For related races, see 1896 United States gubernatorial elections.
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 County resultsTaylor: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tillman: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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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.
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.
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.
General election
Candidates
Major party candidates
- Robert Love Taylor, Democratic
- G. N. Tillman, Republican
Other candidates
- A. L. Mims, People's
- Josephus Hopwood, Prohibition
Results
| 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
References
- ^ Phillip Langsdon, Tennessee: A Political History (Franklin, Tenn.: Hillsboro Press, 2000), pp. 213-228.
- Guide to U.S. elections - CQ Press, Congressional Quarterly, inc. CQ Press. 2005. ISBN 9781568029818. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
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