1872 Texas Senate election

1872 Texas Senate election

November 5, 1872
12 of the 30 seats in the Texas Senate 16 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party Third party   Party Democratic Republican Independent Last election 9 19 2 Seats before 10 18 2 Seats won 15 13 2[a] Seat change 5 5 Popular vote 27,611 21,927 687 Percentage 54.97% 43.66% 1.37%
Democratic hold      Democratic gain      Republican hold      No election
President Pro Tempore before election Webster Flanagan Republican Elected President Pro Tempore Edward B. Pickett Democratic

The 1872 Texas Senate elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Texas voters elected state senators in 10 of the 30 State Senate districts to six-year teams, as well as two more senators for unexpired terms in special elections. The winners of this election served in the 13th Texas Legislature. Democrats won a majority, which they would hold until after the 1996 elections.

Republicans won a majority of seats in the 1869 elections, and alongside their control of the House of Representatives and governorship, enacted a number of Reconstruction policies, including the ratification of the 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution, a requirement for readmission to the Union and the resumption of congressional representation. They also elected Republicans Morgan C. Hamilton and James W. Flanagan to the U.S. Senate. On March 30, 1870, Texas was readmitted to the Union.

Following the state's readmission, the legislature turned towards state policy in a special session. The Radical Republican majority dramatically reshaped the state government, centralizing power, raising taxes, and overhauling the state's education system. Many of the state's new policies, especially the higher taxes and rights granted to freedmen, enraged the state's White population.^[1]

The legislature created a state police force to address the rampant crime across the state, much of it perpetrated by white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.^[1] The passage of this bill proved especially controversial, prompting conservative Senators to break quorum, leaving only 15 Radical Senators unable to pass legislation. The state then arrested the missing Senators, but only four were brought back to the chambers, enough to re-establish quorum. What became known as the "Rump Senate" then passed the bill.^[2] The education system became far more centralized, although it was segregated over the objections of the state's Black legislators. They also debated policies such as railroad construction and Native American removal.

Democrats gained one seat during the legislative session after Republican Mijamin Priest was declared ineligible to serve. Democrat James Dillard won the ensuing special election, flipping the 3rd district.^[3] Two more special elections were held concurrently with the general election. One seat became vacant due to the death of Senate President Pro Tempore Don Campbell died, and another when Republican Theodor Rudolph Hertzberg resigned to accept an appointment by governor Edmund J. Davis.^[4][5]

Democrats won control of the chamber with the help of the two conservative Independents who were not up for re-election, although they failed to win a majority of seats.^[1] Democratic control of the chamber would last until the 1996 elections.^[6]

Candidates are not listed with political parties in the results. The parties of all victorious candidates are known, and the parties of others may be assumed by the presence of candidates running in the concurrent House election in the same district.^[7]