1867 Tennessee gubernatorial election

Tennessee was brought back into the United States in 1866, without having gone through Congressional Reconstruction. Governor Parson Brownlow, a Radical Republican, oversaw the passage of legislation that required loyalty oaths in order to vote. Legislation giving suffrage to black people was passed on February 26, 1867.^[1][2]

The Tennessee Republican Party held its convention on February 22, 1867, and gave its gubernatorial nomination to Brownlow by acclamation.^[3]

Twenty-four members of the state legislature who opposed Brownlow called the Conservative Union State Convention.^[3] The Conservative Party voted unanimously to give its gubernatorial nomination to former Whig congressman Emerson Etheridge, who was nominated by Edmund Cooper, on April 16, 1867. The convention was attended by John Baxter, Elias Polk, William B. Campbell, Dorsey B. Thomas, and others.^[4][5] Etheridge accepted the nomination on April 19.^[6][7]

Brownlow stated that Tennessee was "the only stronghold Republicanism has in the South". The Union League campaigned in the state for Republicans and courted the black vote. The Freedmen's Bureau offered financial assistance to black people whose employment was targeted by Conservatives for registering to vote and supporting Republicans. Brownlow increased the size of the militia to protect black people from intimidation.^[8] Brownlow was unable to campaign as he lost his voice and instead had other Republicans, including Secretary of State Andrew J. Fletcher, campaign for him.^[9]

Brownlow won the election. The Republicans also won every seat in the concurrent U.S. House of Representatives election and almost every seat in the state legislature.^[10] Brownlow left office in 1869, after being appointed to the United States Senate, and was replaced by Dewitt Clinton Senter.^[11][12]