1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

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1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

← 1859 November 6, 1860 (1860-11-06) 1861 →
 
Nominee John Albion Andrew Erasmus Beach
Amos Lawrence
Party Republican Democratic Constitutional Union
Popular vote 104,527 35,191 23,816
Percentage 61.63% 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

Nathaniel Banks did not run for re-election to a fourth term. He was succeeded by Republican John Albion Andrew
, a radical abolitionist.

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]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican
John Albion Andrew 733 68.50%
Republican
Henry L. Dawes 326 30.47%
Republican
Ensign Kellogg 7 0.65%
Republican
John Z. Goodrich 4 0.37%
Total votes 1,070 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John Albion Andrew 104,527 61.63% Increase7.61
Democratic Erasmus Beach 35,191 20.75% Decrease11.70
Constitutional Union
Amos Adams Lawrence
23,816 14.04% New
Southern Democratic
Benjamin Franklin Butler
6,000 3.54% New
Total votes 169,534 100.00%
Republican
hold
Swing

References

  1. .
  2. .
  3. ^ "Massachusetts Republican State Convention". The New York Times. August 30, 1860. p. 1. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  4. OCLC 1453615
    .
  5. .