What did the Virginia Plan suggest about the election of Senators?

The Virginia Plan proposed that Senators would be chosen by state legislatures. This plan, presented by Edmund Randolph at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, aimed to establish a strong national government and emphasized representation based on population. By having state legislatures select Senators, the Virginia Plan sought to maintain a closer connection between the states and the federal government, ensuring that states retained some influence over the national legislative process. This approach recognized the existing structure of governance where state legislatures had significant power, and it was believed that they would select individuals who had the necessary qualifications and allegiance to the states.

This choice stood in contrast to other ideas at the convention, such as direct election by the electorate or selection through a national vote, which were more aligned with the principles of popular sovereignty and democratic representation that would later be fully realized in the 17th Amendment.