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.[1]
The winning candidate would serve a two-year term in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1855, to March 4, 1857.
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.[2][3]
General election[]
Results[]
Florida's at-large congressional district election, 1854[4]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Augustus Maxwell (inc.)
5,638
55.26%
+5.14%
Whig
Thomas Brown
4,564
44.74%
-3.64%
Majority
1,074
10.53%
-6.81%
Turnout
10,202
100.00%
Democratichold
By county[]
County
Augustus Maxwell
Democratic
Thomas Brown
Whig
Total votes
#
%
#
%
Alachua
262
61.79%
162
38.21%
424
Calhoun
87
51.79%
81
48.21%
168
Columbia
529
61.37%
333
38.63%
862
Duval
408
49.39%
418
50.61%
826
Escambia
179
50.28%
177
49.72%
356
Franklin
132
52.38%
120
47.62%
252
Gadsden
388
47.37%
431
52.63%
819
Hamilton
133
41.69%
186
58.31%
319
Hernando
124
63.92%
70
36.08
194
Hillsborough
223
65.20%
119
34.80%
342
Holmes
66
46.15%
77
53.85%
143
Jackson
357
46.30%
414
53.70%
811
Jefferson
364
74.90%
122
25.10%
486
Leon
424
55.86%
335
44.14%
759
Levy
59
55.14%
48
44.86%
107
Madison
347
52.10%
319
47.90%
666
Marion
256
56.64%
196
43.36%
452
Monroe
151
66.81%
75
33.19%
226
Nassau
60
46.15%
70
53.85%
130
Orange
18
22.50%
62
77.50%
80
Putnam
123
70.29%
52
29.71%
175
Santa Rosa
188
47.84%
205
52.16%
393
St. Johns
138
57.26%
103
42.74%
241
Sumter
78
61.90%
48
38.10%
126
Wakulla
169
55.78%
134
44.22%
303
Walton
132
43.56%
171
56.44%
303
Washington
144
72.36%
55
27.64%
199
Totals
5,638
55.26%
4,564
44.74%
10,202
See also[]
United States House of Representatives elections, 1854
Government