America’s Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History

America’s Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History

August 24, 2026 · 27 min · Season 5 · Episode 25

About this episode

The episode discusses the violent 1872 Louisiana gubernatorial election and its historical implications.

One hundred and fifty years before the events of January 7, 2021, the 1872 Louisiana gubernatorial election—arguably the most contentious in American history, with both parties claiming corruption and neither candidate conceding—led to racial violence across the state and the deaths of at least 150 Black men in the Colfax Massacre. CNN’s Dana Bash and author David Fisher join David M. Rubenstein to discuss the little-known story of this violent moment in America’s history. Recorded on May 1, ...

People in this episode

Host: David M. Rubenstein

Guests: Dana Bash, David Fisher

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CNN

Places: Louisiana

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