1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

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1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
Flag of Massachusetts.svg
  1859 November 6, 1860 (1860-11-06) 1861  
  JohnAAndrew byJWBlack (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg Amos Adams Lawrence.jpg
Nominee John Albion Andrew Erasmus Beach Amos Lawrence
Party Republican Democratic Constitutional Union
Popular vote104,52735,19123,816
Percentage61.63%20.75%14.04%

Governor before election

Nathaniel Prentiss Banks
Republican

Elected Governor

John Albion Andrew
Republican

The 1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 6. Incumbent Republican Governor Nathaniel Banks did not run for re-election to a fourth term. He was succeeded by Republican John Albion Andrew, a radical abolitionist.

Contents

Republican convention

Candidates

Campaign

Incumbent governor Nathaniel Banks, a moderate on the slavery issue, supported Congressman Henry L. Dawes as his successor. To give Dawes the greatest possible advantage at the state convention, Banks delayed his retirement announcement as long as possible. However, party chairman William Claflin leaked the news to U.S. Senator Charles Sumner, an abolitionist and supporter of John Albion Andrew. Sumner sprang the Andrew campaign into gear before Banks announced his retirement, allowing them to get the jump on Dawes. [1]

Two additional candidates joined the race: Ensign H. Kellogg and John Z. Goodrich. Both hailed from Berkshire County, like Dawes, and their campaigns may have eaten into his regional support there. By the time the convention opened, Andrew was the strong favorite. [2]

Results

The Republican State Convention was held in Worcester on August 29.

1860 Massachusetts Republican convention [3] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican John Albion Andrew 733 68.50%
Republican Henry L. Dawes32630.47%
Republican Ensign Kellogg70.65%
Republican John Z. Goodrich40.37%
Total votes1,070 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John Albion Andrew 104,527 61.63% Increase2.svg7.61
Democratic Erasmus Beach35,19120.75%Decrease2.svg11.70
Constitutional Union Amos Adams Lawrence 23,81614.04%New
Southern Democratic Benjamin Franklin Butler 6,0003.54%New
Total votes169,534 100.00%
Republican hold Swing

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References

  1. Pearson, Henry (1904). The Life of John A. Andrew. Cambridge, MA: Houghton, Mifflin. pp. 119–20. OCLC   1453615.
  2. Pearson, Henry (1904). The Life of John A. Andrew. Cambridge, MA: Houghton, Mifflin. pp. 122–23. OCLC   1453615.
  3. "Massachusetts Republican State Convention". The New York Times. August 30, 1860. p. 1. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  4. Pearson, Henry (1904). The Life of John A. Andrew. Cambridge, MA: Houghton, Mifflin. p. 123. OCLC   1453615.
  5. Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson: McFarland & Company. p. 120. ISBN   9780786414390.