1912–13 United States Senate elections

In these special elections, the winners were seated in the 62nd Congress during 1912 or before March 4, 1913; ordered by election date.

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1913; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

In this early general election, the winner was seated in the 64th Congress, starting March 4, 1915.

In these elections (some special, some merely late), the winners were seated in 1913 after March 4.

Some of those five elections late and some special, some by legislatures before ratification of the amendment and some popularly thereafter:

• Two elections were late and elected by legislatures: New Hampshire and Illinois (Class 2)
• ▌One election was special and elected by a legislature: Illinois (Class 3)
• One election was late and elected popularly: Georgia
• ▌One election was special and elected popularly: Maryland

They are ordered here by election date, then by class.

Incumbent Senator John H. Bankhead had already been re-elected early January 17, 1911^[26] for the 1913 term.

One-term incumbent Senator Jeff Davis died January 3, 1913. Democratic Governor of Arkansas Joseph T. Robinson appointed John N. Heiskell January 6, 1913, to continue the term just until a special election.

Arkansas special election (class 2)

← 1909 January 24, 1913

Nominee William Kavanaugh Scattering Party Democratic Members' vote 77 58 Percentage 57.0% 43.0%

U.S. senator before election John N. Heiskell Democratic Elected U.S. senator William Kavanaugh Democratic

John N. Heiskell was not a candidate in the special election. On January 29, 1913, the Arkansas Legislature elected Democratic businessman and former judge William Marmaduke Kavanaugh just to finish the term that would end in March 1913.

Arkansas general election (class 2)

January 24, 1913 1918 →

Nominee Joseph T. Robinson Stephen Brundidge Jr. Party Democratic Democratic Members' vote 71 36 Percentage 53.0% 26.9%

U.S. senator before election John N. Heiskell Democratic Elected U.S. senator Joseph T. Robinson Democratic

Neither Heiskell nor Kavanaugh were candidates in the general election. On January 29, 1913, the Arkansas Legislature elected the Democratic Governor Joseph T. Robinson to the next term. This would be the last senate election by a state legislature before the April 8, 1913, adoption of the 17th amendment. Robinson would later become leader of Senate Democrats and Senate majority leader.

Arizona class 1 election

December 12, 1911, March 26, 1912 1916 →

Nominee Henry F. Ashurst Ralph H. Cameron Party Democratic Republican Electoral vote 54 0 Popular vote 10,872 9,640 Percentage 50.00% 44.33%

U.S. senator before election none Elected U.S. Senator To be formally determined by the Arizona legislature

Arizona class 3 election

December 12, 1911, March 26, 1912 1914 →

Nominee Marcus A. Smith Hoval A. Smith Party Democratic Republican Electoral vote 54 0 Popular vote 10,598 9,228 Percentage 50.35% 43.85%

U.S. senator before election none Elected U.S. Senator To be formally determined by the Arizona legislature

Arizona became a new state February 14, 1912, with senators in classes 1 (ending 1917) and 3 (ending 1915). For the initial senators there was a popular vote held December 12, 1911 — before statehood — and the newly formed state legislature effectively ratified the popular votes March 26, 1912: Democrat Henry F. Ashurst (class 1) and Democrat Marcus A. Smith (class 3).

Henry F. Ashurst was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives in 1897. He was re-elected in 1899, and became the territory's youngest speaker. In 1902, he was elected to the Territorial Senate. In 1911, Ashurst presided over Arizona's constitutional convention.^[27] During the convention, he positioned himself for a U.S. Senate seat by avoiding the political fighting over various clauses in the constitution which damaged his rivals.^[28]

Marcus A. Smith announced his candidacy for one of Arizona's two senate seats on September 24, 1911.^[30] As the campaign began, Smith abandoned his long standing conservative stand and declared himself a "Progressive".^[31]

With the admission of Arizona as a state in 1912, the Arizona State Legislature confirmed the selection of Smith and Ashurst as the state's first U.S. senators on March 27, 1912,^[33] taking office April 2, 1912.

On January 14, 1913, the Colorado General Assembly elected both of the state's senators: Governor John F. Shafroth for the class 2 seat (ending 1919) and Democrat Charles S. Thomas for the class 3 seat (ending 1915).

One-term Republican incumbent Simon Guggenheim chose to retire in the term beginning March 4, 1913.

In the 1912 state elections, Democratic Governor of Colorado John F. Shafroth won the popular vote.

The Colorado General Assembly ratified that decision January 14, 1913, by electing Thomas.

Democrat Charles J. Hughes Jr. (D) had died January 11, 1911, and the seat remained vacant for two years because the Colorado General Assembly failed to elect a successor.^[5]

In the 1912 state elections, Democrat Charles S. Thomas (former Governor of Colorado) won the popular vote,^{[citation needed]} and the Colorado General Assembly ratified that decision January 14, 1913, by overwhelmingly voting for Thomas.

Incumbent Republican Harry A. Richardson retired after one term in office.

Democrat Willard Saulsbury Jr. had been a member of the Democratic National Committee since 1908 and had run for U.S. senator in 1899, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1907, and 1911, but Republicans controlled the state legislature and he was unsuccessful. In 1913, however, Democrats were in control of the legislature, Saulsbury was the preference of most Democrats, and he obtained the required majority January 29, 1913, after several days of balloting. This election was the first time since 1883 that a Democrat won a full term for this Senate seat in Delaware.

Georgia late election

← 1911 (special) June 15, 1913 1914 (special) →

Nominee Augustus Octavius Bacon Party Democratic Percentage Unopposed

U.S. senator before election Augustus Octavius Bacon Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Augustus Octavius Bacon Democratic

The Georgia General Assembly failed to elect a senator, as Democratic incumbent Augustus O. Bacon's term ended. The Governor of Georgia therefore appointed Bacon to begin the term, pending a late election.

On June 15, 1913, Bacon was elected by the general populace without opposition, becoming the first senator elected under the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Bacon died in early 1914, however, leading to another interim appointment and eventual special election.

Idaho general election (class 2)

← 1907 January 14, 1913 1918 →

Nominee William Borah Kirtland I. Perky Party Republican Democratic Members' vote 75 2 Percentage 94.9% 2.5%

U.S. senator before election William Borah Republican Elected U.S. Senator William Borah Republican

First term Republican incumbent William Borah was easily re-elected over two Democratic challengers.

Idaho special election (class 3)

← 1909 January 24, 1913 1914 →

Nominee James H. Brady James F. Ailshie Party Republican Republican Members' vote 43 7 Percentage 53.8% 8.8%   Nominee John F. Nugent Party Democratic Scattering Members' vote 5 25 Percentage 6.3% 38.7%

U.S. senator before election James H. Brady Democratic Elected U.S. Senator James H. Brady Republican

Two-term incumbent Republican Weldon Heyburn died October 17, 1912. Democratic lawyer and former-Judge Kirtland I. Perky was appointed November 18, 1912, to continue the term pending a special election.

Perky was not a candidate in the special election, which was won by Republican former-Governor James H. Brady. Brady would win re-election in a popular vote in 1914.

In the November 1912 state elections, the Republicans lost control of the state due to the Republican / Progressive split. But while the Democrats held a plurality of the Illinois General Assembly, they did not have a majority. The General Assembly took up the matter of electing the senators on February 1. The General Assembly therefore failed to elect until after the new congress began.

On March 26, in a compromise arranged by governor Dunne, the General Assembly elected Democrat J. Hamilton Lewis to fill the full-term seat and Republican Lawrence Y. Sherman to fill the two remaining years of a vacancy that had just recently opened.

Illinois general election (class 2)

← 1907 March 26, 1913 1918 →

Nominee J. Hamilton Lewis Frank H. Funk Party Democratic Progressive Members' vote 164 22 Percentage 80.39% 10.78%

U.S. senator before election Shelby Moore Cullom Republican Elected U.S. senator J. Hamilton Lewis Democratic

On April 12, 1912, five-term Republican incumbent Shelby Moore Cullom lost renomination to Lieutenant Governor of Illinois Lawrence Y. Sherman in the Republican "advisory" primary, where the voters expressed their preference for senator but the decision was not binding on the General Assembly, which made the actual choice. Cullom had suffered politically over his support for the other Illinois senator, William Lorimer, who was embroiled in a scandal over alleged bribery in his 1909 election to the Senate.

After his defeat, Cullom withdrew his name from consideration by the General Assembly.

The Illinois General Assembly eventually elected the Democratic nominee, Congressman J. Hamilton Lewis March 26, 1913, who had also won the Democratic advisory primary, as the sole candidate on the ballot.

Illinois special election (class 3)

← 1909 March 26, 1913 1914 →

Nominee Lawrence Y. Sherman[35] Charles Boeschenstein Party Republican Democratic Members' vote 143 25 Percentage 70.10% 12.26%   Nominee Frank H. Funk Party Progressive Members' vote 22 Percentage 10.78%

U.S. senator before election Vacant Elected U.S. senator Lawrence Y. Sherman Republican

Three months after the primary in which Sherman defeated Cullom, the U.S. Senate invalidated Lorimer's 1909 election and declared the seat vacant.^[36] The Illinois Attorney General, William H. Stead determined that the General Assembly had failed to properly elect Lorimer in 1909 and so the Governor could not appoint a replacement.^[37] As a result, the General Assembly had a second Senate seat to fill.

Iowa election

← 1911 (special) January 21, 1913 1918 →

Nominee William S. Kenyon Daniel W. Hamilton Party Republican Democratic Members' vote 91 58

U.S. senator before election William S. Kenyon Republican Elected U.S. Senator William S. Kenyon Republican

Incumbent Republican William S. Kenyon, who had just won a 1911 special election to the seat, was easily re-elected by the Iowa General Assembly over Democratic former congressman Daniel W. Hamilton.^[5]

Kansas election

← 1907 January 29, 1913 1918 →

Nominee William H. Thompson W. R. Stubbs Party Democratic Republican Electoral vote 160 3 Popular vote 172,601 151,647 Percentage 49.34% 43.35%

County results Thompson:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Stubbs:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Charles Curtis Republican Elected U.S. Senator William H. Thompson Democratic

One-term incumbent Republican (and future Vice President) Charles Curtis lost renomination to Governor of Kansas Walter R. Stubbs, who then lost the general election to Democratic Judge William H. Thompson as Democrats took control of the Kansas Legislature in the 1912 state elections.

Thompson would only serve one term, losing re-election in 1918. As of 2023, this is the last time the Democrats won the Class 2 Senate seat in Kansas. This represents the longest current winning streak of either party for a single Senate seat.

Curtis' political career, meanwhile, would rebound, as he was elected to Kansas' other US Senate seat, first by defeating Kansas' senior senator Joseph L. Bristow in the Republican primary, and then winning re-election nonconsecutively to the U.S Senate by a very narrow margin over two opponents, becoming the first Kansan to be popularly elected to the U.S Senate in a historic first. Curtis would serve in the Senate for three terms before resigning to become U.S. Vice President in March 1929, the first Native American to serve in that office.

Kentucky election

← 1906 January 16, 1912 1918 →

Nominee Ollie James Edwin P. Morrow Party Democratic Republican Senate ballot 31 (83.8%) 6 (16.2%) House ballot 74 (76.3%) 23 (23.7%)

Senate ballot House ballot Blue denotes members voting for James and red denotes those voting for Morrow.

[[List of United States senators from {{{country}}}|U.S. senator]] before election Thomas H. Paynter Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ollie James Democratic

One-term Democrat Thomas H. Paynter retired and Democratic Representative Ollie James was easily elected January 16, 1912.^[2]

The legislature formally elected James a second time January 16, 1912, to comply with a federal rule requiring an election on the second Tuesday after the meeting of the legislature.^[2]

Louisiana senators

Joseph E. Ransdell
Class 2: starting March 4, 1913

Robert F. Broussard
Class 3: starting March 4, 1915

Louisiana held two elections May 21, 1912: an election for the class 2 term that would begin March 4, 1913, and an election for the class 3 term that would begin March 4, 1915.

In the class 2 seat, Democrat Murphy J. Foster lost renomination to fellow-Democrat Joseph E. Ransdell, who later was elected unopposed to seat.

In the class 3 seat, Democrat John Thornton retired. Fellow-Democrat Robert F. Broussard was elected unopposed, but he would have to wait until term began on March 4, 1915.

Five-term incumbent Republican William P. Frye had died August 8, 1911, and Democrat Obadiah Gardner was appointed September 23, 1911, to continue the term, pending a special election. In this election cycle, Gardner would first win the election to finish the term and then lose re-election to the next term.

Maine special election

← 1907 April 2, 1912 1913 →

Nominee Obadiah Gardner Frederick A. Powers Party Democratic Republican Members' vote 98 56 Percentage 66.2% 33.8%

U.S. senator before election Obadiah Gardner Democratic Elected U.S. senator Obadiah Gardner Democratic

Democratic interim appointee Obadiah Gardner was elected April 2, 1912, to finish the term ending March 3, 1913.^[4][2]

Maine general election

← 1912 (special) January 15, 1913 1918 →

Nominee Edwin C. Burleigh Obadiah Gardner Party Republican Democratic Members' vote 91 82 Percentage 50.6% 45.6%

U.S. senator before election Edwin C. Burleigh Republican Elected U.S. senator Obadiah Gardner Democratic

Democrat Obadiah Gardner lost re-election January 15, 1913, to Republican Edwin C. Burleigh for the term starting March 4, 1913.

"There was no choice in the separate balloting on January 14. The next day in joint assembly, [Burleigh was elected]."^[12]

Maryland special election

← 1910 November 4, 1913 1916 →

Nominee Blair Lee Thomas Parran Sr. Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 112,485 73,300 Percentage 56.75% 36.98%

County results Parran:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Lee:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election William P. Jackson Republican Elected U.S. senator Blair Lee Democratic

Democrat Isidor Rayner died November 25, 1912, and Republican William P. Jackson was appointed to continue the term, pending a special election.

Democratic state senator Blair Lee was elected November 4, 1913.

Lee presented his credentials to serve as senator on December 5, 1913, but he did not qualify until January 28, 1914, because Jackson claimed that "since [Jackson] had been appointed under the original constitutional provision, [Jackson] was entitled to hold his seat until the regularly scheduled adjournment date of the Maryland state assembly."^[25] The Senate considered Jackson's challenge but eventually rejected it and seated Lee.

Lee would only serve this one term, as he lost renomination in 1916.

Massachusetts election

← 1905 (special) January 14, 1913 1918 →

Nominee John W. Weeks Sherman L. Whipple Party Republican Democratic Members' vote 160 80 Percentage 58.82% 29.41%

U.S. senator before election Winthrop M. Crane Republican Elected U.S. Senator John W. Weeks Republican

Republican Winthrop M. Crane, who was first appointed in 1904, retired. Republican congressman from Newton, Massachusetts, John W. Weeks, was elected January 14, 1913, to succeed him. Republican Eben Sumner Draper had been considered a candidate for the seat, but the Republican party, then under the control of its hardline conservative faction (and in control of the legislature), chose Weeks instead.^[41]

Weeks would only serve for one six-year term. He would lose re-election in 1918 to Democrat David I. Walsh.

Two-term Republican William A. Smith, whose Senate tenure began weeks before his first full-term began, was re-elected January 14, 1913.

He would retire after this term.

Three-term Republican Knute Nelson was overwhelmingly supported in a 1912 popular election.

The Minnesota Legislature unanimously ratified the popular vote January 21, 1913:

Nelson later would be re-elected again in 1918 to a fifth term, before his 1923 death.

Mississippi election

← 1912 1 August 1911 1918 →

Nominee James K. Vardaman C. H. Alexander Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 79,380 31,300 Percentage 60.04% 23.68%   Nominee LeRoy Percy Party Democratic Popular vote 21,521 Percentage 16.28%

U.S. senator before election LeRoy Percy Democratic Elected U.S. senator James K. Vardaman Democratic

One-term Democrat LeRoy Percy lost renomination in mid-1911 to white supremacist James K. Vardaman, who was then elected January 16, 1912, to the seat, unopposed.^[2]

Percy had won in 1910 (to finish a vacant term) despite Vardaman's support of a plurality of legislators (all white). The fractured remainder sought to thwart his extreme racial policies. A majority united behind Percy to block Vardaman's election. Percy had advocated education for blacks and worked to improve race relations by appealing to the planters' sense of noblesse oblige. Disenfranchisement of blacks made the Democratic primary the deciding competitive race for state and local offices in Mississippi.

In this rematch, Vardaman's campaign was managed by Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi (and future senator) Theodore Bilbo, who emphasized class tensions and racial segregation, attacking Percy as a representative of the aristocracy of the state and for taking a progressive stance on race relations.

Vardaman, however, would only serve one term, losing renomination in 1918, primarily due to his vote against entry into World War I.

One-term Republican Joseph M. Dixon ran for re-election as a Progressive, but lost to Democrat Thomas J. Walsh.

The Montana Legislature then unanimously elected Walsh January 14, 1913.^[12]

Walsh would be re-elected four more times and serve for 20 years until his 1933 death. Dixon, meanwhile, would go on to become Governor of Montana from 1921 to 1925.

First-term Republican Norris Brown lost renomination to George W. Norris, who was then elected January 21, 1913.

Despite the Democratic majority, the Nebraska legislature elected Republican Norris unanimously, upholding the popular vote.^[47]

"The Democratic Legislature will be called upon to elect a Republican for United States Senator. Ninety-five per cent. [sic] of the candidates for the Legislature, in accordance with the Oregon plan, signed "Statement No. 1," which provides that, in the event of election, they will vote for the candidate for United States Senator who obtains the preference vote of the people. Although Congressman Norris, a Progressive Republican, has won the preference vote, returns indicate that a Democratic legislature has been elected."^[48]

Norris would serve for thirty years, winning two more elections as a Republican and one as an Independent but losing re-election in 1942.

Republican senator George S. Nixon died June 5, 1912. Republican former-judge William A. Massey was appointed July 1, 1912, to continue the term that would end in 1917, pending a special election. In November 1912, Massey lost the popular vote for the special election to Democratic attorney Key Pittman was elected by the Nevada Legislature January 28, 1913.

Pittman had a small plurality in the November 1912 popular vote, but the legislature elected him almost unanimously.

Massey died the next year, and Pittman would go on to serve for 27 more years and win re-election four times, serving as President pro tempore throughout the New Deal.

New Hampshire election

← 1907 March 26, 1913 (late) 1918 →

Nominee Henry F. Hollis John H. Bartlett Party Democratic Republican Members' vote 189 121 Percentage 50.94% 32.62%

U.S. senator before election Henry E. Burnham Republican Elected U.S. senator Henry F. Hollis Democratic

Two-term Republican Henry E. Burnham decided to retire. The New Hampshire legislature failed to elect a new senator after 42 votes, so the March 4, 1913, term begin with the seat vacant.

Finally, on March 26, 1913, on the 43rd vote, Democrat Henry F. Hollis was elected with the required majority, albeit slight. Hollis was a former candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (in 1900), and twice for Governor of New Hampshire (in 1902 and 1904).

Hollis would retire after a single term and be replaced, in a popular vote, by Republican Henry W. Keyes.

One-term incumbent Republican Frank O. Briggs lost re-election to Democratic state judge (and former member of the U.S. House) William Hughes. The New Jersey Legislature elected Hughes January 28, 1913.

Briggs, died just a few months later on May 8, 1913. Hughes would not serve the complete term, dying January 30, 1918, just before the next scheduled election.

New Mexico became a new state January 6, 1912, with senators in classes 1 (ending 1917) and 2 (ending 1913). On March 27, 1912, the state elected its initial senators on the eighth ballot:^[52] Republican Thomas B. Catron, an early advocate for New Mexico statehood who had marshaled the territorial Republican Party to lobby Republicans at the national level for New Mexico's admission to the Union,^[53][54][55] and Republican Albert B. Fall, a powerful attorney, former territorial attorney general, future Secretary of the Interior, and instigator of the Teapot Dome scandal)