The 1870âÂÂ71 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 chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1870 and 1871, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The Republican Party lost five seats, though it still retained an overwhelming majority. In advance of these elections, the last four seceded states were readmitted to the Senate.
Mississippian Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African American to be elected as a U.S. Senator and become a member of Congress.
In Georgia, Foster Blodgett was elected and presented his credentials as Senator-elect, but the Senate declared him not elected.
In Virginia, Republican John F. Lewis and Democrat John W. Johnston were elected on January 26, 1870, to fill seats that had been vacant since 1864 and 1865.
Senate party division, 42nd Congress (1871âÂÂ1873)
After the readmission of Virginia, Texas, and Mississippi, and the special elections in Iowa and Maine.
Including the February 1871 readmission of Georgia.
In these elections, the winners were seated during 1870 or in 1871 before March 4; ordered by election date.
In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1871; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
In this election, the winner was elected in 1871 after March 4.
Henry G. Davis, a Democratic state legislator, was elected to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Waitman T. Willey. Davis won the Democratic caucus vote over former legislators Daniel Lamb and Benjamin H. Smith. Davis' victory was attributed to widespread support throughout the state, as well as among party leaders. Nearly all of Lamb's votes, meanwhile, were localized to the Northern Panhandle.