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1886 Minnesota gubernatorial election
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1886 Minnesota gubernatorial election presidential 1883 Minnesota gubernatorial election 1883 1888 Minnesota gubernatorial election 1888 no November 2, 1886 File:A.R. McGill.jpg Andrew Ryan McGill Republican Party (United States) 107,064 48.55% File:Albert Alonzo Ames (1842–1911) in Progressive Men of Minnesota, 1897.png 150x150px A. A. Ames Democratic Party (United States) 104,464 47.37% 1886 Minnesota gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 250px County resultsMcGill: #ffb2b2 40−50% #e27f7f 50−60% #d75d5d 60−70% #d72f30 70−80% #c21b18 80−90%Ames: #a5b0ff 40−50% #7996e2 50−60% #6674de 60−70% #584cde 70−80% #3933e5 80−90%Unknown/no vote: #808080 Governor Lucius Frederick Hubbard Republican Party (United States) Andrew Ryan McGill Republican Party (United States)
The 1886 Minnesota gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1886, to elect the governor of Minnesota. Incumbent Lucius Frederick Hubbard did not seek a third term. This was the first gubernatorial election held in Minnesota in an even-numbered year.
Candidates
Albert Alonzo Ames (A.A. Ames), mayor of Minneapolis (Democrat)
James E. Child, former state senator (Prohibition)
Andrew Ryan McGill, state insurance commissioner (Republican)
Campaigns
Republican State Convention
The Republican State Convention was held on September 22, 1886. Five candidates contested in the primary: McGill, Charles A. Gilman, John L. Gibbs, Albert Scheffer, and Theodore H. Barrett. Barrett dropped out after the first informal ballot. For the fourth ballot, the supporters of Gilman and Gibbs began to rally around Sheffer in an effort to defeat McGill. However, not enough Gibbs and Gilman voters switched to Sheffer in the ballot, and instead split the vote, resulting in a McGill victory in the primary.M'GILL THE LEADER September 23, 1886 St. Paul Pioneer Press https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp18860923.1.1&srpos=26&e=------188-en-20--21--img-txIN-Convention----1886-------
Democratic State Convention
The Democratic State Convention was held on September 23, 1886. Prior to the convention even beginning, there were great political dealings regarding A. A. Ames. Ames was the only major Democratic candidate; however, to win the nomination he was expected to agree to reform some of his positions to appease assumed to-be convention leaders and major party bosses Michael Doran and Patrick H. Kelly. Mainly, this included Ames allowing them to re-organize the state Democratic party to their wishes. If Ames failed to fall in line, Doran was expected to run against him in the primary. Kelly soon became a strong supporter of Ames. Ames then collaborated with Kelly and Ignatius Donnelly to agree to support his campaign, on the condition that Ames could select a new central committee for the party, which really meant the ability to remove Doran from party leadership. The deal was successful.AMES WILL BE NOMINATED September 14, 1886 St. Paul Pioneer Press https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp18860914.1.5&srpos=1&e=------188-en-20--1--img-txIN-Democratic+Convention+Ames----1886-------
On the convention day itself, Donnelly and Ames made their platform, endorsed by the Farmer's Alliance and Knights of Labor, the official platform of the State Democratic Party. Further controversy occurred when the nomination of Ames was presented as a motion of the convention, instead of a primary. This was hotly debated, with delegate G.A. Lafayette expressing the opinion that "If the convention was sensible, it would not indorse anybody for governor." What followed were further arguments, and even an accusation of bribery, between delegates. The arguments became unruly enough that Donnelly amended the motion to state that the party "endorses nobody". However, after only a few minutes, some men called for a motion to re-endorse Ames. Ames remarked that he was now powerless over the convention. After Ames was nominated, and amid rising arguments and increasingly large claims of corruption from many sides, Donnelly announced his intention to kick delegates from the Farmer's Alliance out of the convention and repeal all motions they had proposed. The convention began chanting, "NO! NO!" The motion was passed. Following the chaotic convention, Donnelly was removed from his position and Doran re-took his position as chairman of the party.A BIG DAY FOR DONNELLY St. Paul Pioneer Press September 24, 1886 https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=sppp18860924.1.5&srpos=2&e=------188-en-20--1--img-txIN-Democratic+Convention+Ames----1886------- January 12, 2026
The narrow margin of victory sparked controversy over who was the actual winner, and the election was contested until Ames decided the effort was not worth the time and conceded.Dr. Albert A. Ames Dead https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/11/18/104882689.pdf The New York Times 18 November 1911
Results
Minnesota gubernatorial election, 1886http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=57742 Our Campaigns - MN Governor Race - Nov 02, 1886 May 4, 2016http://www.sos.state.mn.us/media/1353/chapter-10_mn-votes-2015.pdf Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State Minnesota Legislative Manual (Blue Book) - Chapter 10 Minnesota Elections 2015-04-01 2016-05-07
Republican Party (United States)
Andrew Ryan McGill
107,064
48.55
Democratic Party (United States)
A. A. Ames
104,464
47.37
Prohibition Party (United States)
James E. Child
8,966
4.07
Write-In
37
0.02
220,531
100
Republican Party (United States)
Democratic Party (United States)
References
External links
Minnesota Historical Election Archive
1886
Minnesota
gubernatorial
Category:November 1886 in the United States