Nevada, 1880

[Bo]

Why did Hancock defeat Garfield here in 1880? Nevada was typically a Republican state during the Gilded Age. Did Hancock win due to the Morey letter, or were there some other reasons?

[minionofmidas]

Hancock did well in Oregon and California, too.

[hcallega]

Maybe the veteran vote? A lot of veterans moved out west, and perhaps they saw Hancock as a war hero.

[Bo]

Maybe the veteran vote? A lot of veterans moved out west, and perhaps they saw Hancock as a war hero.

Good point. Tilden and Cleveland weren't war veterans and thus failed to win Nevada (despite the fact that the elections they were in were also very close), while Hancock was a veteran and thus managed to win Nevada.

[minionofmidas]

IIRC "Chinese Exclusion" was a campaign issue. That might be it.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Chinese exclusion might have played a role since Hayes had vetoed a Chinese exclusion bill in 1878, but since Arthur didn't veto a similar bill in 1878, I'm fairly certain it wasn't a Republican plank to oppose it in 1880, as the only major difference in the two parties platforms was the tariff. Hancock was not only a veteran, he had served out west, both before and after the Civil War, though his actual service in California and Utah Territory in particular  had been before the War.