Illinois gubernatorial election, 1872

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Illinois gubernatorial election, 1872
Flag of Illinois.svg
  1868 November 5, 1872 1876  

  Richard James Oglesby - Brady-Handy.jpg Gustav-Korner-2.jpg
Nominee Richard J. Oglesby Gustavus Koerner
Party Republican Liberal Republican
Popular vote237,774 197,084
Percentage54.41% 45.10%

Il gub 1872.png

Red denotes a county won by Oglesby, and Pink denotes a county won by Koerner

Governor before election

Richard J. Oglesby
Republican

Elected Governor

John M. Palmer
Republican

The Illinois gubernatorial election of 1872 was the fifteenth election for this office. Republican nonimee, Former Governor Richard J. Oglesby defeated the Democratic and Liberal Republican nominee Gustavus Koerner. B. G. Wells represented Independent Democrats unwilling to ally with Liberal Republicans. Oglesby had agreed to run for the Governorship but to resign upon being elected so that Lt. Governor John Lourie Beveridge could assume the office. Oglesby was in turn appointed to the U.S. Senate.

Republican Party (United States) Major political party in the United States

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States; the other is its historic rival, the Democratic Party.

Richard J. Oglesby Union Army general

Richard James Oglesby was an American soldier and Republican politician from Illinois. He served in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War of 1846–47, and after the war became a prospector during the California Gold Rush and was elected to the Illinois General Assembly. During the American Civil War, Oglesby volunteered for the Union Army and rose to the rank of major general, serving in the Western Theater; he left the army when he was elected Governor of Illinois in 1864, and would serve three non-consecutive terms in that office. He also served as a United States Senator from Illinois from 1873 to 1879.

John Lourie Beveridge American politician

John Lourie Beveridge was the 16th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1873 to 1877. He succeeded the recently elected Richard J. Oglesby, who resigned to accept a Senate seat. Beveridge previously served in the Army during the American Civil War, becoming colonel of the 17th Illinois Cavalry in 1864. He was brevetted to brigadier general in March 1865.

At this time in Illinois history, the Lieutenant Governor was elected on a separate ballot from the governor. This would remain so until the 1970 constitution.

Results

1868 gubernatorial election, Illinois
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Republican Richard J. Oglesby 237,77454.41%-1.16%
Liberal Republican Gustavus Koerner 197,084 45.10% N/A%
Independent B. G. Wright 2,185 0.50% N/A
Majority 40,690 9.31% -1.83%
Turnout 437,043
Republican hold Swing

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