The 1852–53 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with the 1852 presidential election. 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 1852 and 1853, 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 Democratic Party gained two seats in the Senate. Only six of the twenty senators up for election were re-elected.
Incumbent resigned January 8, 1852, to become Governor of Mississippi. New senator elected February 18, 1852. Whig gain. Successor then retired at the end of the term, see below.
Incumbent resigned January 10, 1853, to become president of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Company. New senator elected March 4, 1853. Democratic hold.
The legislature had failed to elect a senator for the other seat, previously held by Democrat Jeremiah Clemens. On November 28, 1853, Democrat Clement Claiborne Clay was elected late to the seat.[12]
On December 20, 1852, Democrat William R. King resigned due to poor health. On January 14, 1853, Democrat Benjamin Fitzpatrick was appointed to continue the term, and he was elected November 28, 1853, to finish the term.[14][12]
In fact, this time it took eight ballots for Democrat John B. Weller (71 votes, 80.7%) to be elected January 30, 1852, over Whig Pierson B. Reading (17 votes, 19.3%).[2]
The Connecticut legislature had failed to elect a senator for the term beginning in 1851. Democrat Isaac Toucey was elected in May 1852 to finish the term.
First term Democrat James Whitcomb died December 4, 1852, and Democrat Charles W. Cathcart was appointed December 6, 1852, pending a special election to finish the term that would end in 1855.
Democrat John Pettit won the January 18, 1853, election.
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He received the Democratic nomination on December 20, 1852, by the narrowest of margins: 30 to 29 votes.[17] The general election was held the next day, December 21, in which Jones easily won.
Democrat Solomon W. Downs lost re-election to Whig businessman Judah P. Benjamin in January 1852. Some Whig newspapers thought Benjamin too young and inexperienced at forty, despite his undoubted talent, but the Whig legislative caucus selected him on the second ballot, and he was elected by the legislature.[18]
First-term Democrat James W. Bradbury retired and the Maine legislature failed to elect his replacement until long after the new Congress began. It wasn't until 1854 that a new senator would be elected.
Incumbent Democrat Jefferson Davis resigned in 1851 to run for Governor of Mississippi. Democrat John J. McRae was appointed December 1, 1851, to continue Davis's term, pending a special election. Democrat Stephen Adams won the March 17, 1852, special election to finish the term that would continue until 1857.
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Free Soil senator John P. Haleran for U.S. President, coming in third place in the popular vote, but failing to win any states. He lost to the Democratic fellow-New Hampshire senator Franklin Pierce. He then lost re-election to his senate seat when Democrats took over the New Hampshire legislature in 1852 state elections.
Democratic former-senator Charles G. Atherton was returned to the Senate in Hale's place on November 25, 1852.
Long-time Whig Willie Mangum was a candidate for re-election. Although Democratic former-congressman James C. Dobbin was a top choice of the North Carolina Legislature, no candidate received a majority of votes in either house, so the seat was left unfilled.[23]
Democrat Robert Rhett resigned May 7, 1852, and Democratic judge of the chancery court William F. De Saussure was appointed May 10, 1852, to continue the term, pending a special election. The term would end in March 1853, so there was an election to finish the term and an election to the next term.
South Carolina (special)
De Saussure was elected November 29, 1852, just to finish the term.[24]
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South Carolina (regular)
Democrat Josiah J. Evans was elected December 1, 1852, on the fourth ballot to the next term.[25]
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^ abJournal and Official Documents of the House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana. New Orleans, Louisiana: Emile La Sere, State Printer. 1853. p. 231.