As President Thomas Jefferson sought Election in 1804, the Federalists hoped to challenge him with a war hero, Charles Pinckney. Let’s dive into the details of this significant election.
Background
Before examining the election itself, it’s important to understand the context in which it took place. Thomas Jefferson narrowly won the presidency in the contentious Election of 1800, defeating his rival, John Adams. Since then, Jefferson and his Democratic-Republicans had worked to dismantle many Federalist policies, while also reducing government spending and the size of the military.
One of Jefferson’s notable achievements was reducing the national debt, which improved the economy and maintained strong trade relations with foreign nations. However, Jefferson broke one of his key campaign promises—to limit executive power—when he authorized the Louisiana Purchase.
The Louisiana Purchase, as many know, involved acquiring a vast territory from France. After striking a deal with Napoleon Bonaparte, Jefferson secured this land for the U.S., doubling the nation’s size. This new territory would eventually become states like Wyoming, the Dakotas, Colorado, and Louisiana, among others.
Jefferson’s popularity soared as a result of the Louisiana Purchase, making his re-nomination by the Democratic-Republicans a certainty. However, there was one significant change to the ticket: Jefferson’s choice of running mate.
The Death of Alexander Hamilton
Since the dramatic conclusion of the 1800 contingent election, Aaron Burr, Jefferson’s Vice President, harbored a deep resentment toward Alexander Hamilton, the man who had influenced the House of Representatives to choose Jefferson over Burr.
Hamilton’s reputation had already suffered from his involvement in previous elections and the public scandal surrounding his affair with Maria Reynolds. The affair, which led to extortion by Reynolds and her husband, further tarnished Hamilton’s political standing. Adding to his woes, Hamilton’s son, Philip, was killed in a duel in 1801.
The rivalry between Burr and Hamilton reached its tragic climax on July 11, 1804, when Burr fatally shot Hamilton in a duel. This event not only ended Hamilton’s life but also effectively ended Burr’s political career. Although Burr was tried for Hamilton’s death, the charges were eventually dropped.
Understandably, Jefferson distanced himself from Burr, whom he had never fully trusted. For the 1804 election, Jefferson selected George Clinton, the former Governor of New York, as his new running mate.
The Federalist Party Ticket
With John Adams retiring from politics after the 1800 election, the Federalists faced an uphill battle. The Democratic-Republicans’ growing influence, coupled with Hamilton’s death, made the Federalists’ chances in the 1804 election appear bleak.
Despite this, the Federalists nominated Charles Pinckney for president, with former New York Senator Rufus King as his running mate. Pinckney had previously run for president and served as John Adams’ running mate in 1800. A hero of the Revolutionary War and a former U.S. Ambassador to France, Pinckney brought significant experience to the ticket. Rufus King, a Founding Father and U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain, rounded out the Federalist slate.
The Federalists aimed to win Southern votes with Pinckney at the top of the ticket while retaining the Federalist strongholds from 1800. They criticized Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase as unconstitutional and revived accusations that Jefferson was having an affair with his enslaved woman, Sally Hemings.
This election also marked the first time voters would choose both the president and vice president on the same ticket, following the ratification of the 12th Amendment to the Constitution, which eliminated the previous rule where the runner-up in the presidential election became vice president.
The Results
Despite the Federalists’ efforts, Thomas Jefferson won re-election in a landslide. He received 162 electoral votes and secured 72.8% of the popular vote—the highest percentage for a re-elected president up to that point and the highest for any presidential candidate since the two-party system began.
Charles Pinckney managed only 14 electoral votes and 27.2% of the popular vote, winning just two states: Connecticut and Delaware. Even the traditionally Federalist New England states went to Jefferson.
Jefferson’s margin of 45.6% in the popular vote remains one of the most lopsided in U.S. election history. With this victory, Jefferson became the first of two vice presidents to be elected and re-elected as president.
