Even in the midst of a Civil War, the American people staged an election and re-elected the incumbent, Abraham Lincoln.  Lincoln had lost favor with many Radical Republicans, but was still able to secure the nomination of his party. Although, it is important to note that Lincoln and Johnson ran on the National Union Party ticket, a label adopted by Republicans to include War Democrats.  Today, we still refer to Lincoln as a Republican and Johnson as a Democrat, as the National Union Party seems to have died with Lincoln.

During the war, Lincoln’s plan had shifted from one of preserving the Union to one of emancipation.  Democrats believed this would lessen his chance of a win.  It didn’t; Lincoln easily won re-election.

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Campaign poster

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election of 1864 map

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© 2021 Periodic Presidents, PJ and Jamie Creek