United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1897

Elections in South Carolina
Federal government Presidential elections 1788-89 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Presidential primaries Democratic 2004 2008 Republican 2000 2008 2012 United States Senate elections 1896 1902 1908 1912 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1936 1938 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 United States House elections 1788 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Special elections Senate, 1897 7th district, 1901 4th district, 1915 Senate, 1918 6th district, 1919 7th district, 1919 Senate, 1941 4th district, 1953 1st district, 1971 2nd district, 2001 1st district, 2013 Senate, 2014 Others
State offices General elections 2006 2010 2014 Gubernatorial elections 1865 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 State Senate elections 2008 State House elections 2008
Ballot measures 2006 Amendment 1 2008 2010 2012 2014

The 1897 South Carolina United States Senate election was a unanimous election of the Democratic nominee on January 26, 1897 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. The Democratic primary election was held on August 26, 1896 and September 9. Prior to the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution, U.S. Senators were elected by the state legislature and not through the direct election by the people of the state. However, the Democratic Party of South Carolina organized primary elections for the U.S. Senate beginning in 1896 and the General Assembly would confirm the choice of the Democratic voters. Conservative Democratic Joseph H. Earle won the Democratic primary and was elected by the General Assembly for a six-year term.

Democratic primary

In 1896, Governor of South Carolina John Gary Evans entered the first ever election in the state of South Carolina for the U.S. Senate. He had the backing of Senator Ben Tillman and much of the farming interests in the state. However, the farmers' movement had largely run its course and the Tillmanite reform movement had angered a considerable number of voters in the state. Conservative Joseph H. Earle and Newberry native John T. Duncan announced their candidacy's in opposition to Governor Evans. In the primary on August 26 Evans emerged as the frontrunner, but did not garner over 50% of the vote and was forced to face Earle in a runoff election. Those who had voted for Duncan threw their support to Earle and it provided him with the margin he needed for victory over Evans.

See also

• List of United States Senators from South Carolina
• United States Senate elections, 1896 and 1897
• United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1896
• South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1896

References

• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. p. 54. 
• "Evans Makes a Denial". New York Times. June 23, 1896. p. 5. 
• "Hope for South Carolina". New York Times. September 23, 1896. p. 9.