In 1806 Gore won election to the State Senate . That year the Republicans were in the majority , and the election for governor was close enough to require a recount . The legislature scrutinized the ballots in a partisan manner ( for example , retaining ballots containing misspelled versions of Republican James Sullivan 's name and discarding similar ballots marked for Federalist Caleb Strong ) . Gore and other Federalists raised a public outcry , and the legislature relented , eventually certifying Strong as the winner .