Election of 1880: Garfield vs the Resurgent Democrats

Candidates:
Republican Party: James Garfield (Ohio) and Chester Arthur (New York)
Democratic Party: Winfield Hancock (Pennsylvania) and William English (Indiana)
Greenback Labor: James Weaver (Iowa) and Benjamin Chambers (Texas)

Election Results:
Garfield/Arthur: 214 electoral votes, 4.446 million popular votes
Hancock/English: 155 electoral votes, 4.444 million popular votes
Weaver/Chambers: 0 electoral votes, 305,000 popular votes

Summary:
The Democratic Party, still reeling from charges of treason during the Civil War, began to rebound with a share of congressional power in the 1878 midterm elections. They also were able to take advantage of Rutherford Hayes’ inability to lead the nation effectively after the scandal over his election. Hayes displeased many by turning away from the patronage system, pulling federal troops out of the South (and the South not protecting civil rights), and hitting hard against striking railroad workers. Even to many Republicans, Hayes’ promise for one term in office was a stroke of good luck because they felt they had stronger candidates against the resurgent Democrats.

The Republican nominating process was divided between supporters of a third term for former president Ulysses S Grant, who was part of the Stalwart Republican camp. In opposition to the more liberal Grant camp was the moderate, Half Breed camp led by Maine politician James G. Blaine. These two camps were deadlocked in the nominating convention and the common thread was James Garfield, an Ohio congressman who was well respected in the party. Garfield was supporting compromise candidate John Sherman but received some token support in the first couple of ballots.