Martin Brimmer Whig
Thomas Aspinwall Davis Know Nothing
The 1844–45 Boston mayoral election saw the election of Native American Party (Know Nothing) nominee Thomas Aspinwall Davis as mayor of Boston. The election took eight votes, as no candidate secured the needed majority in the first seven attempts. Incumbent Whig Party mayor Martin Brimmer was not a nominee reelection.[1]
The election marked the rise of the city's newly founded Native American Party (Know Nothing) organization.[3] The election was characterized in part as a race between Presbyterians, largely regarded as backing the Native American Party cause, and the Unitarians, who were seen as backing the Whig Party.[4][5] It was alternatively described as reflecting dividing lines between party-line Whigs, locofocos, nativists, and abolitionists.[6]
The Boston Post noted that the results did not reflect the typical party-alignment in elections held in Boston.[7] Since no candidate received a majority of the vote, there was no winner.[1][7]
The Whig Party parted with Quincy as their nominee and instead nominated Thomas Wetmore as their nominee for the second vote of the election.[11] With Thaxter, declining the Democratic party's nomination Charles Gordon Greene was nominated in his place.[12] Coinciding with the second vote was a similar second vote for five seats on the Boston Board of Aldermen.[13][14]
Coinciding with the third vote was a similar third vote for five seats on the Boston Board of Aldermen.[15]
Wetmore declined to run again and the Whig Party instead nominated former mayor Samuel Atkins Eliot.[16]
The previous round's Whig nominee, Eliot, declined to run again. In their place, the party nominated William Parker.[17] The Previous round's Democratic nominee, Greene, also declined to run again.[17] He was replaced by Peter T. Homer.[18] A meeting was held at which the Whig Young Men's nominated William T. Eustis. It was speculated this was done with hopes of having him be a spoiler candidate and split the Know Nothing vote to prevent a Davis victory.[17]
A coinciding fifth vote was also held for the final two aldermanic seats, which saw victors emerge.[18]
By the time of the seventh vote, the Boston Tribune, a Whig newspaper, was conceding that they did not believe that their party did not stand a chance of ultimately prevailing in the mayor's race.[20]
After the vote, a reporter wrote,
It is evident to close observers here, that the subject of religious opinion has much to do in the matter, or other word, that it is a contest in part between Orthodox and Unitarian sects. The former set have thrown their influence for the Natives and the latter for the regular Whig candidate. But for this unhappy division, the regular Whig ticket would have succeeded at the first trial. It is now confidently anticipated by all that the native candidate will be elected.[4]
The Democratic Party opted not to contest the eighth vote, leaving the vote to be a two-way race.[5] Davis won and was elected mayor.[1] He took the oath of office on February 27, 1845.[22]
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