A small act of persuasion in Philadelphia changed the course of US history, as it transpired that a lone vote from a delegate named W.A.M. Grier was instrumental in securing James Garfield's presidential nomination at the 1880 Republican National Convention.
Garfield himself had not sought the nomination and was more interested in boosting another candidate, Secretary of Treasury John Sherman. However, Wharton Barker, a Philadelphia publisher and financier with ties to the local banking community, saw an opportunity to push his favored candidate forward. His efforts were largely unopposed by Garfield, who remained committed to supporting Sherman throughout the primary season.
Barker's plan was audacious: he enlisted Grier to vote for Garfield early in the convention process, under the guise of being a genuine delegate vote rather than an official endorsement. This tactic allowed Barker to build momentum behind his candidate without having to navigate the more formal nomination proceedings.
The stakes were high, as most Republicans were either backing Ulysses S. Grant or James Blaine as alternative candidates. Garfield himself had committed to supporting Sherman and had agreed to speak on his behalf at the convention.
Despite initial skepticism from Garfield, Barker's persistence eventually paid off. In a series of dramatic votes that unfolded over several rounds, Grier's initial vote for Garfield was gradually replaced by others, with the lone delegate's tally swelling from one or two to 17, and finally securing the nomination with 399 votes.
It's worth noting that this marked a significant turning point in American history, as it propelled Garfield into the presidency. However, his tenure was cut short when he was assassinated just over four months into office by Charles Guiteau, a mentally unstable supporter who believed the president owed him a political appointment.
Garfield himself had not sought the nomination and was more interested in boosting another candidate, Secretary of Treasury John Sherman. However, Wharton Barker, a Philadelphia publisher and financier with ties to the local banking community, saw an opportunity to push his favored candidate forward. His efforts were largely unopposed by Garfield, who remained committed to supporting Sherman throughout the primary season.
Barker's plan was audacious: he enlisted Grier to vote for Garfield early in the convention process, under the guise of being a genuine delegate vote rather than an official endorsement. This tactic allowed Barker to build momentum behind his candidate without having to navigate the more formal nomination proceedings.
The stakes were high, as most Republicans were either backing Ulysses S. Grant or James Blaine as alternative candidates. Garfield himself had committed to supporting Sherman and had agreed to speak on his behalf at the convention.
Despite initial skepticism from Garfield, Barker's persistence eventually paid off. In a series of dramatic votes that unfolded over several rounds, Grier's initial vote for Garfield was gradually replaced by others, with the lone delegate's tally swelling from one or two to 17, and finally securing the nomination with 399 votes.
It's worth noting that this marked a significant turning point in American history, as it propelled Garfield into the presidency. However, his tenure was cut short when he was assassinated just over four months into office by Charles Guiteau, a mentally unstable supporter who believed the president owed him a political appointment.
The fact that Wharton Barker's plan worked out so well for Garfield shows how one person can make a huge impact with determination and strategy 
. It's like, if you believe in someone enough to make it happen, anything is possible 
. And sometimes, being the underdog isn't always a bad thing 
. It just goes to show that even in politics, where things can get pretty dramatic, one small move can change everything 
.
! he got that one vote and then the votes just kept comin in and next thing u know hes nominated 
! its crazy thinkin bout how different us history wouldve been if garfield hadnt won... but i guess thats life 
!
omg can u even imagine if grier hadn't voted for garfield? that one vote made all the difference! i feel like barker was super sneaky with his plan but hey when it comes to politics, sometimes you gotta do what it takes to get ahead 
. anyway its wild to think about how garfield's presidency turned out considering he got killed by some crazed dude just a few months in 
... even in politics! sometimes u gotta let go of the past & focus on what's next 
that W.A.M. Grier was! i mean, who needs actual support from their own party members when you've got a clever publisher like Wharton Barker pulling strings behind the scenes? 
and it's crazy how a single delegate's vote can change the course of history 
. but you've got to feel for James Garfield, stuck in this situation where he's backing Sherman while his own party members are basically manipulating him into getting the nomination 
. and then there's Charles Guiteau... what a mess 
and Sherman would've been left high & dry, nice try though Barker but seriously how did he get away with that kinda stuff?
. It's like, what's fair about that? And then to top it off, Garfield gets assassinated just four months into office 
. Can't we just have honest politics for once? 
The lack of accountability is wild 
- Abraham Lincoln
. And look how that played out! Garfield ends up with the nomination and gets elected President. Mind you, it's not like this guy wasn't important to history anyway... still, it's pretty wild thinking about one vote making all the difference 
and now james garfield is president... but let's be real, his time in office was super short 
Barker's plan was genius tho - who would've thought one guy could swing a whole convention like that? 
. Wharton Barker was definitely a master strategist 
. And Barker was like, super sneaky 
. It just goes to show that in politics, sometimes you gotta make tough choices and take risks 
.