If the democratic party ran only one candidate, would that candidate have won the election? Explain your answer.

In the Election of 1860, the Democratic Party did not run just one candidate. Instead, the party split into two factions – Northern Democrats, who nominated Stephen A. Douglas, and Southern Democrats, who nominated John C. Breckinridge. This split within the Democratic Party significantly weakened their overall chances of winning the election.

If the Democratic Party had run only one candidate, it is difficult to say definitively whether that candidate would have won the election. However, running a unified candidate would have likely increased their chances of success by consolidating their support and presenting a stronger, more cohesive campaign against the Republican nominee, Abraham Lincoln.

Despite the divisions within the Democratic Party, Lincoln ultimately won the Election of 1860, becoming the first Republican candidate to be elected President of the United States. The split in the Democratic Party certainly played a role in his victory, as it allowed Lincoln to secure enough electoral votes to win the election.