United States Senate elections, 1834 and 1835

United States Senate elections, 1834 and 1835

Dates vary by state
16 of the 48 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 25 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Anti-Jacksonian Jacksonian Last election 23 (48.9%) 22 (46.8%) Seats before 26 (54.2%) 20 (41.7%) Seats won 24 (51.1%) 22 (46.8%) Seat change 2 1 Seats up 8 7   Third party   Party Nullifier Last election 2 (4.2%) Seats before 2 (4.2%) Seats won 2 (4.2%) Seat change Seats up 1
Majority party before election Anti-Jacksonian Elected Majority party Anti-Jacksonian

The United States Senate elections of 1834 and 1835 were elections that had the Anti-Jackson coalition maintain control of the United States Senate. However, during the 24th Congress, the Jacksonian coalition gained control of the Senate.

As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Results

24th Congress (1835–1837)

• Majority Party: Jacksonian (26)
• Minority Party: Anti-Jackson (24)
• Other Parties: Nullifier (2)
• Total Seats: 52

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

After the January 20, 1835 special election in Maine.

AJ1 AJ2 AJ3 AJ4 AJ14 AJ13 AJ12 AJ11 AJ10 AJ9 AJ8 AJ7 AJ6 AJ5 AJ15 AJ16 AJ17 AJ18 AJ19 Ran AJ20 Ran AJ21 Ran AJ22 Ran AJ23 Unknown AJ24 Unknown Majority → AJ25 Retired J15 Ran J16 Ran J17* Ran J18 Ran J19 Ran J20 Unknown N1 N2 Ran AJ26 Retired J14 Ran J13 J12 J11 J10 J9 J8 J7 J6 J5 J1 J2 J3 J4

Notes: J17 (Maine class 2 seat): Anti-Jacksonian incumbent resigned January 1, 1835, presumably before the election for the next term. A Jacksonian successor was elected January 20, 1835 to finish the term and for the next term. The seat is therefore labelled as Jacksonian "before the election" in this table.

As a result of the elections

AJ1 AJ2 AJ3 AJ4 AJ14 AJ13 AJ12 AJ11 AJ10 AJ9 AJ8 AJ7 AJ6 AJ5 AJ15 AJ16 AJ17 AJ18 AJ19 Re-elected AJ20 Re-elected AJ21 Re-elected AJ22 Hold AJ23 Gain AJ24* Gain Plurality → J15 Re-elected J16 Re-elected J17* Re-elected J18 Re-elected J19 Gain J20 Gain J21 Gain N1 N2 Re-elected V1* Loss J14 Re-elected J13 J12 J11 J10 J9 J8 J7 J6 J5 J1 J2 J3 J4

Notes: AJ24 (Virginia class 1 seat): John Tyler (J) was re-elected as an Anti-Jacksonian. V1 (Louisiana class 2 seat): Winner was elected but resigned without having been seated. J17 (Maine class 2 seat): Anti-Jacksonian incumbent resigned January 1, 1835, presumably before the election for the next term. A Jacksonian successor was elected January 20, 1835 to finish the term and for the next term. The seat is therefore labelled as a Jacksonian "re-election" in this table.

Key:	AJ# = Anti-Jacksonian J# = Jacksonian N# = Nullfier V# = Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 23rd Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1834 or before March 4, 1835; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Virginia (Class 2)	William Rives	Jacksonian	1832 (Special)	Incumbent resigned February 22, 1834. Successor elected February 26, 1834. Winner was also elected to the next term, see below. Anti-Jacksonian gain.	√ Benjamin W. Leigh (Anti-Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Pennsylvania (Class 3)	William Wilkins	Jacksonian	1832 (Elected)	Incumbent resigned June 30, 1834 to become U.S. Minister to Russia. Winner elected December 6, 1834. Jacksonian hold.	√ James Buchanan (Jacksonian) 66 (49.62%) Amos Ellmaker (Anti-Jacksonian) 31 (23.31%) James Clarke (Jacksonian) 26 (19.55%) Joseph Lawrence (Anti-Jacksonian) 6 (4.51%) Joel Sutherland (Jacksonian) 1 (0.75%) Not voting 3 (2.26%)
Georgia (Class 3)	John Forsyth	Jacksonian	1829 (Special) 1831 (Re-elected)	Incumbent resigned June 27, 1834 to become U.S. Minister to Spain. Winner elected January 12, 1835. Jacksonian hold.	√ Alfred Cuthbert (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Maryland (Class 3)	Ezekiel F. Chambers	Anti-Jacksonian	1826 (Special) 1831 (Re-elected)	Incumbent resigned December 20, 1834 to become judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals. Winner elected January 13, 1835. Anti-Jacksonian hold.	√ Robert Henry Goldsborough (Anti-Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Maine (Class 2)	Peleg Sprague	Anti-Jacksonian	1826 (Special) 1831 (Re-elected)	Incumbent resigned December 20, 1834 to become judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals. Winner elected January 20, 1835. Winner was also elected to the next term, see below. Jacksonian gain.	√ John Ruggles (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]

Races leading to the 24th Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1835; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Alabama	William R. King	Jacksonian	1819 (Elected) 1822 (Re-elected) 1828 (Re-elected)	Incumbent re-elected in 1834.	√ William R. King (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Delaware	John M. Clayton	Anti-Jacksonian	1827 (Special) 1829 (Re-elected)	Incumbent re-elected in 1835.	√ John M. Clayton (Anti-Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Georgia	John Pendleton King	Jacksonian	1833 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1834.	√ John Pendleton King (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Illinois	John M. Robinson	Jacksonian	1830 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1835.	√ John M. Robinson (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Louisiana	George A. Waggaman	Anti-Jacksonian	1831 (Special)	Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. Winner elected in 1835, but due to ill-health, resigned without having been seated. Anti-Jacksonian loss.	√ Charles Gayarré (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Kentucky	George M. Bibb	Jacksonian	1829 (Elected)	Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. Winner elected in 1835. Anti-Jacksonian gain.	√ John J. Crittenden (Anti-Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Maine	John Ruggles	Jacksonian	1835 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1835	√ John Ruggles (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Massachusetts	Nathaniel Silsbee	Anti-Jacksonian	1826 (Special) 1828 (Re-elected)	Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1835. Anti-Jacksonian hold.	√ John Davis (Anti-Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Mississippi	George Poindexter	Anti-Jacksonian	1830 (Appointed) ? (Special)	Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1835. Jacksonian gain.	√ Robert J. Walker (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
New Hampshire	Samuel Bell	Anti-Jacksonian	1823 (Elected)	Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1835. Jacksonian gain.	√ Henry Hubbard (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
New Jersey	Theodore Frelinghuysen	Anti-Jacksonian	1828 (Elected)	Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. Winner elected in 1835. Jacksonian gain.	√ Garret D. Wall (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
North Carolina	Bedford Brown	Jacksonian	1829 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1835.	√ Bedford Brown (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Rhode Island	Nehemiah R. Knight	Anti-Jacksonian	1821 (Special) 1823 (Re-elected) 1829 (Re-elected)	Incumbent re-elected in 1835.	√ Nehemiah R. Knight (Anti-Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
South Carolina	John C. Calhoun	Nullifier	1832 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1834.	√ John C. Calhoun (Nullifier) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Tennessee	Hugh Lawson White	Jacksonian	1825 (Special) 1829 (Re-elected)	Incumbent re-elected in 1835 as Anti-Jacksonian. Anti-Jacksonian gain.	√ Hugh Lawson White (Anti-Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Virginia	Benjamin W. Leigh	Anti-Jacksonian	1834 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1835.	√ Benjamin W. Leigh (Anti-Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]

Special elections during the 24th Congress

In this special election, the winner was seated in 1835 after March 4; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Connecticut (Class 1)	Nathan Smith	Anti-Jacksonian	1832 (Elected)	Incumbent died December 6, 1835. Successor elected December 21, 1835. Jacksonian gain.	√ John M. Niles (Jacksonian) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections, 1834
• 24th United States Congress

References

• Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov