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 County results Harris: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Netherland: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% No data/No votes | |||||||||||||||||
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The1859 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on August 4, 1859, to elect thegovernor of Tennessee. IncumbentDemocratic governorIsham G. Harris narrowly won re-election, defeatingOpposition PartyJohn Netherland with 52.79% of the vote.[1]
Isham Harris ran for re-election against John Netherland, who had been nominated by a hodge-podge group of ex-Whigs, ex-Know Nothings, and disgruntled Democrats, known as theOpposition Party.[2] Harris campaigned on fears of northern abolitionists, while Netherland argued that the U.S. Constitution provided the best protection for Southern rights, and thus, it was in the state's interest to remain in the Union.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Isham G. Harris (incumbent) | 76,073 | 52.79% | ||
| Opposition | John Netherland | 68,042 | 47.21% | ||
| Total votes | 144,115 | 100.00% | |||
