# 1860 United States House of Representatives election in Florida

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vte :
The 1860 United States House of Representatives election in Florida was held on Monday, October 1, 1860, to elect the single United States Representative from the state of Florida, one from the state's single at-large congressional district, to represent Florida in the 37th Congress. The election coincided with the gubernatorial election and various state and local elections.
Democratic nominee Robert Benjamin Hilton defeated Opposition nominee Benjamin F. Allen. Hilton was never seated in Congress, however, as Florida had succeeded from the Union before Congress convened.

## Candidates
### Democratic
#### Nominee

* Robert Benjamin Hilton, clerk of the Florida House of Representatives

#### Eliminated at party convention

* William Dilworth, former state representative
* James Gettis, former state representative
* Barton C. Pope, former state representative
* J. Carraway Smith, former state representative
* Frederick L. Villepigue, secretary of state of Florida
* C. C. Younge, lawyer

### Opposition
#### Nominee

* Benjamin F. Allen, former state representative

## Campaign

By 1860, the secession of the South from the Union was nearly inevitable. Both Hilton and Allen were secessionists; the only question that remained was what ideology would an independent Florida prefer: the conservatism of the Democratic Party or the Whiggism of the Opposition Party. Due to Hilton's close ties with Vice President John C. Breckinridge, the Democratic nominee for president, it was all but guaranteed that he would ride on Breckinridge's coattails.

## General election
### Results

Florida's at-large congressional district election, 1860 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Robert Benjamin Hilton | 7,722 | 59.89% | −2.54% |
| | Opposition | Benjamin F. Allen | 5,172 | 40.11% | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,550 | 19.78% | −5.08% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,894 | 100.00% | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### Results by County

| County | Robert Benjamin Hilton Democratic | Robert Benjamin Hilton Democratic | Benjamin F. Allen Opposition | Benjamin F. Allen Opposition | Total votes |
| County | # | % | # | % | Total votes |
| Alachua | 516 | 74.67% | 175 | 25.33% | 691 |
| Brevard | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 |
| Calhoun | 88 | 88.0% | 12 | 12.0% | 100 |
| Clay | 85 | 43.59% | 110 | 51.73% | 195 |
| Columbia | 237 | 48.27% | 254 | 51.73% | 491 |
| Dade | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 |
| Duval | 263 | 53.46% | 229 | 46.54% | 492 |
| Escambia | 173 | 30.73% | 390 | 69.27% | 563 |
| Franklin | 155 | 85.16% | 27 | 14.84% | 182 |
| Gadsden | 387 | 48.99% | 403 | 51.01% | 790 |
| Hamilton | 247 | 58.39% | 176 | 41.61% | 423 |
| Hernando | 216 | 72.0% | 84 | 28.0% | 300 |
| Hillsborough | 347 | 90.36% | 37 | 9.64% | 384 |
| Holmes | 75 | 46.88% | 85 | 53.13% | 160 |
| Jackson | 511 | 51.88% | 474 | 48.12% | 985 |
| Jefferson | 450 | 74.38% | 155 | 25.62% | 605 |
| Lafayette | 110 | 55.56% | 88 | 44.44% | 198 |
| Leon | 427 | 56.26% | 332 | 43.74% | 759 |
| Levy | 181 | 69.35% | 80 | 30.65% | 261 |
| Liberty | 93 | 51.38% | 88 | 48.62% | 181 |
| Madison | 422 | 64.53% | 232 | 35.47% | 654 |
| Manatee | 79 | 94.05% | 5 | 5.95% | 84 |
| Marion | 435 | 73.36% | 158 | 26.64% | 593 |
| Monroe | 156 | 78.0% | 44 | 22.0% | 200 |
| Nassau | 252 | 81.82% | 56 | 18.18% | 308 |
| New River | 211 | 61.34% | 133 | 38.66% | 344 |
| Orange | 58 | 36.02% | 103 | 63.98% | 161 |
| Putnam | 162 | 63.28% | 94 | 36.72% | 256 |
| Santa Rosa | 251 | 44.27% | 316 | 55.73% | 567 |
| St. Johns | 202 | 67.79% | 96 | 32.21% | 298 |
| Sumter | 108 | 59.67% | 73 | 40.33% | 181 |
| Suwannee | 135 | 49.63% | 137 | 50.37% | 272 |
| Taylor | 86 | 50.59% | 84 | 49.41% | 170 |
| Volusia | 49 | 69.01% | 22 | 30.99% | 71 |
| Wakulla | 173 | 54.75% | 143 | 45.25% | 316 |
| Walton | 210 | 51.98% | 194 | 48.02% | 404 |
| Washington | 172 | 67.45% | 83 | 32.55% | 255 |
| Totals | 7,722 | 59.89% | 5,172 | 40.11% | 12,894 |

## Aftermath

Florida seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861, meaning Hilton was not able to take his seat in Congress. However, Hilton won election to the Confederate States House of Representatives later in 1861, representing Florida's 2nd congressional district.