Stephen A. Douglas

In early 1842 Douglas began campaigning to replace [[Richard M. Young]] in the US Senate but lost in December to [[Sidney Breese]], a colleague who had advised him to abandon his campaign. However, new congressional districts had been created after an influx of immigrants increased the state's population. Elections to fill the corresponding seats were scheduled for August 1843, so Douglas decided to run against Whig [[Orville Hickman Browning]] in the 5th district. In May he was opposed by the newspaper the ''Quincy Daily Whig'' for supposedly having made a politically charged ruling, and accused in June by the same newspaper of [[tax evasion]] and of continuing to take his judge's salary a year after resigning. Douglas debated Browning in towns across the district; they frequently travelled together and shared lodgings. Browning fell ill near the end of the campaign, causing rumors that he was dead. Douglas won the August 7 election, 8,641 votes to 8,180. The margin was "the narrowest ... in any Illinois congressional contest that year". Douglas took office on December 5, 1843.{{sfn|Ankrom|2015|pp=177-181, 183-185, 191}}

In early 1842 Douglas began campaigning to replace [[Richard M. Young]] in the US Senate but lost in December to [[Sidney Breese]], a colleague who had advised him to abandon his campaign. However, new congressional districts had been created after an influx of immigrants increased the state's population. Elections to fill the corresponding seats were scheduled for August 1843, so Douglas decided to run against Whig [[Orville Hickman Browning]] in the 5th district. In May he was opposed by the newspaper the ''Quincy Daily Whig'' for supposedly having made a politically charged ruling, and accused in June by the same newspaper of [[tax evasion]] and of continuing to take his judge's salary a year after resigning. Douglas debated Browning in towns across the district; they frequently travelled together and shared lodgings. Browning fell ill near the end of the campaign, causing rumors that he was dead. Douglas won the August 7 election, 8,641 votes to 8,180. The margin was "the narrowest ... in any Illinois congressional contest that year". Douglas took office on December 5, 1843.{{sfn|Ankrom|2015|pp=177-181, 183-185, 191}}

After decisively winning re-election in August 1844, Douglas campaigned for Democratic presidential candidate [[James K. Polk]] in that year's [[1844 United States presidential election|presidential election]]. During one of his first campaign appearances outside of Illinois, Douglas denounced high [[tariffs in United States history|tariff]] rates, saying that they constituted "an act for the oppression and plunder of the American laborer for the benefit of a few large capitalists". Polk narrowly defeated Whig [[Henry Clay]].Morris (2008), pp. 36–39 After Polk took office, Douglas strongly supported the [[Texas annexation|annexation]] of [[Republic of Texas|Texas]], and in May 1846 he voted to declare [[Mexican-American War|war on Mexico]] after U.S. and Mexican forces clashed near the [[Rio Grande River]]. Douglas considered volunteering to serve in the war, but Polk convinced him to remain in Congress, where he could serve as an advocate for Polk's policies. Douglas was one of four Northern Democrats to vote against the [[Wilmot Proviso]], which would have banned [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]] from any land ceded by Mexico. Douglas instead favored extending to all U.S. territories the [[Missouri Compromise Line]], which banned slavery north of parallel 36°30′ north, except for Missouri, but permitted slavery south of it, but his proposal was defeated by anti-slavery Northern congressmen.Morris (2008), pp. 41–43 Despite being a supporter of Polk's policies, he voted against the [[Walker Tariff]], which significantly lowered existing rates.{{cite web | url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?hlaw:18:./temp/~ammem_tYfU:: | title=American Memory from the Library of Congress }}

After decisively winning re-election in August 1844, Douglas campaigned for Democratic presidential candidate [[James K. Polk]] in that year's [[1844 United States presidential election|presidential election]]. During one of his first campaign appearances outside of Illinois, Douglas denounced high [[tariffs in United States history|tariff]] rates, saying that they constituted "an act for the oppression and plunder of the American laborer for the benefit of a few large capitalists". Polk narrowly defeated Whig [[Henry Clay]].Morris (2008), pp. 36–39 After Polk took office, Douglas strongly supported the [[Texas annexation|annexation]] of [[Republic of Texas|Texas]], and in May 1846 he voted to declare [[Mexican-American War|war on Mexico]] after U.S. and Mexican forces clashed near the [[Rio Grande River]]. Douglas considered volunteering to serve in the war, but Polk convinced him to remain in Congress, where he could serve as an advocate for Polk's policies. Douglas was one of four Northern Democrats to vote against the [[Wilmot Proviso]], which would have banned [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]] from any land ceded by Mexico. Douglas instead favored extending to all U.S. territories the [[Missouri Compromise Line]], which banned slavery above parallel 36°30′ north, except for Missouri, and permitted slavery below it, but his proposal was defeated by anti-slavery Northern congressmen.Morris (2008), pp. 41–43 Despite being a supporter of Polk's policies, he voted against the [[Walker Tariff]], which significantly lowered existing rates.{{cite web | url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?hlaw:18:./temp/~ammem_tYfU:: | title=American Memory from the Library of Congress }}

==Senator==

==Senator==