1859 Mississippi gubernatorial election
The 1859 Mississippi gubernatorial election was held on October 3, 1859, to elect the governor of Mississippi. Former Democratic acting governor of Mississippi John J. Pettus defeated the independent candidate Harvey W. Walter.[1]
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 County results
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| Elections in Mississippi |
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General election
On election day, October 3, 1859, John J. Pettus won the election by a margin of 13,282 votes against his opponent Harvey W. Walter. Retaining democratic control of the office of governor and being sworn in as the 23rd Governor of Mississippi on November 21, 1859. Pettus' election by such a large margin, indicated that secession was becoming increasingly popular among Mississippians, as Pettus had campaigned as a strong supporter of secession of the South from the United States. Which he would end up fulfilling as Governor in 1861, marking this election as the final one before the outbreak of the American Civil War, which saw Mississippi become part of the Confederate States of America.[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John J. Pettus | 34,559 | 77.03 | |
| Independent | Harvey W. Walter | 10,308 | 22.97 | |
| Total votes | 44,867 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
References
- "John Jones Pettus: Twentieth and Twenty-third Governor of Mississippi: January 5, 1854 to January 10, 1854; 1859–1863". mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- "Gov. John Jones Pettus". nga.org. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- "MS Governor". ourcampaigns.com. March 7, 2007. Retrieved May 8, 2023.