The 1860 Republican ticket was the first successful national ticket that did not feature a Southerner, and the election marked the end of Southern political dominance in the United States. Between 1789 and 1860, Southerners had been president for two-thirds of the era, and had held the offices of
Speaker of the House and
President pro tempore of the Senate during much of that time. Moreover, since 1791, Southerners had constituted a majority of the
Supreme Court.