Third Party "Matching Funds" inThe 1884 Election.

[PBrunsel]

The 1884 Election was probably the most negative presidential campaign in U.S. history. Despite a negative campaign, the major parties decided to give a "push'" to the third parties.

Kansas Governor John P. St.John was the Prohinition Candidate for President in 1884. He took votes away from the Republicans. Because of this, the Democrats decided to fund St. John's campaign. He was given a lump sum of $500,000, a large sum in 1884, by the Democratic National Comitee. The Republicans feared that St. John would hurt them in the states of New York, Indiana, and New Jersey. The Republican National Comitee offered St. John $1 million to drop out of the race, but he refused. The 24,999 votes for St. John cost the Republicans the state of New York, and the election.

The Greenback Party nominee Benjamin Franklin Butler was expected to take votes away from the Democrats. The Republicans, giddy about Butler's popularity in the midwest and New York, decided to fund Butler's candidacy. They gave about the same amount as the Democrats gave to St. John, $500,000. Butler had more of a following than Governor St. John, so the Republicans felt he would be a spoiler for the Democrats. He turned out to get 175,370 (1.7%) of the vote. It was not enough to give the Republicans the election, but it did stop Cleveland from winning a 50% majority.

[PBrunsel]

Good history lesson! Where did you find this information?

www.harpweek.org

[WMS]

Good history lesson! Where did you find this information?

www.harpweek.org

This isn't as distant a memory as we may think...how many Republicans contribute to Ralph Nader? And if Roy Moore runs, how many Democrats will contribute to him?

I find it all very amusing, actually...

[PBrunsel]

Well I thought this would be funny to bring up since Kerry has met with Ralph Nader this week.

[PBrunsel]

Funny isn't it? The current Great Battle of Ralph Nader is going on now.

Republican operatives are funding Nader's campaign while Democratic operatives are halting him in his battle for ballot access.

Much like 1884.

[zachman]

Republican operatives are funding Nader's campaign while Democratic operatives are halting him in his battle for ballot access.

Of which I'd like to see a list of the states with Democratic governors where Nader is on the ballot, and the states with Republican governors where Nader is off the ballot.