8 3 6 , ▁Jones ▁supported ▁the ▁president ial ▁campaign ▁of ▁Hugh ▁Law son ▁White , ▁a ▁former ▁Dem ocrat ▁who ▁had ▁turned ▁against ▁Andrew ▁Jackson ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Wh ig ▁Party . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Jones ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁representing ▁Wilson ▁County . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁re elect ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁Jones ▁was ▁an ▁elect or ▁for ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁William ▁Henry ▁Harrison . ▁ ▁While ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature , ▁Jones ▁studied ▁law , ▁but ▁never ▁pract iced . ▁ ▁Governor ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁Wh igs ▁nominated ▁Jones ▁as ▁their ▁candidate ▁for ▁governor . ▁ ▁The ▁Wh igs ▁believed ▁that ▁Jones , ▁widely ▁known ▁as ▁an ▁entertain ing ▁speaker ▁and ▁story t eller , ▁was ▁their ▁best ▁shot ▁to ▁defeat ▁inc umb ent ▁governor , ▁James ▁K . ▁Pol k . ▁ ▁After ▁best ing ▁Pol k ▁in ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁deb ates ▁in ▁the ▁Spring ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁Jones ▁won ▁the ▁election ▁by ▁just ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ▁out ▁of ▁over ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁cast . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁Wh igs ▁controlled ▁the ▁state ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁but ▁Democr ats ▁held ▁onto ▁the ▁state ▁sen ate ▁by ▁a ▁ 1 3 ▁to ▁ 1 2 ▁margin . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁first