Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of Missouri
1856 Missouri gubernatorial election
The 1856 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on August 2, 1852, the Democratic nominee, Trusten Polk , defeated Know-Nothing candidate Robert C. Ewing (running under the American Party label), and former Senator Thomas H. Benton . Benton ran as an Independent Democrat under the label "Benton Democrat."
In February 1857, Trusten Polk would be elected to the United States Senate ; he therefore resigned the governorship, was replaced by Lt. Gov. Hancock Lee Jackson , and forced a special election to be called for August 1857 to fill the remainder of the term.[ 1]
Thomas Hart Benton , former U.S. Senator (1821–51) and U.S. Representative (1853–55) from St. Louis (Benton Democratic)
Robert C. Ewing (American)
Trusten Polk , St. Louis attorney (Democratic)
^ "SOS, Missouri – State Archives: Governors" . Sos.mo.gov. Retrieved March 22, 2013 .
^ Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County . Jefferson: McFarland & Company. pp. 141–142. ISBN 9780786414390 .