A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 of the 66 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 34 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Results of the elections: Democratic gain Democratic hold Republican gain Republican hold Legislature failed to elect | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The 1858–59 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 1858 and 1859, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The Republican Party gained five additional seats in the Senate, but the Democrats retained their majority. That majority would erode in 1860 with the secession of the southern states leading up to the Civil War.
In Illinois, incumbent Stephen A. Douglas (D) and challenger Abraham Lincoln (R) held a series of seven debates, known as the "Lincoln–Douglas debates."
Results summary
Senate party division, 36th Congress (1859–1861)
- Majority party: Democratic (38–25)
- Minority party: Republican (25–26)
- Other parties: American (2)
- Total seats: 66–68
Change in Senate composition
Before the elections
D3 | D2 | D1 | |||||||
D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 |
D23 | D22 | D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 |
D24 | D25 | D26 Ran |
D27 Ran |
D28 Ran |
D29 Ran |
D30 Ran |
D31 Ran |
D32 Ran |
D33 Ran |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Majority → | D34 Ran | ||||||||
KN4 Unknown |
D42 Retired |
D41 Retired |
D40 Retired |
D39 Retired |
D38 Retired |
D37 Ran |
D36 Ran |
D35 Ran | |
KN3 Unknown |
KN2 | KN1 | R20 Ran |
R19 Ran |
R18 Ran |
R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 |
R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 |
R3 | R2 | R1 |
As a result of the elections
D3 | D2 | D1 | |||||||
D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 |
D23 | D22 | D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 |
D24 | D25 | D26 Re-elected |
D27 Re-elected |
D28 Re-elected |
D29 Re-elected |
D30 Re-elected |
D31 Re-elected |
D32 Re-elected |
D33 Hold |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Majority → | D34 Hold | ||||||||
R24 Gain |
R25 Gain |
KN1 | KN2 | V1 D Loss |
D38 Gain |
D37 Gain |
D36 Hold |
D35 Hold | |
R23 Gain |
R22 Gain |
R21 Gain |
R20 Re-elected |
R19 Re-elected |
R18 Re-elected |
R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 |
R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 |
R3 | R2 | R1 |