1838 United States elections

1838 United States elections

← 1836          1837          1838          1839          1840 → Midterm elections
Incumbent president	Martin Van Buren (Democratic)
Next Congress	26th
Senate elections
Overall control	Democratic hold
Seats contested	17 of 52 seats[1]
Net seat change	Whig +3[2]
House elections
Overall control	Democratic hold
Seats contested	All 242 voting seats
Net seat change	Whig +16[2]

The 1838 United States elections occurred in the middle of Democratic President Martin Van Buren's term, during the Second Party System. Members of the 26th United States Congress were chosen in this election.

Whigs picked up a moderate number of seats in both the House and Senate, but the Democratic Party retained a majority in both chambers.^[3][4] However, due to a split in the Democratic party, Whig Congressman Robert M. T. Hunter was elected to be the Speaker of the House.^[5]

See also

• 1838–39 United States House of Representatives elections
• 1838–39 United States Senate elections

References

1. Not counting special elections.
2. Congressional seat gain figures only reflect the results of the regularly-scheduled elections, and do not take special elections into account.
3. "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
4. "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". United States Senate. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
5. "A Mob in Search of a Speaker". House.gov. US House of Representatives. Retrieved 1 July 2014.