1858 United States House of Representatives election in Florida

The 1858 United States House of Representatives election in Florida was held on Monday, October 4, 1858 to elect the single United States Representative from the state of Florida, one from the state's single at-large congressional district, to represent Florida in the 36th Congress. The election coincided with the elections of other offices, including various state and local elections.

1858 United States House of Representatives election in Florida

← 1856 October 4, 1858 1860 →
 
Nominee George Sydney Hawkins John Westcott
Party Democratic Independent Democratic
Popular vote 6,084 3,661
Percentage 62.43% 37.57%

County Results

Representative before election

George Sydney Hawkins
Democratic

Elected Representative


George Sydney Hawkins
Democratic

The winning candidate would serve a two-year term in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1859, to March 4, 1861.[1]

Candidates

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Democratic

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Nominee

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Independent Democratic

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Declared

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Campaign

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This election was held in the middle of the presidency of James Buchanan, with tensions between free states of the North and slave states of the South growing to the point of irreparability. Both the Whig Party and the Know Nothing Party had already collapsed, leaving no true opposition to the Democratic Party in Florida. Hawkins was very popular in the former Whig stronghold of Pensacola, bringing the populous city firmly into the Democratic column. Though Hawkins was expected to run unopposed, he was challenged by Westcott, the former surveyor general of Florida and brother of former U.S. senator James Westcott. Westcott, running as an Independent Democrat, was opposed to the corruption in the Florida Democratic Party, perceiving the party's selection of nominees at conventions making the state's politicians open to political patronage. Westcott also promised cheap land to frontier settlers.[4]

Westcott performed best in the frontierlands of East Florida and South Florida, where he was very popular due to his role in the Seminole Wars. Despite this, he could not make inroads into West Florida and was crushed in the general election, only receiving 38% of the vote to Hawkins' 62%.[5]

General election

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Results

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Florida's at-large congressional district election, 1858[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic George Sydney Hawkins (inc.) 6,084 62.43% +9.03%
Independent Democratic John Westcott 3,661 37.57% N/A
Majority 2,423 24.86% +18.70%
Turnout 9,745 100.00%
Democratic hold

Results by County

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County[7] George Sydney Hawkins
Democratic
John Westcott
Independent Democratic
Total votes
# % # %
Alachua 349 71.22% 141 28.78% 490
Brevard 0 0% 0 0% 0
Calhoun 85 61.59% 53 38.41% 138
Columbia 389 42.37% 529 57.63% 918
Dade 12 100% 0 0% 12
Duval 0 0% 0 0% 0
Escambia 304 79.58% 78 20.42% 382
Franklin 220 95.24% 11 4.76% 231
Gadsden 411 62.75% 244 37.25% 655
Hamilton 283 66.28% 144 33.72% 427
Hernando 99 40.08% 148 59.92% 247
Hillsborough 74 32.60% 153 67.40% 227
Holmes 75 45.18% 91 54.82% 166
Jackson 482 62.19% 293 37.81% 775
Jefferson 432 84.38% 80 15.63% 512
Lafayette 70 33.49% 139 66.51% 209
Leon 382 75.64% 123 24.36% 505
Levy 100 54.95% 82 45.05% 182
Liberty 43 46.74% 49 53.26% 92
Madison 317 53.28% 278 46.72% 595
Manatee 45 75.00% 15 25.00% 60
Marion 254 56.82% 193 43.18% 447
Monroe 158 87.78% 22 12.22% 180
Nassau 237 78.48% 65 21.52% 302
Orange 37 36.27% 65 63.73% 102
Putnam 127 58.80% 89 41.20% 216
Santa Rosa 331 77.52% 96 22.48% 427
St. Johns 180 72.58% 68 27.42% 248
Sumter 0 0% 0 0% 0
Taylor 75 33.78% 147 66.22% 222
Volusia 30 29.70% 71 70.30% 101
Wakulla 105 71.43% 42 28.57% 147
Walton 200 61.16% 127 38.84% 327
Washington 178 87.68% 25 12.32% 203
Totals 6,084 62.43% 3,661 37.57% 9,745

Aftermath

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This was the last election before the American Civil War to send a U.S. representative to Congress. An election was held in 1860, but the winner of that race did not serve in Congress as Florida seceded from the Union prior to the start of the 37th Congress. Hawkins withdrew from Congress on January 21, 1861 after Florida had joined the Confederate States of America. This was the last successful congressional election in Florida until 1868.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - FL At Large Race - Oct 04, 1858". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  2. ^ Florida Historical Society (1933). "Florida Historical Quarterly, Vol. 12, Issue 1". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 12 (1): 23–24. Retrieved November 7, 2020 – via STARS.
  3. ^ a b McConville, Michael Paul (2012). "The Politics Of Slavery And Secession In Antebellum Florida, 1845-1861". University of Central Florida: 75. Retrieved November 7, 2020 – via STARS.
  4. ^ Doherty, Herbert J. (1959). The Whigs of Florida, 1845-1854. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press. p. 61. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  5. ^ Thompson, Arthur W. (1949). "Political Nativism in Florida, 1848-1860: A Phase of Anti-Secessionism". Journal of Southern History. 15 (1): 60. doi:10.2307/2198072. JSTOR 2198072. Retrieved November 7, 2020 – via JSTOR.
  6. ^ "FL At Large - 1858". Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  7. ^ Jones & Dyke (November 13, 1858). "Vote for Congress". Floridian & Journal. p. 2. Retrieved February 27, 2023.