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The major issue this election was each candidate's stance towards the Jefferon Davis administration. While each candidate tried to avoid being identified as "anti-administration" (or "anti-Davis") and "pro-administration" (or "pro-Davis"), public perception categorized them as such. Murrah was seen as the pro-administration candidate, while Chambers, who opposed sending more troops beyond Texas borders whilst the coastline remained undefended and denounced martial law, was viewed as the anti-administration candidate. Chambers also advocated for civil authority over military commanders, opposed restrictions on cotton cultivation, and opposed the "odious" draft exemption law.
Chambers hurt his own credibility during the campaign, throwing out accusations that statewide newspapers were conspiring against him to elect Murrah and that President Davis had dishonourably declined to respect his pleas for an army commission. Chambers received only about 1/4 of the votes he had garnered in the 1861 election, with many of his former supporters either not voting or defecting to Murrah. His base in this election was largely made up of a diverse protest vote that not only reflected resistance to conscription and annoyance with impressment, but also expressed the convictions of outspoken Texas-firsters and also the hopes of quiescent reconstructionists.
The Murrah campaign made a more practical or sensible effort, benefiting from the endorsement of Incumbent Governor Francis Lubbock and his supporters, most of whom were non-slaveholders, whilst Chambers carried the slaveholder vote. Murrah also received the backing of the Confederate military authorities in Shreveport, Louisiana who aided his candidacy by avoiding acts that could possibly turn discontented voters to Chambers, stipulating that they would not impress slaves and cotton in East Texas until after the election.
^ The returns for Angelina, Jack, Mason, Smith, and Wood Counties were listed as "informal." Including them, the total would be 17,916 for Pendleton and 13,003 for Chambers.
No returns reported for Hardin, McCulloch and Zapata Counties. According to the Atlas of Historical County Borders, Greer County was disputed between Texas and the Indian Territory. A strip of territory was disputed between Jack and Clay Counties. Most other counties were unorganized.
References
^ Dubin, Michael J. (2014). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County. McFarland & Company. pp. 529–530. ISBN9780786456468.
^ Baum, Dale (1998). The Shattering of Texas Unionism: Politics in the Lone Star State During the Civil War Era. LSU Press. pp. 85, 109–112. ISBN9780807122457.
County Results
