The 1870 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1870, to elect the governor of Tennessee. The Democratic nominee, former Confederate general John C. Brown overwhelmingly defeated Republican nominee William H. Wisener by a margin of 31.10%.
Background Following the Civil War, Tennessee was led Governor Parson Brownlow, a Radical Republican who oversaw the passage of legislation giving rights to freed slaves while removing suffrage from ex-Confederates. Brownlow's policies were opposed by Conservatives in the state who favored reconciliation with ex-Confederates.
Following a strong performance in the 1866 elections, The Conservatives would field former Unionist Emerson Etheridge to oppose Brownlow in the 1867 Tennessee gubernatorial election; however, Brownlow would win re-election by a margin of 53%, significantly aided by the enfranchisement of 40,000 African-Americans earlier in the year.
Brownlow would leave office in 1869 after winning election to the United States Senate and would be succeeded by Dewitt Clinton Senter, whose conservative policies would cause division in Tennessee's Republican party and embolden Tennessee's conservatives, who won control of the General Assembly in August 1869 and repealed many of the laws enacted under Brownlow. The conservative-controlled General Assembly would also successfully call for a constitutional convention which restored suffrage to ex-Confederates.
General election
Candidates
John C. Brown, Democratic William H. Wisener, Republican
Results
References
Further reading