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1896 Tennessee gubernatorial election

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1896 Tennessee gubernatorial election
← 1894 November 3, 1896 1898 →
 
Nominee Robert Love Taylor G. N. Tillman
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 156,227 149,374
Percentage 48.75% 46.61%

County results
Taylor:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tillman:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election

Peter Turney
Democratic

Elected Governor

Robert Love Taylor
Democratic

The 1896 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1896. Former Democratic governor Robert Love Taylor narrowly defeated Republican nominee G. N. Tillman with 48.75% of the vote.[1]

The Democratic Party was concerned about Republicans' chances of winning the governor's office and believed that the incumbent, Peter Turney, had won the office by using questionable tactics two years earlier. When several Democratic leaders invited Taylor to run, he reluctantly agreed and defeated Turney for the party's nomination in August 1896.[1]

After Taylor narrowly won in the fierce general election campaign, Republicans suggested voting irregularities had helped Taylor win. However, the Democratic-dominated state legislature obstructed any attempt at an investigation.[1]

General election

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Candidates

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Major party candidates

  • Robert Love Taylor, Democratic
  • G. N. Tillman, Republican

Other candidates

  • A. L. Mims, People's
  • Josephus Hopwood, Prohibition

Results

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1896 Tennessee gubernatorial election[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Robert Love Taylor 156,227 48.75%
Republican G. N. Tillman 149,374 46.61%
Populist A. L. Mims 11,971 3.74%
Prohibition Josephus Hopwood 2,894 0.90%
Majority 6,853
Turnout
Democratic hold Swing

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Phillip Langsdon, Tennessee: A Political History (Franklin, Tenn.: Hillsboro Press, 2000), pp. 213-228.
  2. ^ Guide to U.S. elections - CQ Press, Congressional Quarterly, inc. CQ Press. 2005. ISBN 9781568029818. Retrieved September 13, 2020.