The Presidential Election 1872

Still a popular hero of the Civil War, incumbent Ulysses S. Grant was renominated to run for election by the Radical Republicans to continue their policy of Radical Reconstruction. There was, however, a group of Republican dissidents who split from the main party, calling themselves Liberal Republicans. Their presidential candidate was New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley. The Democrats, fearing the Liberal Republicans may steal a portion of their vote, decided not to nominate a candidate and instead supported Greeley. This led to in-fighting between the Liberal Republicans and the Democrats, weakening Greeley’s position, not helped by his poor health. Grant had a decisive win with 286 electoral votes and 56 per cent of the popular vote. Greeley died before the electoral votes were cast so several splinter parties received a portion of his votes.