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(Saturday, March 16, 1816) — In a narrow and hard-fought contest that confirms the continued dominance of the “Virginia Dynasty,” Secretary of State James Monroe was selected today as the Democratic-Republican candidate for the presidency of the United States.
The decision followed a decisive meeting of the Congressional nominating caucus held in the chamber of the House of Representatives. Monroe, the hand-picked successor to President James Madison, defeated his primary challenger, Secretary of War William H. Crawford of Georgia, by a vote of 65 to 54.
The outgoing president James Madison did not seek re-election to a third consecutive term.
The caucus also moved to solidify the ticket by nominating Governor Daniel D. Tompkins of New York for the vice presidency. Tompkins secured a commanding 85-30 vote, easily outdistancing Pennsylvania Governor Simon Snyder.
While the Democratic-Republicans have unified behind Monroe, the Federalist opposition remains in a state of terminal disarray. Though the party has failed to hold a caucus or formally name a candidate, Senator Rufus King of New York has emerged as the de facto “standard-bearer” for the Federalist cause.
King’s position as the primary challenger is a matter of survival for the Federalists rather than a formal selection. Following the fallout of the Hartford Convention, the party has been unable to coordinate a national campaign.
King, a distinguished statesman and former vice-presidential nominee, has become the only figure around whom the remaining Federalist state legislatures and unpledged electors can gather.
While some Federalists suggested the former U.S. senator from Maryland John Eager Howard or even Crawford as possible candidates, no serious movement to nominate either man ever materialized.
Despite King’s personal stature, he remains aloof from the contest, and many observers believe his candidacy is a half-hearted attempt to maintain a Federalist presence in the few states where they still hold power, such as Massachusetts and Connecticut.
With the Federalist opposition currently unable to even agree on a single vice-presidential partner, Monroe is widely considered the presumptive favorite to win the general election this November.
