1908–09 United States Senate elections

The 1908–09 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 primarily chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1906 and 1907, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. However, some states had already begun direct elections during this time. Oregon pioneered direct election and experimented with different measures over several years until it succeeded in 1907. Soon after, Nebraska followed suit and laid the foundation for other states to adopt measures reflecting the people's will. By 1912, as many as 29 states elected senators either as nominees of their party's primary or in conjunction with a general election.

The 31 Class 3 seats were up for election, as well as various special elections to fill vacancies or confirm appointments. The Republicans lost two seats overall.

In Illinois and Florida, the legislature failed to elect until after the beginning of the 61st Congress on March 4.

Results summary Senate party division, 61st Congress (1909–1911)

Majority party: Republican (60 seats) Minority party: Democratic (32 seats) Other parties: 0 Total seats: 92

Change in composition

Before the elections After the December 10, 1907, elections in Oklahoma and the January 21, 1908, special election in Rhode Island.

D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R Majority → R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Result of the general elections D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R V V D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R Majority due to vacancies→ R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Key: D Democratic R Republican V Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 60th Congress In this election, the winner was seated in 1908 before March 4; ordered by state.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Maryland(Class 3) William P. Whyte Democratic 1906 Interim appointee elected January 14, 1908. Rhode Island(Class 2) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.New senator elected January 21, 1908.Republican gain. South Carolina(Class 3) Asbury Latimer Democratic 1903 Incumbent died February 20, 1908.New senator elected March 6, 1908. Democratic hold.Winner did not run for the next term; see below. Maryland(Class 3) William P. Whyte Democratic 1906 1908 Incumbent died March 17, 1908.New senator elected March 24, 1908, having already been elected to the next term; see below.Democratic hold. Vermont(Class 1) John W. Stewart Republican 1908 Incumbent retired.New senator elected October 20, 1908.Republican hold. Iowa(Class 3) William B. Allison Republican 187218781884189018961902 Incumbent renominated for the next term but died August 4, 1908.New senator elected November 24, 1908.Republican hold.Winner was later elected to the next term; see below.

In this election, the winner was elected three years early, to be seated in the 62nd Congress starting March 4, 1911.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Mississippi(Class 1) Hernando Money Democratic 1897 18991904 Incumbent retired.New senator elected early January 21, 1908.Democratic hold.

Races leading to the 61st Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1909; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory Alabama Edmund Pettus Democratic 1903 Incumbent re-elected early January 22, 1907.Winner died July 27, 1907, and new senator elected early August 6. January 22, 1907: August 6, 1907: Arkansas James P. Clarke Democratic 1903 Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. California George C. Perkins Republican 1895 18971903 Incumbent re-elected January 12, 1909. Colorado Henry M. Teller Democratic 1885189118971903 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 19, 1909.Democratic hold. Connecticut Frank B. Brandegee Republican 1905 Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. Florida William Milton Democratic 1908 Interim appointee retired.Legislature failed to elect.Democratic loss.New senator appointed to start the term, and subsequently elected; see below. Georgia Alexander S. Clay Democratic 18961902 Incumbent re-elected July 6, 1909. Idaho Weldon Heyburn Republican 1903 Incumbent re-elected January 12, 1909. Illinois Albert J. Hopkins Republican 1903 Incumbent renominated but couldn't secure the full support of his party.Legislature failed to elect.Republican loss.Seat remained vacant until May 26, 1909; see below. Indiana James A. Hemenway Republican 1905 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected January 20, 1909.Democratic gain. Iowa Albert B. Cummins Republican 1908 Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. Kansas Chester I. Long Republican 1903 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected January 26, 1909.Republican hold. Kentucky James B. McCreary Democratic 1902 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected February 28, 1908.Republican gain. Louisiana Samuel D. McEnery Democratic 18961900 Incumbent re-elected May 19, 1908. Maryland William P. Whyte Democratic 1906 Interim appointee retired or lost election to the next term.New senator elected January 15, 1908.Democratic hold. Missouri William J. Stone Democratic 1903 Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1909. Nevada Francis G. Newlands Democratic 1903 Incumbent re-elected January 26, 1909, ratifying the popular selection made in 1908 state elections. New Hampshire Jacob H. Gallinger Republican 189118971903 Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. New York Thomas C. Platt Republican 18811881 18971903 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 19, 1909.Republican hold. North Carolina Lee S. Overman Democratic 1903 Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. North Dakota Henry C. Hansbrough Republican 189118971903 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected January 19, 1909.Republican hold. Ohio Joseph B. Foraker Republican 18961902 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 12, 1909.Republican hold. Oklahoma Thomas Gore Democratic 1907 Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. Oregon Charles W. Fulton Republican 1903 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected January 19, 1909, ratifying the popular selection made in 1908 state elections.Democratic gain. Pennsylvania Boies Penrose Republican 18971903 Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. South Carolina Frank B. Gary Democratic 1908 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 26, 1909.Democratic hold. South Dakota Alfred B. Kittredge Republican 1901 1903 1903 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected January 19, 1909.Republican hold. Utah Reed Smoot Republican 1903 Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. Vermont William P. Dillingham Republican 1900 1902 Incumbent re-elected October 20, 1908. Washington Levi Ankeny Republican 1903 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected January 19, 1909.Republican hold. Wisconsin Isaac Stephenson Republican 1907 Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1909.Legislature failed to certify the result and ordered a new election.Incumbent was finally re-elected March 4, 1909, after many ballots.

Elections during the 61st Congress In these elections, the winners were elected in 1909 after March 4; ordered by date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Pennsylvania(Class 1) Philander C. Knox Republican 1904 1905 1905 Incumbent resigned March 4, 1909, to become U.S. Secretary of State.New senator elected March 16, 1909.Republican hold. Florida(Class 3) Duncan U. Fletcher Democratic 1909 Interim appointee elected April 20, 1909. Illinois(Class 3) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect; see above.New senator elected May 26, 1909.Republican gain.

Maryland

Maryland (special)

William Pinkney Whyte was elected by an unknown margin, for the Class 3 seat.

Maryland (regular)

William Pinkney Whyte died, and John Walter Smith was elected by an unknown margin, for the Class 3 seat.

New York

The election was held on January 19, 1909, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Thomas C. Platt had been re-elected to this seat in 1903, and his term would expire on March 3, 1909. At the state election in November 1908, 35 Republicans and 16 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1909–1910) in the state senate; and 99 Republicans and 51 Democrats were elected for the session of 1909 to the Assembly. The 132nd New York State Legislature met from January 5 to April 30, 1909, at Albany, New York.

The Republican caucus met on January 18. State Senator J. Mayhew Wainwright presided. The caucus nominated U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root unanimously. Root was the choice of President Theodore Roosevelt. President pro tempore of the State Senate John Raines warmly lauded Root's nomination, eulogized the retiring U.S. Senator Platt, and declared war on Governor Charles Evans Hughes's reforms. The Democratic caucus met also on January 18. They nominated ex-Lieutenant Governor Lewis S. Chanler unanimously. Chanler had been elected lieutenant governor in 1906 on the Democratic/Independence League ticket, and had served under Republican governor Hughes. Chanler had just been defeated when running against Hughes for governor in November 1908.

Elihu Root was the choice of both the Assembly and the state senate, and was declared elected.

House Republican Democratic State Senate (50 members) Elihu Root 35 Lewis S. Chanler 15 State Assembly (150 members) Elihu Root 90 Lewis S. Chanler 30

Note: The votes were cast on January 19, but both houses met in a joint session on January 20 to compare nominations and declare the result.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (regular)

The regularly scheduled general election in Pennsylvania was held on January 19, 1909. Boies Penrose was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. This was the last Class III U.S. Senate election to be decided by the Pennsylvania General Assembly before the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which mandated direct election of U.S. senators.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 19, 1909, to elect a senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1909. Incumbent Republican Boies Penrose, who was elected in 1897 and re-elected in 1903, was a successful candidate for re-election to another term. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

Pennsylvania (special)

A special election was held on March 16, 1909. George T. Oliver was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Republican Philander C. Knox was appointed to the Senate in June 1904 after the death of Matthew Quay. Knox was subsequently elected to a full term in the Senate by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in January 1905. Knox served in the U.S. Senate until his resignation on March 4, 1909, to become United States secretary of state in the William Howard Taft administration, leaving the seat vacant until a successor was elected.

Following Knox's resignation, the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on March 16, 1909, to elect a new senator to fill the vacancy. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

See also 1908 United States elections 1908 United States House of Representatives elections 1908 United States presidential election 60th United States Congress 61st United States Congress

1908–09 United States Senate elections

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