Jonathan Earle — He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860 - with Sidney Blumenthal
Jonathan Earle presents *He Has the People*, his detailed account of Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the pivotal 1860 presidential election, in conversation with Sidney Blumenthal. The discussion explores an election held amid escalating conflict over slavery, the aftermath of John Brown’s raid, divisions within the Democratic and Republican parties, and the growing possibility of civil war.
Drawing on the writings of Murat Halstead, described as the nation’s first campaign journalist, and previously unused papers from Lincoln’s campaign manager, Earle examines how the relatively obscure former Illinois congressman defeated better-established contenders such as Stephen Douglas and William Henry Seward. He describes the era’s volatile, sometimes militarized campaigning and the sophisticated political organization behind Lincoln’s appeal to Northern voters, antislavery sentiment, and a nation in crisis.
When: Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.
Venue: Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008.
Format: Jonathan Earle will be in conversation with Sidney Blumenthal.
Featured book: *He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860* is Earle’s fifth book and offers a historical narrative and reassessment of what the page describes as the most consequential U.S. presidential election. The related hardcover is listed at $29.99.
Presenter: Jonathan Earle specializes in the politics and culture of the antebellum United States. He studied at Columbia and Princeton Universities and is the author of numerous books and articles, including the prize-winning *Jacksonian Antislavery and the Politics of Free Soil*. Since 2014, he has served as dean of the Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College at Louisiana State University. Originally from the Washington area, he now lives in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
Conversation partner: Sidney Blumenthal is a columnist for *The Guardian* and the author of *All the Powers of the Earth*, *A Self-Made Man*, and *Wrestling with His Angel*, the first three volumes of his five-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln. He previously served as an assistant and senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and as a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton. He has also worked as a national staff reporter for *The Washington Post* and as a Washington editor and writer for *The New Yorker*. His other books include *The Clinton Wars*, *The Rise of the Counter-Establishment*, and *The Permanent Campaign*. He was born and raised in Illinois and lives in Washington, DC.
Tickets: Free.
Seating: Seating is first come, first served.
Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The venue will make an effort to accommodate requests submitted up to the event time.