ELECTION #5, 1804 - the NASTY METER goes down to 2.

QUOTE from a Federalist pamphlet blasting Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 campaign: Jefferson is a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father."

ELECTION #5, 1804. Thomas Jefferson is re-elected president in a landslide. The NASTY-METER goes down to 2.

The election of 1804 was a snoozer because Jefferson had been a skilled middle-of-the-road president in his first term. Despite Federalist howls, Jefferson did not turn the country into an atheistic society, instigate a bloodbath as had happened in France, or abandon the New England merchants.
He had made some popular decisions in his first term - the most popular was the Louisiana Purchase which doubled the size of the U.S. He bought it for a mere $15 million which amounted to three cents an acre. Now that's what I'd call a bargain.

The CANDIDATES in 1804.

On February 25, 1804, the U.S. saw the first official nominating caucus by a political party. Republican congressmen met and re-nominated Jefferson for a second term. They picked New York Governor George Clinton for his vice-presidential running mate.

The Federalists picked Charles C. Pinckney (Adam's 1800 running mate)as their presidential candidate. Pinckney was a large man, respected by both parties, but he was half-deaf, and not what you would call an exciting human being. The Federalists picked N.Y. Senator Rufus King as his running mate.

The CAMPAIGN

Everyone could see that Jefferson and the Republicans had a lock on winning the election. But the Federalists tried their best to smear Jefferson with the usual slurs - he was an atheist, he had affairs with his slaves, and so on.

The WINNER was Thomas Jefferson

In 1804 there was still no voting by the people so again it was just the electoral votes. It was no contest as Jefferson got 162 votes to only 14 for Pinckney. Jefferson carried all the states except Connecticut and Delaware.