This pretty much seals the deal for Lincoln and the Republicans. The only way to head that off is to deny him a majority of EC votes and throw the election into the House, but even there the North has more votes.
for presidential elections it’s the number of delegations not the number of votes.
Dems did hold a slight advantage but were all of them going to support Breckinridge over Douglas?
Elections were a bit staggered back then but a deadlocked presidential election would have gone to the House some time between Nov 6 1860 and Mar 4 1861.
At the close of 1859,
Democrats held a majority in 15 delegations
Republicans in 15 delegations
1 delegation (TN) - “opposition.’ (Bell)
KY - 5 Democrats, 5 opposition (Bell)
NC - 4 Democrats, 4 opposition (Breckinridge)
MD - 3 Democrats, 3 know nothings (Breckinridge)
Oct 9 1860 - IN switched from D to R. (Lincoln)
DE switched from D to Unionist
(but voted for Breckinridge)
NJ switched from R to D (voted for Douglas)
For Breckinridge to have won in the House, Democrats would have held their ranks plus get at least one other state.
Elections were a bit staggered back then but a deadlocked presidential election would have gone to the House some time between Nov 6 1860 and Mar 4 1861.
At the close of 1859,
Democrats held a majority in 15 delegations
Republicans in 15 delegations
1 delegation (TN) - “opposition.’ (Bell)
KY - 5 Democrats, 5 opposition (Bell)
NC - 4 Democrats, 4 opposition (Breckinridge)
MD - 3 Democrats, 3 know nothings (Breckinridge)
Oct 9 1860 - IN switched from D to R. (Lincoln)
DE switched from D to Unionist
(but voted for Breckinridge)
NJ switched from R to D (voted for Douglas)
For Breckinridge to have won in the House, Democrats would have held their ranks plus get at least one other state.