The main reason southerners opposed the election of abraham lincoln was:

a. his stand on the protective tariff
b. his strong union sentiments
c. his opposition to expanding slavery
d. his push toward immediate abolition of slavery

Option C. his opposition to expanding slavery.

In context, when he was a candidate he was opposed to the expansion of slavery into any U.S. territory and even proposed a compensated emancipation.  This was before the Civil War and before he got elected.  His aim was to slowly end slavery through gradual emancipation and voluntary colonization, and not by immediately ending slavery.  

It was later on when he was already president that he issued the Emancipation Proclamation (in 1863).