1870 and 1871 United States Senate elections
In the 1870 and 1871 United States Senate elections, the Republican Party lost five seats in the United States Senate, though it still retained an overwhelming majority. In advance of these elections, the last four seceded states were readmitted to the Senate. As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures. Reconstruction. That election marked the first time that, with Mississippian Hiram Rhodes Revels, an African American was elected as a US senator and became a member of Congress. In Georgia, Foster Blodgett was elected  and presented his credentials as Senator-elect, but the Senate declared him not elected. In Virginia, Republican John F. Lewis and Democrat John W. Johnston were elected on January 26, 1870 to fill seats that had been vacant since 1864 and 1865. Results summary. Senate party division, 42nd Congress (1871–1873) Change in Senate composition. By March 30, 1870. After the readmission of Virginia, Texas, and Mississippi, and the special elections in Iowa and Maine. Before the elections. Including the February 1871 readmission of Georgia. Race summaries. Special elections during the 41st Congress. In these elections, the winners were seated during  1870 or in 1871 before March 4; ordered by election date. Races leading to the 42nd Congress. In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1871; ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats. Elections during the 42nd Congress. In this election, the winner was elected in 1871 after March 4.