Republican Victory in South Carolina - 1876

The 1876 South Carolina Gubernatorial election was very tight and involved paramilitary action by Benjamin Tillman's Red Shirts in an effort to defeat the Republicans.

The results were 50.3-49.7 with Democrat Wade Hampton III winning over Governor Daniel Henry Chamberlain.

Republicans in the state did their own count and found 50.9-49.1 for Chamberlain. Chamberlain would order two companies of Federal Troops to block the Democrats from entering the legislature (with Grant's blessing) and the whole ordeal led to their being two rival governments for a time. In fairness to Chamberlain, without the violence of the Democrats he without a doubt would have won and there was fraud in at least two counties where there was violence.


So what if Chamberlain had won outright in 1876 despite the violence?
 
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Do the Democrats accept the result? If not they probably install Hampton anyway as soon as the Federal troops are gone.

Even if the Dems accept his victory, he certainly loses in 1878 - if he bothers to run. Once Union troops have left no Republican stands an earthly.
 
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