United States Senate elections, 1894

United States Senate elections, 1894

1894

30 of the 88 seats in the United States Senate 44 seats needed for a majority   Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Last election 37 seats 44 seats Seats before 41 43 Seats won 42 39 Seat change 1 4   Third party Fourth party   Party Populist Silver Last election 3 seats 1 seats Seats before 3 1 Seats won 4 2 Seat change 1 1

Majority Party before election Democratic Elected Majority Party Republican

William Jennings Bryan as a younger man.

The U.S. Senate election, 1894 was a slight Republican victory. It was a different story in the House where Democrats suffered massive losses. The senators elected went on to serve in the 54th Congress.

Democrat William Jennings Bryan ran for U.S. Senate in Nebraska in 1894, but lost; however, he came back just two years later to win the 1896 Democratic presidential nomination and to win the state of Nebraska in the ensuing Presidential election.

As this election was prior to the ratification of the seventeenth amendment, senators were chosen by state legislatures.

Results

• Plurality: Republican: 42
• Minority: Democrats: 39
• Other parties: Populist: 4, Silver: 2
• Total: 88
• Vacant: 1, due to failure to elect. Later filled by a Democrat

Change in Senate composition