Senate
United States elections · 1838 · held
State Senate races in this midterm cycle, with separate candidate results and election-era ideology attribution.
State races and results map
Each race has its own denominator. Missing counts are blank. The interactive map uses modern state outlines as navigation references.
Connecticut — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thaddeus Betts | Whig | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1838 or 1839. Whig gain. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Thaddeus Betts (Whig)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Delaware — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard H. Bayard | Whig | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent re-elected in 1838 or 1839. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Richard H. Bayard (Whig)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Indiana — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert White | Whig | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1838. Whig gain. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Albert White (Whig)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Maine — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reuel Williams | Democratic | — | — | Elected |
| George Evans | Whig | — | — | — |
| John S. Tenney | Unknown | — | — | — |
| Ezekiel Whitman | Unknown | — | — | — |
| John Holmes | Whig | — | — | — |
Incumbent re-elected January 17, 1839. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Reuel Williams (Democratic) 125
▌George Evans (Whig) 71
▌John S. Tenney (Unknown) 6
▌Ezekiel Whitman (Unknown) 3
▌John Holmes (Whig) 1
Sources & further reading
Maryland — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Merrick | Whig | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent re-elected in 1839. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y William Merrick (Whig)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Maryland — Senate (Class 1) — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Duhurst Merrick | Whig | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent died November 24, 1837. New senator elected January 4, 1838. Whig hold. Winner was also elected to the next term, see below. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y William Duhurst Merrick (Whig)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Massachusetts — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Webster | Whig | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent re-elected in 1839. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Daniel Webster (Whig)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Michigan — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|
Incumbent retired. Legislature failed to elect until 1840. Democratic loss. Source candidate / selection detail: [data missing]
Sources & further reading
Mississippi — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Henderson | Whig | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1838. Whig gain. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y John Henderson (Whig)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Mississippi — Senate (Class 1) — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas H. Williams | Democratic | — | — | Elected |
Interim appointee elected January 30, 1839. Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Thomas H. Williams (Democratic)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Missouri — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas H. Benton | Democratic | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent re-elected in 1839. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Thomas H. Benton (Democratic)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
New Jersey — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel L. Southard | Whig | — | — | Elected |
| Mahlon Dickerson | Democrat | — | — | — |
Incumbent re-elected in 1838. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Samuel L. Southard (Whig) 36
▌Mahlon Dickerson (Democrat) 24
Sources & further reading
New York — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel P. Tallmadge | Whig | — | — | — |
| Samuel Nelson | Democratic | — | — | — |
| Samuel Beardsley | Democratic | — | — | — |
Incumbent ran for re-election as a Whig. Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (Whig)
▌Samuel Nelson (Democratic)
▌Samuel Beardsley (Democratic)
Others
Sources & further reading
Ohio — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Tappan | Democratic | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1838. Democratic hold. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Benjamin Tappan (Democratic)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Rhode Island — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan F. Dixon | Whig | — | — | Elected |
| Benjamin Babock Thurston | Democratic | — | — | — |
| Albert C. Greene | Whig | — | — | — |
| Dutee Jerauld Pearce | Democratic | — | — | — |
Incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected November 3, 1838. Whig hold. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Nathan F. Dixon (Whig) 54 votes
▌Benjamin Babock Thurston (Democratic) 26 votes
▌Albert C. Greene (Whig) 1 vote
▌Dutee Jerauld Pearce (Democratic) 1 vote
Sources & further reading
Tennessee — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ephraim H. Foster | Whig | — | — | Elected |
| William Carroll | Democratic | — | — | — |
Incumbent resigned July 4, 1838 to become U.S. Attorney General. A new senator had already been elected October 21, 1837. Whig gain. Winner was then appointed to finish the unexpired term but declined to serve the next term (see below). Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Ephraim H. Foster (Whig) 65
▌William Carroll (Democratic) 33
Sources & further reading
Tennessee — Senate (Class 1) — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felix Grundy | Democratic | — | — | Elected |
| Ephraim H. Foster | Whig | — | — | — |
Appointed incumbent Ephraim H. Foster had been elected to the next term (see above), but declined to serve the next term and left office at the end of the term. New senator elected November 19, 1839. Democratic gain. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Felix Grundy (Democratic) 56
▌Ephraim H. Foster (Whig) 44
Sources & further reading
Vermont — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel S. Phelps | Whig | — | — | Elected |
Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1839. Whig hold. Source candidate / selection detail: ▌Y Samuel S. Phelps (Whig)
[data missing]
Sources & further reading
Virginia — Senate — General
Legislative / indirect selection. Legislative selection; popular-vote totals are not inferred
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|
Incumbent retired or lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect until 1841. Democratic loss. Source candidate / selection detail: [data missing]
Sources & further reading
Results: final · partial coverage · Elected candidates in regular races; continuing senators are not included
| Party / candidate | Votes | Vote share | Seats | Electoral votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thaddeus Betts · Connecticut | — | — | 1 | — |
| Richard H. Bayard · Delaware | — | — | 1 | — |
| Albert White · Indiana | — | — | 1 | — |
| Reuel Williams · Maine | — | — | 1 | — |
| William Merrick · Maryland | — | — | 1 | — |
| Daniel Webster · Massachusetts | — | — | 1 | — |
| John Henderson · Mississippi | — | — | 1 | — |
| Thomas H. Benton · Missouri | — | — | 1 | — |
| Samuel L. Southard · New Jersey | — | — | 1 | — |
| Benjamin Tappan · Ohio | — | — | 1 | — |
| Nathan F. Dixon · Rhode Island | — | — | 1 | — |
| Ephraim H. Foster · Tennessee | — | — | 1 | — |
| Samuel S. Phelps · Vermont | — | — | 1 | — |
The seat diagram shows only regular seats contested in this cycle, not the full Senate. Special races remain available in the state selector. Early cycles span two years and use legislative selection; missing or non-comparable vote totals are left blank. Candidate ideology is used where sourced; otherwise the broad election-era party tradition is used. Unassessed candidates are not assigned an ideology.
Sources & further reading
U.S. Senate historical party divisions