1799 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

1799 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

October 8, 1799 (1799-10-08)
 
Nominee Thomas McKean James Ross
Party Democratic-Republican Federalist
Popular vote 4,733 4,021
Percentage 54.0% 46.0%

County Results
McKean:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%
Ross:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Governor before election

Thomas Mifflin
Democratic-Republican

Elected Governor

Thomas McKean
Democratic-Republican

The 1799 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was between two candidates. Incumbent governor Thomas Mifflin was not running. The race was between Federalist U.S. Senator James Ross and Democratic-Republican Thomas McKean. The retired Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, McKean was a Federalist and a Mifflin ally, as both supported strong state executive power but rejected the domestic policies of the national government.

Some historians have pointed to McKean's victory as a forecast of Thomas Jefferson's election in the 1800 United States presidential election the next year.