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Agubernatorial election was held inVirginia on January 9, 1830. TheDemocratic formerU.S. representative fromVirginia's 20th congressional districtJohn Floyd defeated the Democratic member of theCouncil of StatePeter V. Daniel.[1]
The incumbentgovernor of VirginiaWilliam Branch Giles was ineligible for re-election due to term limits established by theConstitution of Virginia. Giles won the1827 Virginia gubernatorial special election to succeedJohn Tyler, who resigned the governorship effective March 4, 1827, following his election to theUnited States Senate.[2] Whether Giles was elected to serve a new one-year term beginning the date of Tyler's resignation, or merely to complete his predecessor's original unexpired term, was discussed at the time of his re-election in1827 and again in1828, without resolution.[3] When the legislature met in December 1829, Richard Epps proposed that the election of Giles's successor take place on December 16, but the question of when the new governor would take office prompted a lengthy debate.[4] A resolution recognizing March 4, 1830, as the expiration of Giles's term was passed by the House of Delegates and finally adopted by theVirginia Senate, by which time the election had been postponed until January.[5]
Events during the first year ofAndrew Jackson'spresidency served to divide theVirginia Democratic Party. Whereas the powerfulRichmond Junto, which included Daniel, had cultivated a close relationship with theU.S. secretary of stateMartin Van Buren and were rewarded liberally withpatronage,Old Republican allies of thevice president of the United StatesJohn C. Calhoun found themselves isolated from the administration as Calhoun's relationship with Jackson deteriorated. Floyd, a Calhounite, was passed over for a position in Jackson'scabinet, and would soon emerge as the leader of the state's anti-Jackson Democrats.[6]
The election was conducted by theVirginia General Assembly in joint session.[7] Floyd was elected with a majority on the first ballot.[8]
| Party | Candidate | First ballot | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | Percent | |||
| Democratic | John Floyd | 140 | 65.73 | |
| Democratic | Peter V. Daniel | 66 | 30.98 | |
| Others | 7 | 3.29 | ||
Total | 213 | 100.00 | ||
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