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The1903 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 20, 1903, by theNew York State Legislature to elect aU.S. Senator (Class 3) to represent the State ofNew York in theUnited States Senate.
RepublicanThomas C. Platt had been re-elected to this seat in1897, and his term would expire on March 3, 1903.
At theState election in November 1902, 28 Republicans and 22 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1903-1904) in the State Senate; and 89 Republicans and 61 Democrats were elected for the session of 1903 to the Assembly. State SenatorPatrick F. Trainor who had been re-elected, died on December 25, 1902, and his successorPeter J. Dooling was elected only after the senatorial election, on January 27.[1] The126th New York State Legislature met from January 6 to April 23, 1903, atAlbany, New York.
The Republican caucus met on January 19. 25 State senators and 84 assemblymen attended, and State SenatorWilliam W. Armstrong presided. The caucus re-nominated the incumbent U.S. SenatorThomas C. Platt almost unanimously. A single vote was cast for U.S. Secretary of WarElihu Root by Assemblyman William A. Denison ofJefferson County. Besides Denison voting against Platt, a small number of anti-Platt men did not attend the caucus. Boss Platt had forced the nomination of Attorney GeneralJohn C. Davies to theNew York Supreme Court in the 5th District, against the local Republican organization's wishes who accused Davies of incompetence. Davies was defeated in a landslide by Democrat Watson M. Rogers although the 5th District was heavily Republican. Thus boss Platt's power began to wane.
| Office | Candidate | First ballot |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senator (Class 3) | Thomas C. Platt | 108 |
| Elihu Root | 1 |
The Democratic caucus met also on January 19. All 62 State legislators attended, and Assemblyman Charles W. Hinson, ofErie County, presided. They nominatedJohn B. Stanchfield unanimously. Stanchfield had been Mayor ofElmira, and was defeated when running forGovernor of New York in1900 by RepublicanBenjamin B. Odell Jr.
Thomas C. Platt was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected. Three Republican anti-Platt men, State Senators Edgar T. Brackett (28th D.),Elon R. Brown and Nathaniel A. Elsberg (15th D.), voted for Elihu Root.
| Office | House | Republican | Democrat | Republican | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senator (Class 3) | State Senate (50 members) | Thomas C. Platt | 25 | John B. Stanchfield | 21 | Elihu Root | 3 |
| State Assembly (150 members) | Thomas C. Platt | 86 | John B. Stanchfield | 57 | |||
Note: The votes were cast on January 20, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 21 to compare nominations, and declare the result.
Platt remained in the U.S. Senate until March 3, 1909, when he retired. In January 1909,Elihu Root was chosen by the Republicans to succeed Platt.
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