in 1857, banks ran for governor of massachusetts against the incumbent gardner. his nomination by the republicans was contentious, with opposition coming primarily from radical abolitionist interests opposed to his comparatively moderate stand on the issue. after a contentious general election campaign banks won a comfortable victory. one key action banks took in support of the antislavery movement was the dismissal of judge edward g. loring. loring had ruled in 1854 that anthony burns, a fugitive slave, be returned to slavery under the terms of the fugitive slave law of 1850. under the pressure of a public petition campaign spearheaded by william lloyd garrison, the legislature passed two bills of address, in 1855 and 1856, calling for loring's removal from his state office, but in both cases gardner had declined to remove him. banks signed a third such bill in 1858. he was rewarded with significant antislavery support, easily winning reelection in 1858.