The 1792 United States elections elected the members of the 3rd United States Congress. Congress was broadly divided between a Pro-Administration faction supporting the policies of George Washington's administration and an Anti-Administration faction opposed to those policies. Due to this, the Federalist Party (generally overlapping with the Pro-Administration faction) and the Democratic-Republican Party (generally overlapping with the Anti-Administration faction) were starting to emerge as the distinct political parties of the First Party System. In this election, the Pro-Administration faction maintained control of the Senate, but lost its majority in the House.
In the presidential election, incumbent President George Washington was re-elected without any major opposition.[3] Washington had considered retirement, but was convinced to seek re-election for the purpose of national unity.[4] Though Washington went unchallenged, Governor George Clinton of New York sought to unseat John Adams as vice president. However, Adams received the second most electoral votes, and so was re-elected to office.[4] Washington remained unaffiliated with any political faction or party throughout his presidency.[5]
In the House, 37 seats were added following the 1790 census. The Anti-Administration faction picked up several seats, narrowly taking the majority from the Pro-Administration faction.[6] However, Frederick Muhlenberg, who leaned closer to the Pro-Administration faction, was elected Speaker of the House.[7]
In the Senate, the Anti-Administration faction picked up one seat, but the Pro-Administration faction maintained a small majority.[8]
See also
- 1792 United States presidential election
- 1792–93 United States House of Representatives elections
- 1792–93 United States Senate elections
References
- ^ Not counting special elections.
- ^ a b Congressional seat gain figures only reflect the results of the regularly-scheduled elections, and do not take special elections into account.
- ^ "1792 Presidential Election". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
- ^ a b "Presidential elections". History.com. History Channel. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- ^ Jamison, Dennis (December 31, 2014). "George Washington's views on political parties in America". The Washington Times. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
- ^ Jenkins, Jeffrey A.; Stewart, Charles Haines (2013). Fighting for the Speakership: The House and the Rise of Party Government. pp. 57–58. ISBN 978-0691156446. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". United States Senate. Retrieved 25 June 2014.