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The 1876 United States presidential election was the 23rd quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 7, 1876. Incumbent President George H. Pendleton opted not to run again for a third elected term, leading the race open to multiple candidates. The election saw a Republican split that guaranteed the Democrats a victory. As of 2024, this is also the last election in which there was more than one candidate not affiliated with any political party or organization.
The Democratic Party, under control of the Bourbon faction, nominated New Netherland Governor Samuel J. Tilden, with Thomas A. Hendricks as his running mate. The Republicans, still fractured due to their association with the loss in the Second Columbian War, struggled to mount an effective campaign. They nominated the moderate Rutherford B. Hayes, who was a veteran of the war, provoking a split from the pro-civil rights and New Netherland chapters of the party. On one hand, the party's Stalwart faction opposed Hayes for his leniency on debate for civil service reform and civil rights, and on another, the New Netherland faction opposed Hayes due to his controversial proposal to block migrations of Dutch speakers outside of New Netherland. Thus, the Republicans were split three ways, leaving the election results firmly in the hands of the Democrats once again. Nonetheless, Hayes mounted a widespread campaigning tour in comparison to the three other candidates, visiting as far as Kosuto to gain the support of both Republicans and Democrats alike.
As expected, Tilden won the election in a landslide, cementing control of the party's Bourbon faction and cementing the party's final electoral victory during their 12-year streak of winning the presidency, which was ended by Roscoe Conkling four years later.