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 County results Quitman: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100% Lea: 50–60% 60–70% No data/vote: | |||||||||||||||||
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The1849Mississippi gubernatorial election was held on November 1, 1849, to elect thegovernor of Mississippi.John A. Quitman, aDemocrat won againstWhigLuke Lea, futureCommissioner of Indian Affairs in theDepartment of Interior.[1][2][3]
Debates over slavery and state rights continued to dominate the Mississippi political scene. Political leaders called for the defense ofslavery and the necessity of secession if furtherencroachment on the institution of slavery occurred.[4]
Incumbent GovernorJoseph Matthews announced he would not run for reelection. The Democrats unanimously nominated John A. Quitman, a staunch defender ofnullification, "state sovereignty", and slavery. The Whigs nominatedLuke 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.[2][4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John A. Quitman | 33,117 | 59.0% | |
| Whig | Luke Lea | 22,996 | 41.0% | |
| Total votes | 56,113 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
