1880-Grant gets nominated

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Say that Ulysses S. Grant gets the nomination in 1880 instead of James Garfield.  He picks Levi Morton of New York as his Vice Presidential candidate.  The Democrats still nominate Winfield Scott and William English.  Does Grant win a third term?

[Lincoln Republican]

Grant is not elected to a third term.  His administration, especially the second administration, was marred by scandal.

Winfield Scott Hancock is elected President.  He barely lost to Garfield.  Against Grant in 1880, Hancock wins.

Besides, with a name like Winfield, how could he lose this election? 

[Erc]

With Grant as the nominee, you're likely to see the sort of Mugwumpian activity that lead to Blaine's defeat in '84 (and Grant is ten times less amenable to Mugwumps as Blaine is).  Yes, Grant still has his Generalcy going for him, but voters remember the eight years of scandals, and it's not like Hancock isn't a war hero himself.

I can't really see Grant winning the nomination in the first place...he had a big core of the delegation that was solidly with him, but a majority of the delegates aren't going to vote for him in any event.

One possibility I have seen suggested is a Roscoe Conkling candidacy...as the situation looked worse and worse for the Grant crowd, but before Garfield really began to catch on, I believe there was some consideration of some of Grant's delegates throwing their support behind Conkling (who was managing Grant's campaign in the convention), in hopes of breaking the deadlock.  Conkling dismissed the idea and continued supporting Grant.

How would a Conkling v. Hancock race have played out?

[gorkay]

I'm not so sure Grant would have lost if he had run in 1880. After all, he got re-elected in 1872 when his incompetence and his administration's scandal should have been plain to all the voters. Granted, Hancock was a better opponent than Greeley, but I don't think it's out of the question that Grant would have done better than Garfield, and would thus have won.

A Conkling nomination would have been a disaster. He was too arrogant, too undisciplined, and had way too much baggage.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Grant wins 228-141

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Grant wins 228-141

How the hell does Ulysses Grant get re-elected President of the United States in 1880? He was a dead man walking, especially after his administrative scandals that occured in his second term. Your maps really don't make sense some times Warner for Senate '08.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Grant wins 228-141

How the hell does Ulysses Grant get re-elected President of the United States in 1880? He was a dead man walking, especially after his administrative scandals that occured in his second term. Your maps really don't make sense some times Warner for Senate '08.

I think that the public perception of Grant was that he was a war hero, and that the corruption of his presidency hadn't come out full yet.  Maybe I'm wrong, and there would have been too much backlash against him, but I think he would have won.

[CPT MikeyMike]

Grant wins 228-141

How the hell does Ulysses Grant get re-elected President of the United States in 1880? He was a dead man walking, especially after his administrative scandals that occured in his second term. Your maps really don't make sense some times Warner for Senate '08.

I think that the public perception of Grant was that he was a war hero, and that the corruption of his presidency hadn't come out full yet.  Maybe I'm wrong, and there would have been too much backlash against him, but I think he would have won.

Grant was tainted by 1880. He was personally honest but he was surrounded by crooks. He was "asleep at the wheel."

He would not have won.

[gorkay]

As I pointed out earlier, the scandals in the Grant administration didn't hurt him at the polls in 1872, so why would they have done so in 1880?