1886 Tennessee gubernatorial election

Last updated February 28, 2024

The 1886 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1886. Democratic nominee Robert Love Taylor defeated his brother, Republican nominee Alfred A. Taylor with 53.52% of the vote.

The gubernatorial campaign is remembered for the Taylor brothers' relatively light-hearted political banter and entertaining speeches. Canvassing together, they spent the first part of each campaign stop "cussing out each other's politics" and telling stories and the second part playing fiddle tunes while the crowd danced.^[1] At a stop in Madisonville, Robert suggested that both he and Alfred were roses, but he was a white rose while Alfred was a red rose. As their respective supporters subsequently wore white and red roses, the campaign became known as the "War of the Roses" (the name also referred to the 15th-century English conflict). Their campaign stops drew massive crowds, ranging from around 6,000 in smaller towns to 25,000 in Nashville.^[1]

There was record turnout on election day, when Robert Taylor defeated Alfred by around 16,000 votes.^[2]

General election

Candidates

Robert Love Taylor, Democratic
Alfred A. Taylor, Republican

Results

1886 Tennessee gubernatorial election^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Robert Love Taylor	126,491	53.52%
	Republican	Alfred A. Taylor	109,842	46.48%
Majority			16,649
Turnout
	Democratic hold		Swing

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References

1 2 Paul Deresco Augsburg, Bob and Alf Taylor: Their Lives and Lectures (Morristown, Tenn.: Morristown Book Company, 1925).
↑ 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 16, 2020.

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[augsburg-1] 1 2 Paul Deresco Augsburg, Bob and Alf Taylor: Their Lives and Lectures (Morristown, Tenn.: Morristown Book Company, 1925).

[langsdon-2] Phillip Langsdon, Tennessee: A Political History (Franklin, Tenn.: Hillsboro Press, 2000), pp. 213-228.

[google1-3] Guide to U.S. elections - CQ Press, Congressional Quarterly, inc. CQ Press. 2005. ISBN 9781568029818 . Retrieved September 16, 2020.

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