United States Senate elections, 1844

The United States Senate election of 1844 was an election which, coinciding with James K. Polk

James K. Polk

James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...

's election

United States presidential election, 1844

In the United States presidential election of 1844, Democrat James K. Polk defeated Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign policy, with Polk favoring the annexation of Texas and Clay opposed....

, had the Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

retake control of the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

, gaining a net total of eleven seats from the Whigs.

As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment

Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established direct election of United States Senators by popular vote. The amendment supersedes Article I, § 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were elected by state legislatures...

, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Results

29th Congress

29th United States Congress

-House of Representatives:During this congress, two House seats were added for each of the new states of Texas and Iowa.-Leadership:-Senate:* President: George M. Dallas * President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum...

(1845–1847)

Majority Party: Democratic (34)
Minority Party: Whig (22)
Other Parties: (0)
Vacant: (2)
Total Seats: 58

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections
D	D	D	D	D	D	D
D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
V	V	V	L	D	D	D	D	D	D
W
W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W
W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W
W	W	W	W	W	W	W

Beginning of the next Congress 29th United States Congress -House of Representatives:During this congress, two House seats were added for each of the new states of Texas and Iowa.-Leadership:-Senate:* President: George M. Dallas * President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum...
D	D	D	D	D	D	D
D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
V	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
V
V	V	V	W	W	W	W	W	W	W
W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W
W	W	W	W	W	W	W

Key:

D	= Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
L	= Law and Order
W	= Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
V	= Vacant

Majority

divider

Results

Change in Senate composition

See also