1880 after a contentious campaign. He was given the chairmanship of the committee on public grounds and buildings, but his prompt elevation to the U.S. Senate prevented him from making any substantial impact in that position. The legislature's session began in January 1881; the most urgent task before it was the election of a U.S. Senator. Incumbent Senator James E. Bailey's state-credit policies alienated the low-tax faction of the Democratic caucus, but Republican candidate Horace Maynard also failed to garner majority support. Jackson, who was considered capable of obtaining bipartisan support, refused to enter the race because he favored Bailey. A week of balloting failed to break the gridlock. Bailey then withdrew from consideration and urged Jackson to enter the race in his stead. On the thirtieth ballot, Republican R. R. Butler announced his support for Jackson, saying he had given up any hope that a Republican would be chosen. The Speaker of the House, a Maynard loyalist, followed suit, arguing that Jackson was the best choice among the Democrats. A number of Democrat legislators, many of whom were afraid that a Republican could be elected if they did not unite behind a candidate, backed Jackson as well. Convinced by Butler, other Republicans did the same, and Jackson was elected, receiving sixty-eight votes of the ninety-eight cast. Senate tenure Jackson took his seat in the Senate on March 4, 1881. He was a member of four committees: the Post Office, Pensions, Claims, and Judiciary panels. Despite his loyalty to the Democratic platform, Republicans and Democrats alike held him in high regard. In the Senate, Jackson advocated for civil service reform and for the creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission. He supported further restrictions on Chinese immigration and argued for lower tariffs and higher infrastructure spending. Jackson's views on legal issues were influential among his colleagues: many important bills on the judiciary were referred to the subcommittee on which he sat. More important than his legislative accomplishments, however, were the personal relationships that he forged. Jackson became a friend of President Grover Cleveland, whose tariff policies he supported. He also established a friendly relationship with his colleague Benjamin Harrison, whom he was seated next to on the Senate floor. Jackson held a reputation for being a hard-working and committed legislator. Circuit judge The 1886 death of Tennessee federal judge John Baxter created a vacancy for President Cleveland to fill on the