The 1854 United States House of Representatives election in Florida was held on Monday, October 2, 1854, to elect the single United States Representative from the state of Florida, one from the state's single at-large congressional district, to represent Florida in the 34th Congress. The election coincided with the elections of other offices, including the senatorial election and various state and local elections.

The winning candidate would serve a two-year term in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1855, to March 4, 1857.

Candidates

Democratic

Nominee

Augustus Maxwell, incumbent U.S. representative

Whig

Nominee

Thomas Brown, former governor of Florida

Campaign Despite Brown leaving office as a popular governor, the national Whig Party had all but collapsed by this election. Additionally, many Southerners who were formerly sympathetic to the Whigs now aligned fully with the Democratic Party, due to the perception that the Whigs were willing to compromise with abolitionist Northerners. To take advantage of this, Maxwell actively campaigned in Pensacola, a former Whig stronghold, as well as running up his margins in deeply conservative North Central Florida, particularly in Columbia and Jefferson counties, both of which had high enslaved populations.

General election Results

By County County Augustus MaxwellDemocratic Thomas BrownWhig Totalvotes # % # %Alachua26261.79% 162 38.21% 424Calhoun 87 50.88% 84 49.12% 171Columbia 529 61.37% 333 38.63% 862Duval 406 49.39% 416 50.61% 822Escambia 179 50.28% 177 49.72% 356Franklin 132 52.38% 120 47.62% 252Gadsden38847.37% 431 52.63% 819Hamilton 133 49.44% 136 50.56%269Hernando 124 63.92% 70 36.08% 194Hillsborough22365.20% 119 34.80% 342Holmes 66 46.15% 77 53.85% 143Jackson 357 46.30% 414 53.70% 771Jefferson 364 74.90% 122 25.10% 486Leon42455.86% 335 44.14% 759Levy 59 55.14% 48 44.86% 107Madison 437 55.60% 349 44.40% 786Marion 256 56.64% 196 43.36% 452Monroe 151 66.81% 75 33.19% 226Nassau 60 46.15% 70 53.85% 130Orange1822.50% 62 77.50% 80Putnam 123 70.29% 52 29.71%175Santa Rosa18847.84%20552.16% 393St. Johns 137 57.08% 103 42.92% 240St. Lucie 12 100% 0 0% 12Sumter 78 61.90% 48 38.10% 126Wakulla 169 55.78% 134 44.22% 303Walton 132 43.56% 171 56.44% 303Washington 144 72.36% 55 27.64% 199Totals5,63855.26%4,56444.74%10,202

See also United States House of Representatives elections, 1854

References