Our Campaigns - NC Governor Race

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NC Governor

RACE DETAILS

Parents

> United States > North Carolina > Governor

Office

Governor

Honorific

Governor - Abbr: Gov.

Type

General Election

Filing Deadline

January 01, 1844 - 12:00pm Central

Polls Open

August 01, 1844 - 06:00am Central

Polls Close

August 01, 1844 - 08:00pm Central

Term Start

January 01, 1845 - 12:00pm

Term End

January 01, 1847 - 12:00pm

Contributor

Chronicler

Last Modified

Chronicler April 25, 2020 06:16pm

Data Sources

Official county returns in the State Archives

Norman D. Brown, Edward Stanly: Whiggery's Tarheel 'Conqueror', pp. 95-100.

Description

After the Democrats took control of the state legislature in the election of 1842, state Whigs worried they would lose the Governorship in 1844. The legislative Whig caucus met on 1/20/1843 to discuss possible nominees. Possibilities included retiring U.S. Senator William A. Graham; U.S. Reps. Edward Stanly and Kenneth Raynor; John H. Bryan; and Charles Manly. Stanly's hopes of nomination were dashed when he lost his bid for re-election in a gerrymandered district in 1843. The Whig State Convention met in Raleigh on 12/7/1843 and unanimously nominated Graham.

The Democratic State Convention on 12/15/1843 unanimously nominated Michael Hoke of Lincoln County.

The major issue during the campaign was the annexation of Texas. When President Tyler's annexation treaty was offered to the Senate, NC's Whig Senator Willie P. Mangum voted with the majority against it, while NC's Democratic Senator William H. Haywood voted for it. The state and national parties adopted similar platforms.

The election was very close, with Graham narrowly defeating Hoke. In addition to winning the governorship, the Whigs regained control of both houses of the legislature.