1835 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

Last updated

1835 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg
  1832 October 13, 1835 (1835-10-13) 1838  
  Joseph Ritner-Governor of Pennsylvania.JPG George Wolf.jpg Henry A. Muhlenberg (US Congressman from Pennsylvania).jpg
Nominee Joseph Ritner George Wolf Henry A. P. Muhlenberg
Party Anti-Masonic Independent Democrat Democratic
Popular vote94,02365,80440,586
Percentage46.9%32.8%20.3%

1835 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County Results
Ritner:     30-40%     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%
Wolf:     30-40%     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%
Muhlenberg:     30-40%     40-50%

Governor before election

George Wolf
Democratic

Elected Governor

Joseph Ritner
Anti-Masonic

The 1835 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was among three candidates. Incumbent Governor George Wolf ran as an Independent Democrat. In the end Joseph Ritner won the election and became Pennsylvania's only Anti-Masonic governor.

Contents

Democratic schism

In March 1835 factionalism came to a head in Pennsylvania's dominant Democratic party as it convened at Harrisburg to nominate its candidate for governor. The supporters of the incumbent Wolf and those of Lutheran pastor Henry Muhlenberg, known respectively as the "Wolves" and the "Mules", deadlocked and adjourned to reconvene at Lewistown in May. The Wolf delegates, however, remained at Harrisburg and in a rump convention renominated the governor. The outraged "Mules" then proceeded as scheduled to Lewistown to nominate Muhlenberg. [1]

The resulting split Democratic vote enabled the Anti-Masons, with Whig support, to finally elect Ritner, who had lost the previous two elections. [1]

Tension between the "Wolves" and the "Mules" lasted until the mid-1840s. [2]

Results

Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1835 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Anti-Masonic Joseph Ritner 94,023 46.91
Independent Democrat George Wolf (incumbent)65,80432.83
Democratic Henry A. P. Muhlenberg 40,58620.25
Total votes200,413 100.00

References

  1. 1 2 Klein, Philip S; Hoogenboom, Ari Arthur (2010). A History of Pennsylvania. Penn State Press. pp. 146–147.
  2. Hall, Kermit (1979). The Politics of Justice: Lower Federal Judicial Selection and the Second Party System, 1829-1861. University of Nebraska Press. p. 37.
  3. Miller, Herman P; Baker, W. Harry, eds. (1911). Smull's Legislative Handbook and Manual of the State of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg: State of Pennsylvania. p. 542. hdl:2027/mdp.39015078603340.