The 1849 Mississippi gubernatorial election was held on November 1, 1849, to elect the
governor of Mississippi.
John A. Quitman
John Anthony Quitman (September 1, 1798 – July 17, 1858) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. As President of the Mississippi Senate, he served one month as Acting Governor of Mississippi (from December 3, 1835, to January 7, 1836) a ...
, a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
won against
Whig Luke Lea, future
Commissioner of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States federal government of the United States, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...
in the
Department of Interior.
Background
Debates over slavery and state rights continued to dominate the Mississippi political scene. Political leaders called for the defense of
slavery and the necessity of secession if further
encroachment on the institution of slavery occurred.
General election
Incumbent Governor
Joseph Matthews announced he would not run for reelection. The Democrats unanimously nominated John A. Quitman, a staunch defender of
nullification, "
state sovereignty", and slavery. The Whigs nominated Luke Lea, who was also a defender of slavery but did not believe in secession. Though, many Whigs preferred Quitman. Quitman was elected governor by a wide margin, reflecting the political environment at the time.
Results
References
{{reflist
Mississippi gubernatorial elections
Gubernatorial
Mississippi
1849 in Mississippi