The Presidential Election of 1876
The Republican Nomination: Despite the frustration of some Radicals, President Wilson was renominated by acclamation.
The Democratic Nomination: Several high profile candidates squared off for the Democratic Party's nomination in 1876. With Wilson's narrow victory in 1872, many party delegates sensed an oppurtunity for a much needed victory. The early frontrunners were General Winfield Scott Hancock, Governor Thomas Hendricks of Indiana, and Governor Samuel Tilden of New York. Tilden was favored by the reformers, while Hendricks had the support of many southerners still angry over the Civil War and Reconstruction. But it was Hancock who held the support of most of the delegates. His military record made him popular with veterans, and his opposition to congressional recstruction brought in enough Southerners to give him a solid base. But it was ultimately the fact that the delegates saw Hancock as the most electable that helped him carry the day. The delegates would go to to select Tilden as his Vice-Presidential nominee to placate reformers questioning Hancock's credentials.
The People's Party Nomination: In the aftermath of the Civil War, a large number of veterans from both sides moved to the west to start a new life. This was also the case with many Americans who saw a new oppurtunity to make a living for oneself in the Jeffersonian model. However the high prices of farming products, the growing power of the railroads, and the slow arrival of pensions, made these voters increasingly volatile. While they found certain aspects of each parties platform admirable (Republican support of the pensions, Democratic opposition to railroad power) they saw even more potential in forming their own party and running it for office. Known as the People's Party (or Populists), they focused their platform around an increase in the printing of greenbacks to make it easier for farmers to buy land and tools. They nominated Senator Newton Booth of California, a Republican Senator for California who was strongly opposed to the banking and railroad interests. They selected inventor Peter Cooper as Vice-President. The ticket found limited support outside of the Midwest initially, but began to organize throughout the nation.
The General Election: The race between Hancock and Wilson was one between personality and ideology. Hancock was a popular figure nationally: He was a hero at Gettysburg and throughout the war who had gone on to oppose what he saw as the punishment of the South. He was charismatic and appealed to both veterans and free blacks. Wilson on the other hand lacked any charisma. Whatever energy he had back in 1872 had been sapped by chronically bad health and a minor stroke. He was simply not able to carry his message. However the Republican Party was far better funded and had plenty of proxies to take Wilson's message of "Prosperity, Equality, and Reform" to the people. Hancock's rather vigorous campainging was offset by the general mood of the nation. Voters were still rather supportive of the Republicans. In general, they were seen as far more open, honest, and reform minded. If anything, they saw the Democrats as the party of secession, and the Republicans as the party of union. Nonetheless, the election was still very close and voters were clearly divided between which direction the nation should take. In the end, the power of incumbancy and the nations general shift trend towards Republicanism.
Wilson/Maynard (R): 50% of the PV, 193 EVs
Hancock/Tilden (D): 47% of the PV, 176 EVs
Booth/Cooper (P): 3% of the PV