$_#$ Republican V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Elections during the 58th Congress
#### Special elections

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1904 or in 1905 before March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Ohio (Class 1) | Mark Hanna | Republican | 1897 (appointed) 1898 (special) 1898 | Incumbent died February 15, 1904. New senator elected March 2, 1904. Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Charles W. F. Dick (Republican) 174 ▌John H. Clarke (Democratic) 25 |
| Pennsylvania (Class 1) | Matthew Quay | Republican | 1887 1893 1899 (failure to elect) 1899 (appointed; disqualified) 1901 (special) | Incumbent died May 28, 1904. New senator elected January 17, 1905. Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Philander C. Knox (Republican) 100% |
| Massachusetts (Class 2) | Winthrop M. Crane | Republican | 1904 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Winthrop M. Crane (Republican) [data missing] |
In this election, the winner was seated March 4, 1905.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Indiana (Class 3) | Charles W. Fairbanks | Republican | 1897 1903 | Incumbent resigned March 3, 1905, to become U.S. Vice President. New senator elected January 18, 1905 to begin service on the first day of the new Congress. Republican hold. | ▌Y James A. Hemenway (Republican) 100% |

#### Early elections

In these elections, the winners were seated March 4, 1907, in the 60th Congress; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Mississippi (Class 2) | Anselm J. McLaurin | Democratic | 1894 (special) 1900 | Incumbent re-elected early January 19, 1904. | ▌Y Anselm J. McLaurin (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Louisiana (Class 2) | Murphy J. Foster | Democratic | 1900 | Incumbent re-elected early May 18, 1904. | ▌Y Murphy J. Foster (Democratic) 148 Unopposed |

### Races leading to the 59th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1905; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| California | Thomas R. Bard | Republican | 1900 | Incumbent lost renomination New senator elected January 11, 1905. Republican hold. | ▌Y Frank Flint (Republican) 111 ▌Theodore Arlington Bell (Democratic) 8 |
| Connecticut | Joseph R. Hawley | Republican | 1881 1887 1893 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 17, 1905. Republican hold. | ▌Y Morgan Bulkeley (Republican) 228 ▌A. Heaton Robertson (Democratic) 37 |
| Delaware | L. Heisler Ball | Republican | 1903 (special) | Incumbent retired. Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. Seat remained vacant until June 13, 1906. | ▌J. Edward Addicks (Union Republican) ▌Willard Saulsbury Jr. (Democratic) ▌Henry A. du Pont (Republican) ▌James H. Hughes (Democratic) |
| Florida | James Taliaferro | Democratic | 1899 (special) | Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. Incumbent would be appointed to start the term. Appointee was later elected to finish the term; see below. | [data missing] |
| Indiana | Albert J. Beveridge | Republican | 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Albert J. Beveridge (Republican) Unopposed |
| Maine | Eugene Hale | Republican | 1881 1887 1893 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Eugene Hale (Republican) [data missing] |
| Maryland | Louis E. McComas | Republican | 1898 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected February 4, 1904. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Isidor Rayner (Democratic) 70.49% ▌Louis E. McComas (Republican) 29.51% |
| Massachusetts | Henry Cabot Lodge | Republican | 1893 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Henry Cabot Lodge (Republican) 198 ▌William A. Gaston (Democratic) 72 |
| Michigan | Julius C. Burrows | Republican | 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Julius C. Burrows (Republican) Unopposed |
| Minnesota | Moses E. Clapp | Republican | 1901 | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Moses E. Clapp (Republican) Unopposed |
| Mississippi | Hernando Money | Democratic | 1897 (appointed) 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1904. | ▌Y Hernando Money (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Missouri | Francis Cockrell | Democratic | 1874 1881 1887 1893 1899 | Incumbent lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. | ▌William Warner (Republican) ▌Francis Cockrell (Democratic) ▌Thomas K. Niedringhaus (Republican) |
| Montana | Paris Gibson | Democratic | 1901 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 16, 1905. Republican gain. | ▌Y Thomas H. Carter (Republican) 62 ▌W. C. Conrad (Democratic) 28 ▌Martin Dee (Fusion) 6 Scattering 6 |
| Nebraska | Charles H. Dietrich | Republican | 1901 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 17, 1905. Republican hold. | ▌Y Elmer Burkett (Republican) 92.19% ▌Richard Lee Metcalfe (Democratic) 7.03% ▌Alfred Sorenson (Republican) 0.78% |
| Nevada | William M. Stewart | Republican | 1887 1893 1899 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 25, 1905. Republican hold. | ▌Y George S. Nixon (Republican) 31 ▌John Sparks (Democratic) 25 |
| New Jersey | John Kean | Republican | 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 2, 1905. | ▌Y John Kean (Republican) Unopposed |
| New York | Chauncey Depew | Republican | 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Chauncey Depew (Republican) 136 ▌Smith M. Weed (Democratic) 57 |
| North Dakota | Porter J. McCumber | Republican | 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Porter J. McCumber (Republican) Unopposed |
| Ohio | Mark Hanna | Republican | 1897 (appointed) 1898 (special) 1898 | Incumbent re-elected, but died February 15, 1904. New senator elected March 2, 1904. Republican hold. Winner was also elected to finish the term; see above. | ▌Y Charles W. F. Dick (Republican) 174 ▌John H. Clarke (Democratic) 25 |
| Pennsylvania | Philander C. Knox | Republican | 1904 (appointed) 1905 (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Philander C. Knox (Republican) 225 ▌James Knox Polk Hall (Democratic) 25 |
| Rhode Island | Nelson W. Aldrich | Republican | 1881 (special) 1886 1892 1898 | Incumbent re-elected January 18, 1905. | ▌Y Nelson W. Aldrich (Republican) 93 ▌George W. Greene (Democratic) 17 |
| Tennessee | William B. Bate | Democratic | 1887 1893 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 11, 1905. | ▌Y William B. Bate (Democratic) ▌Walter P. Brownlow (Republican) |
| Texas | Charles A. Culberson | Democratic | 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1905. | ▌Y Charles A. Culberson (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Utah | Thomas Kearns | Republican | 1901 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 18, 1905. Republican hold. | ▌Y George Sutherland (Republican) 57 ▌William H. King (Democratic) 6 |
| Vermont | Redfield Proctor | Republican | 1891 (appointed) 1892 (special) 1892 1898 | Incumbent re-elected October 18, 1904. | ▌Y Redfield Proctor (Republican) 205 ▌John H. Senter (Democratic) 31 |
| Virginia | John W. Daniel | Democratic | 1887 1893 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 26, 1904. | ▌Y John W. Daniel (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Washington | Addison G. Foster | Republican | 1899 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 27, 1905. Republican hold. | ▌Y Samuel H. Piles (Republican) 125 ▌Addison G. Foster (Republican) 2 ▌George Turner (Democratic) 6 |
| West Virginia | Nathan B. Scott | Republican | 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1905. | ▌Y Nathan B. Scott (Republican) 82 ▌John T. McGraw (Democratic) 27 |
| Wisconsin | Joseph V. Quarles | Republican | 1899 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 25, 1905. Republican hold. | ▌Y Robert M. La Follette (Republican) Unopposed |
| Wyoming | Clarence D. Clark | Republican | 1895 (special) 1899 | Incumbent re-elected January 25, 1905. | ▌Y Clarence D. Clark (Republican) Unopposed |

### Elections during the 59th Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1905 after March 4; sorted by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Missouri (Class 1) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected March 18, 1905. Republican gain. | ▌Y William Warner (Republican) 91 ▌Francis Cockrell (Democratic) 83 ▌Thomas K. Niedringhaus (Republican) 1 |
| Tennessee (Class 1) | William B. Bate | Democratic | 1887 1893 1899 1905 | Incumbent died March 9, 1905, having just been re-elected. New senator elected March 21, 1905. Democratic hold. | ▌Y James B. Frazier (Democratic) ▌Walter P. Brownlow (Republican) |
| Florida (Class 1) | James Taliaferro | Democratic | 1899 (special) 1905 (appointed) | Legislature had failed to elect. Incumbent was appointed to begin the term. Interim appointee elected April 20, 1905. | ▌Y James Taliaferro (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Connecticut (Class 3) | Orville H. Platt | Republican | 1879 1885 1891 1897 1903 | Incumbent died April 21, 1905. New senator elected May 10, 1905. Republican hold. | ▌Y Frank B. Brandegee (Republican) 227 ▌Henry A. Bishop (Democratic) 34 |

## Maryland

Isidor Rayner defeated incumbent Louis E. McComas by a margin of 40.98%, or 50 votes for the Class 1 seat.

## New York

The 1905 election in New York was held on January 17, 1905, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Chauncey M. Depew had been elected to this seat in 1899, and his term would expire on March 3, 1905. At the State election in November 1904, large Republican majorities were elected for a two-year term (1905–1906) in the State Senate, and for the session of 1905 to the Assembly. The 128th State Legislature met from January 3, 1905, on at Albany, New York.
Late in 1904, Ex-Governor Frank S. Black tried to be nominated to succeed Depew. Black was supported by Governor Benjamin B. Odell Jr., but after intense fighting behind the scenes, Odell finally dropped Black and accepted Depew's re-election which had been supported by his fellow Senator Thomas C. Platt and Speaker S. Frederick Nixon. The Republican caucus met on January 16. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Chauncey M. Depew unanimously.
The Democratic caucus met also on January 16. They nominated again Smith M. Weed who had been the candidate of the Democratic minority in the U.S. Senate election of 1887.
1905 Democratic caucus for United States Senator result :
| Candidate | First ballot |
| Y Smith M. Weed | 42 |
| D. Cady Herrick | 14 |
Chauncey M. Depew was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.
1905 United States Senator election result :
| Office | House | Republican | Republican | Democrat | Democrat |
| State Senate (50 members) | Y Chauncey M. Depew | 36 | Smith M. Weed | 13 |
| State Assembly (150 members) | Y Chauncey M. Depew | 100 | Smith M. Weed | 44 |
Note: The votes were cast on January 17, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 18 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

## Pennsylvania

The election in Pennsylvania was held on January 17, 1905. Incumbent Philander C. Knox was elected by the Pennsylvania State Assembly to his first full term in the United States Senate.
Republican Matthew Quay was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate in the previous election in January 1901. He served until his death on May 28, 1904. In June 1904, Republican Philander C. Knox was appointed to serve out the remainder of Quay's term, ending on March 4, 1905, when he began a term in his own right.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and Senate, convened on January 17, 1905, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1905. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
State Legislature Results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Philander C. Knox (Incumbent) | 222 | 87.40 |
| | Democratic | James K. P. Hall | 23 | 9.06 |
| | N/A | Not voting | 9 | 3.54 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 254 | 100.00% |