1889 Election Cycle

In January, the state legislature elected former Republican state Representative and U.S. Representative William Drew Washburn, Sr. to the U.S. Senate.

The Apportionment of 1889 increased the number of state Senate districts from 47 to 54 and the number of state House districts from 103 to 114.

Elections

Date

Office

Stage

Winners

Details

01/23/1889

U.S. Senate

General

William Drew (W.D.) Washburn, Sr. (Republican) won with 100 votes (74.63%) and a winning margin of +59.70

Candidate	Gender	Party	Votes	Percent
William Drew (W.D.) Washburn, Sr.	Man	Republican	100	74.63
Edward W. (E.W.) Durant	Man	Democrat	20	14.93
Charles M. (C.M.) Start	Man	Republican	9	6.72
Eugene M. (E.M.) Wilson	Man	Democrat	2	1.49
Thomas Evans (T.E.) Bowen	Man	Democrat	1	0.75
Moses E. Clapp	Man	Republican	1	0.75
John P. Rea	Man	Republican	1	0.75

Election by the state legislature by joint convention. Prior to the joint convention vote, Washburn won 24 of 27 votes in the state Senate with two for Eugene M. Wilson and one for Knute Nelson. Washburn won 80 of 100 votes in the state Senate with nine for E.W. Durant, eight for Charles M. Start, two for Eugene M. Wilson, and one for Moses E. Clapp.

Washburn was a resident of Minneapolis, former state Representative (HD 05, 1871-1872), and former U.S. Representative (CD 03, 1879-1883; CD 04, 1883-1885).

Start was an attorney from Rochester, former Olmsted County Attorney, Attorney General (1880-1881), and eventual Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1895-1913).

Wilson was an attorney from Minneapolis, former U.S. Representative (CD 02, 1869-1871), Mayor of Minneapolis (1872, 1874), and state Senator (SD 27, 1879-1881).

Bowen was an editor from Sleepy Eye and sitting state Senator (SD 09, 1887-1891).

Clapp was an attorney from Fergus Falls and sitting Attorney General (1887-1893).

Rea was a former attorney and newspaper editor from Minneapolis, district court judge, and Commander-In-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (1887-1888).

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