1850 Iowa's 1st congressional district special election

A special election to the United States House of Representatives for Iowa's 1st congressional district was held September 24, 1850.

1850 Iowa's 1st congressional district special election

September 24, 1850

Nominee Daniel F. Miller William Thompson Party Whig Democratic Popular vote 5,463 4,801 Percentage 51.40% 45.17%

Representative before election None Elected Representative Daniel F. Miller Whig

The winning candidate would serve briefly in the United States House of Representatives to represent Iowa in the 31st Congress until the general election on October 8, 1850.

Background

In 1848, the Whig Party nominated Miller to run against incumbent Democratic Congressman William Thompson. Thompson was declared the winner by the state's election canvassers, but Miller accused Thompson of absconding with the voting rolls from the election. The U.S. House resolved the contest over two years after it occurred, by deciding that neither Thompson nor Miller was entitled to the seat.

Candidates

Democratic

Nominee

• William Thompson, former U.S. Representative from Iowa's 1st congressional district (1847–1850)

Whig

Nominee

• Daniel F. Miller, lawyer and former member of Iowa's territorial house of representatives (1840)

Independent

Nominee

• Delazon Smith, anti-abolitionist activist who later went onto become a U.S. Senator from Oregon

General election

1850 Iowa's 1st congressional district special election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Daniel F. Miller	5,463	51.40%	+4.10%
	Democratic	William Thompson	4,801	45.17%	−5.13%
	Independent	Delazon Smith	365	3.43%	+3.43%
Majority			662	6.23%	+3.23%
Turnout			10,629	100.00%
	Whig gain from Democratic

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections, 1844
• United States House of Representatives elections, 1846