1849 Mississippi gubernatorial election
{{short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1849 Mississippi gubernatorial election
| type = presidential
| previous_election = 1847 Mississippi gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 1847
| next_election = 1851 Mississippi gubernatorial election
| next_year = 1851
| ongoing = no
| election_date = November 5, 1849
| registered =
| turnout =
| image1 = John_A_Quitman.jpg
| nominee1 = John A. Quitman
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| color1 =
| alliance1 =
| popular_vote1 = 33,117
| percentage1 = 59.0%
| image2 = 3x4.svg
| nominee2 = Luke Lea
| party2 = Whig Party (United States)
| color2 =
| alliance2 =
| popular_vote2 = 22,996
| percentage2 = 41.0%
| map_image = 1849 Mississippi gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
| map_size = 150px
| map_caption = County results
Quitman: {{legend0|#7996E2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674DE|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584CDE|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933E5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|90–100%}}
Lea: {{legend0|#FED463|50–60%}} {{legend0|#FE9929|60–70%}}
No data/vote: {{legend0|#808080}}
| title = Governor
| before_election = Joseph W. Matthews
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = John A. Quitman
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| nominee3 =
| popular_vote3 =
| percentage3 =
| image3 =
| party3 =
}}
The 1849 Mississippi gubernatorial election was held on November 1, 1849, to elect the governor of Mississippi. John A. Quitman, a Democrat won against Whig Luke Lea, future Commissioner of Indian Affairs in the Department of Interior.{{Cite book |last=Glashan |first=Roy R. |url=https://archive.org/details/americangovernor0000glas/page/168/mode/2up |title=American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 |publisher=Meckler Books |location=Westport, CT |publication-date=1979 |pages=168–169}}{{Cite book |last=Rowland |first=Dunbar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aQk8AAAAMAAJ&q=george%20r.%20clayton |title=History of Mississippi, the Heart of the South |publisher=S. J. Clarke publishing Company |year=1925 |volume=1}}{{Citation |last=DeJong |first=David H. |title=Luke Lea: Commissioner of Indian Affairs (July 1, 1850–March 24, 1853) |date=2021 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv2cw0sp9.20 |work=Paternalism to Partnership |pages=80–85 |access-date=2024-01-14 |series=The Administration of Indian Affairs, 1786–2021 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |jstor=j.ctv2cw0sp9.20 |isbn=978-1-4962-3058-4}}
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.{{Cite book |last=Busbee |first=Westley F. |title=Mississippi: A History |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |year=2015 |edition=1st |pages=201–202}}
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. However, many Whigs preferred Quitman. Quitman was elected governor by a wide margin, reflecting the political environment at the time.
Results
{{Election box begin no change||title=Mississippi gubernatorial election, 1849}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=John A. Quitman|votes=33,117|percentage=59.0%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Whig Party (United States)|candidate=Luke Lea|votes=22,996|percentage=41.0%}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=56,113|percentage=100.00|change=}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change||winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}{{Elections in Mississippi sidebar}}