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The1855 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held in the8th Wisconsin Legislature betweenJanuary 30, 1855, andFebruary 1, 1855. Incumbent Democratic U.S. senatorIsaac P. Walker did not run for re-election. Former U.S. representativeCharles Durkee was elected United States senator on the eighth ballot, and became the first Republican U.S. senator from Wisconsin.[1]
This was the first U.S. Senate election in Wisconsin after the creation of theRepublican Party. Republicans held a majority in theWisconsin State Assembly, with 44 of 82 seats; Democrats held a narrow majority in theWisconsin Senate, with 13 of 25 seats. As the Republican Party was a new creation, party loyalties were still in flux, with several members of the legislature not officially aligned with either major party.
With 44 seats in the Assembly and 11 seats in the Senate, Republicans technically held a bare majority of the total legislator votes, but they struggled for three days to unify behind their candidate. Durkee ultimately received 53 of the 55 votes of Republican legislators. The two holdouts who did not vote for Durkee were representativesJoseph Schrage of Sheboygan County andMitchell L. Delaney of Washington County. To secure the necessary 54 votes, Durkee won the vote of independent (later Republican)Alexander Randall.[1]
The legislature met in joint session on January 30 and took three votes in succession to try to pick a U.S. senator.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 50 | 47.62% | ||
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 18 | 17.14% | ||
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 10 | 9.52% | ||
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 5 | 4.76% | ||
| Democratic | Edward G. Ryan | 5 | 4.76% | ||
| Democratic | Morgan Lewis Martin | 3 | 2.86% | ||
| Republican | Edward D. Holton | 2 | 1.90% | ||
| Republican | James T. Lewis | 2 | 1.90% | ||
| Democratic | William Pitt Lynde | 2 | 1.90% | ||
| Republican | Marshall Strong | 2 | 1.90% | ||
| Henry S. Baird | 1 | 0.95% | |||
| John A. Brown | 1 | 0.95% | |||
| Democratic | Stephen A. Douglas | 1 | 0.95% | ||
| Democratic | Abram D. Smith | 1 | 0.95% | ||
| John Y. Smith | 1 | 0.95% | |||
| Frank H. Waite | 1 | 0.95% | |||
| Absent or not voting | 2 | ||||
| Majority | 53 | 50.48% | |||
| Total votes | 105 | 98.13% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 49 | 46.67% | −1 | |
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 22 | 20.95% | +4 | |
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 9 | 8.57% | −1 | |
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 6 | 5.71% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Edward G. Ryan | 3 | 2.86% | −2 | |
| Democratic | David Agry | 2 | 1.90% | +2 | |
| Republican | Edward D. Holton | 2 | 1.90% | ||
| John H. Lathrop | 2 | 1.90% | +2 | ||
| Democratic | Morgan Lewis Martin | 2 | 1.90% | −1 | |
| Republican | Marshall Strong | 2 | 1.90% | ||
| Republican | James T. Lewis | 1 | 0.95% | −1 | |
| Democratic | William Pitt Lynde | 1 | 0.95% | −1 | |
| Democratic | Abram D. Smith | 1 | 0.95% | ||
| John Y. Smith | 1 | 0.95% | |||
| John H. Vance | 1 | 0.95% | +1 | ||
| Frank H. Waite | 1 | 0.95% | |||
| Absent or not voting | 2 | ||||
| Majority | 53 | 50.48% | |||
| Total votes | 105 | 98.13% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 45 | 42.86% | −4 | |
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 20 | 19.05% | −2 | |
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 12 | 11.43% | +3 | |
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 6 | 5.71% | ||
| John H. Lathrop | 6 | 5.71% | +4 | ||
| Democratic | Eleazer Wakeley | 3 | 2.86% | +3 | |
| Republican | Edward D. Holton | 2 | 1.90% | ||
| Republican | James T. Lewis | 2 | 1.90% | +1 | |
| Republican | Marshall Strong | 2 | 1.90% | ||
| Democratic | Charles Dunn | 1 | 0.95% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Morgan Lewis Martin | 1 | 0.95% | −1 | |
| Democratic | William Pitt Lynde | 1 | 0.95% | ||
| Democratic | Edward G. Ryan | 1 | 0.95% | −2 | |
| Democratic | Abram D. Smith | 1 | 0.95% | ||
| John H. Vance | 1 | 0.95% | |||
| Frank H. Waite | 1 | 0.95% | |||
| Absent or not voting | 2 | ||||
| Majority | 53 | 50.48% | |||
| Total votes | 105 | 98.13% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
No person securing the majority, the convention voted to adjourn until 11am the following day.
The legislature re-convened in joint session on Wednesday, January 31, and took three more votes for U.S. senator.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 50 | 47.17% | +5 | |
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 15 | 14.15% | −5 | |
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 11 | 10.38% | −1 | |
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 5 | 4.72% | −1 | |
| Democratic | Eleazer Wakeley | 5 | 4.72% | +2 | |
| Democratic | William Pitt Lynde | 3 | 2.83% | +2 | |
| Democratic | Solomon Juneau | 2 | 1.89% | +2 | |
| John H. Lathrop | 2 | 1.89% | −4 | ||
| Republican | Marshall Strong | 2 | 1.89% | ||
| Henry S. Baird | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | ||
| Democratic | Gabriel Bouck | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Samuel Crawford | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Democratic | William M. Dennis | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Albert W. Emery | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | ||
| Republican | Edward D. Holton | 1 | 0.94% | −1 | |
| Jerome Lalor | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | ||
| Republican | James T. Lewis | 1 | 0.94% | −1 | |
| Republican | Walter D. McIndoe | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Democratic | William Rudolph Smith | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Frank H. Waite | 1 | 0.94% | |||
| Absent or not voting | 1 | ||||
| Majority | 54 | 50.94% | |||
| Total votes | 106 | 99.07% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 50 | 47.17% | ||
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 14 | 13.21% | −1 | |
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 13 | 12.26% | +2 | |
| Democratic | Eleazer Wakeley | 6 | 5.66% | +1 | |
| Democratic | William Pitt Lynde | 3 | 2.83% | ||
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 2 | 1.89% | −3 | |
| John H. Lathrop | 2 | 1.89% | |||
| Republican | Marshall Strong | 2 | 1.89% | ||
| Democratic | David Agry | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Henry S. Baird | 1 | 0.94% | |||
| Democratic | William A. Barstow | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| E. B. Bowen | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | ||
| William W. Brown | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | ||
| Democratic | Nelson Dewey | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Charles Dunn | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Albert W. Emery | 1 | 0.94% | |||
| Republican | Edward D. Holton | 1 | 0.94% | ||
| Democratic | Daniel Howell | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| H. K. Laughlin | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | ||
| General McManman | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | ||
| Frank H. Waite | 1 | 0.94% | |||
| Absent or not voting | 1 | ||||
| Majority | 54 | 50.94% | |||
| Total votes | 106 | 99.07% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 51 | 48.11% | +1 | |
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 14 | 13.21% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 12 | 11.32% | −2 | |
| Democratic | Eleazer Wakeley | 10 | 9.43% | +4 | |
| Democratic | Morgan Lewis Martin | 3 | 2.83% | +3 | |
| Democratic | Charles Dunn | 2 | 1.89% | +1 | |
| John H. Lathrop | 2 | 1.89% | |||
| Democratic | William Pitt Lynde | 2 | 1.89% | −1 | |
| Republican | Marshall Strong | 2 | 1.89% | ||
| Henry S. Baird | 1 | 0.94% | |||
| Republican | William H. Ebbets | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Charles A. Eldredge | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 1 | 0.94% | −1 | |
| Republican | Edward D. Holton | 1 | 0.94% | ||
| Democratic | William Hull | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Republican | James T. Lewis | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Frank H. Waite | 1 | 0.94% | |||
| Absent or not voting | 1 | ||||
| Majority | 54 | 50.94% | |||
| Total votes | 106 | 99.07% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
No person securing the majority, the convention voted to adjourn until 3pm the following day.
The legislature re-convened in joint session on Thursday, February 1, and took two more votes for U.S. senator, finally achieving a majority on the 2nd vote of the day, the 8th ballot overall.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 53 | 50.00% | +2 | |
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 38 | 35.85% | +26 | |
| John H. Lathrop | 4 | 3.77% | +2 | ||
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 2 | 1.89% | −12 | |
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 2 | 1.89% | +1 | |
| Democratic | David Agry | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Henry S. Baird | 1 | 0.94% | |||
| Democratic | James S. Brown | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Charles Dunn | 1 | 0.94% | −1 | |
| Joseph Pierce | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | ||
| Democratic | Edward G. Ryan | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Abram D. Smith | 1 | 0.94% | +1 | |
| Absent or not voting | 1 | ||||
| Majority | 54 | 50.94% | |||
| Total votes | 106 | 99.07% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 54 | 50.47% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 39 | 35.45% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Charles Dunn | 5 | 4.67% | +4 | |
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 4 | 3.74% | ||
| Democratic | David Agry | 2 | 1.87% | +1 | |
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 2 | 1.87% | ||
| Republican | James McMillan Shafter | 1 | 0.93% | +1 | |
| Majority | 54 | 50.47% | |||
| Total votes | 107 | 100.0% | |||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | |||||
Charles Durkee, having received a majority of the 107 votes of the legislature, was declared elected U.S. senator.
