Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election primarily due to the deep sectional divisions in the United States and the split within the Democratic Party. The key factors in his victory were:
- Sectional Vote Concentration: Lincoln won all the Northern free states, which controlled a majority of the Electoral College votes. He did not win any Southern slave states, and in fact, was not even on the ballot in 10 Southern states because the Republican Party was absent there. Despite this, the free states had enough electoral votes to secure his victory
- Democratic Party Split: The Democratic Party was divided into Northern and Southern factions, with Stephen Douglas representing the Northern Democrats and John C. Breckinridge the Southern Democrats. This split diluted the Democratic vote and prevented any single Democrat from consolidating enough support to defeat Lincoln
- Moderate Republican Position: Lincoln positioned himself as a moderate Republican, opposing the expansion of slavery but assuring that he was not a radical abolitionist. His Cooper Union speech in early 1860 helped establish this moderate image and gained him broad support among Republicans and Northern voters
- Strategic Campaign and Delegate Maneuvering: Lincoln's campaign managers skillfully secured his nomination at the Republican convention by ensuring he was the second choice for many delegates and by holding the convention in Chicago, favorable to Lincoln. He did not campaign actively in the traditional sense but relied on political strategy and support from his home state and allies
- Electoral College Majority with Plurality of Popular Vote: Lincoln won the Electoral College decisively with 180 electoral votes, even though he only received about 39.7% of the popular vote nationwide, one of the lowest percentages for a winning candidate. This was possible because the opposition vote was split among three other candidates and because of the concentration of his support in populous Northern states
- High Voter Turnout in the North: Voter turnout was high, especially in the North, where Lincoln's support was strongest. The Republican organization, including groups like the Wide Awakes, helped mobilize voters in key states such as New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio
In summary, Lincoln's victory was a result of the fractured opposition, his strong support in the free states with a majority of electoral votes, his moderate stance on slavery appealing to a broad coalition, and effective political strategy within the Republican Party
. This sectional and political division ultimately led to the secession of Southern states and the onset of the Civil War shortly after his election.
