Democrats, Want a Lesson in Political Hardball? Look to Abraham Lincoln, Who Rigged the Senate.
Among other things, the reason why there are two Dakotas — despite the fact that both states are so underpopulated that they each only rate a single member of the House of Representatives to this day — is because Republicans won the 1888 election and decided to celebrate by giving themselves four senators instead of just two.
Source: Democrats, Want a Lesson in Political Hardball? Look to Abraham Lincoln, Who Rigged the Senate.