1907 United States Senate special election in Wisconsin|
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The 1907 United States Senate special election in Wisconsin was held in the 48th Wisconsin Legislature between April 17, 1907, and May 17, 1907. The special election was necessary to complete the unexpired term of U.S. Senator John Coit Spooner, who announced his resignation in March 1907 and left office April 30. Republican former U.S. representative Isaac Stephenson was elected on the 22nd ballot after a month of voting and negotiation.[1]
In the 1907 term, Republicans held overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature, so had more than enough votes to elect a Republican United States senator. The main contest was in the Republican legislative caucus, where multiple progressive and conservative factions failed to reach consensus for nearly a month. Progressives ultimately coalesced around 77-year-old former U.S. representative Isaac Stephenson—who had made several previous bids for U.S. Senate—and secured his nomination.
Major candidates
Democratic
Republican
- Henry Allen Cooper, incumbent U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 1st congressional district, from Racine County.
- John J. Esch, incumbent U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 7th congressional district, from La Crosse, Wisconsin.
- William H. Hatton, former state senator from Outagamie County.
- Irvine Lenroot, former Wisconsin Assembly speaker from Superior, Wisconsin.
- Isaac Stephenson, former U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 9th congressional district, from Marinette, Wisconsin.
Socialist
Results
Vote on April 17, 1907
Votes from April 18 to April 26
Vote on April 29, 1907
On April 29, by agreement between the various candidates, most legislators were allowed to be absent, with each declared candidate designating one trusted supporter to arrive and cast a placeholder vote.
Votes from April 30 to May 10
Vote on May 13, 1907
On May 13, by agreement between the various candidates, most legislators were allowed to be absent, with each declared candidate designating one trusted supporter to arrive and cast a placeholder vote.
Votes from May 14 to May 16
Republican caucus on May 16, 1907
On the evening of May 16, 1907, William H. Hatton expected to secure the nomination after coming within two votes of the caucus majority earlier that day. Lieutenant Governor William D. Connor was credited with denying Hatton the nomination after he managed to convince representatives Clifford R. Goldsworthy and Elwyn F. Nelson to withhold their support. Hatton's support collapsed during the roll call vote, with Goldsworthy, Nelson, and Duncan McGregor leading the rout. Instead Isaac Stephenson achieved a majority with 55 of 98 votes cast, and the caucus then moved to make him their unanimous nominee.[2]
Vote on May 17, 1907
The legislature re-convened in joint session on May 17. Voting proceeded exactly along party lines, with 26 members absent. Stephenson received the support of all the Republicans present and voting and was elected U.S. senator.[1]
Notes
- ^ a b On the 1st and 2nd ballots, Bird received the votes of every Democratic legislator.
- ^ On the 1st ballot, Esch received the votes of Republican senators H. W. Barker, Theodore W. Brazeau, Theodore C. Froemming, Spencer M. Marsh, Thomas Morris, Oliver Munson, and James H. Noble, and Republican representatives John Franklin Baker, Jacob D. Harring, C. A. Ingram, F. M. Jackson, John R. Jones, Valentine S. Keppel, David F. Mains, Thomas H. Miller, Elwyn F. Nelson, Anton G. Schauer, and Simon F. Wehrwein.
- ^ On the 1st ballot, Lenroot received the votes of Republican senators Edward E. Browne, George Hudnall, Walter C. Owen, and Albert M. Stondall, Republican representatives Roderick Ainsworth, Ove H. Berg, Lorenzo Clausen, Albert W. Durley, William A. Kay, Edward J. Keyes, Frank J. Kimball, Duncan McGregor, James A. McKenzie, Ray J. Nye, Jens Peterson, Thomas A. Roycraft, George E. Scott, and Theodore M. Thomas, and Republican speaker Herman Ekern.
- ^ On the 1st ballot, Cooper received the votes of Republican senators Isaac T. Bishop, Edward E. Burns, Henry Lockney, Harry C. Martin, and John Meek Whitehead, and Republican representatives Allen S. Baker, William H. Bell, M. J. Cleary, Walker M. Curtiss, Charles E. Estabrook, Clifford R. Goldsworthy, Jacob Luy, David Morris, Simon Smith, Ole P. Sorenson, Edward H. Sprague, John O. Thomas, and Fred Ties.
- ^ On the 1st ballot, Stephenson received the votes of Republican senator Harlan P. Bird and Republican representatives Wilbur Cahoon, Elmer Cain, William Disch, William H. Falvey, Herman Georgi, Wallace Hager, Herman H. Heilbron, Simon Kander, Edward Webster LeRoy, William J. McGee, Frank F. Mueller, Thomas Reynolds, Henry Edgar Roethe, Fred E. Soper, William Rufus Turner, and Christian C. Wellensgard.
- ^ a b c d e f g On the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 19th ballots, Republican representative George Grassie was the lone vote for George Hudnall.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r On every ballot where he was present and voting, Socialist senator Jacob Rummel voted for Carl D. Thompson.
- ^ On the 10th ballot, Democratic representative Elmore Elver voted for B. S. Potter.
- ^ a b c d On the 18th, 19th, 20th, & 21st ballots, Rummel received the votes of all Socialists except representative Frank J. Weber (who was absent) and Rummel himself (who voted for Carl D. Thompson).
- ^ On the 18th ballot, Republican representative William A. Kay voted for James A. Frear.
- ^ On the 18th ballot, Republican representative George Grassie voted for John A. Hazelwood.
- ^ On the 18th ballot, Democratic senator Charles L. Pearson voted for H. L. Palmer.
- ^ On the 19th ballot, Democratic representatives William J. Bichler and John M. Detling voted for Charles H. Weisse.
- ^ On the 19th ballot, Republican representative Jacob Luy voted for George Brumder.
- ^ a b On the 19th and 20th ballots, Democratic representative Fred Smith voted for Joseph E. Davies.
- ^ a b On the 19th and 20th ballots, Democratic representative Elmore Elver voted for David L. Douglas.
- ^ On the 21st ballot, Republican representative Clifford R. Goldsworthy voted for George Hudnall.
- ^ a b On the 19th and 20th ballots, Democratic representative Joseph Domachowski voted for D. S. Rose.
- ^ On the 19th ballot, Republican representative Ove H. Berg voted for A. W. Sanborn.
- ^ On the 20th ballot, Republican representative Otto Harrass voted for Samuel A. Cook.
- ^ On the 20th ballot, Republican representative Ray J. Nye voted for Irvine Lenroot.
- ^ On the 21st ballot, Democratic representative Joseph Domachowski voted for George W. Peck.
- ^ On the 22nd ballot, Rummel received the votes of all Socialists except representative Frank J. Weber (who was absent) and Rummel himself (who did not cast a vote).
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i State of Wisconsin Assembly Journal (Report). Wisconsin Legislature. 1907. pp. 505–507, 517–519, 529–531, 544–546, 556–558, 567–569, 578–580, 588–590, 610–611, 616–618, 630–632, 639–641, 656–658, 664–666, 679–681, 695–697, 708–710, 729–730, 741–742, 751–754, 769–770, 780–782. Retrieved March 29, 2025 – via HathiTrust.
- ^ "Stephenson the Man. Named for Senator". Oshkosh Northwestern. May 17, 1907. p. 9. Retrieved March 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.