1860 Republican National Convention
The 1860 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States, held in Chicago, Illinois at the Wigwam, nominated former Representative Abraham Lincoln of Illinois for President and Senator Hannibal Hamlin of Maine for Vice President. This was only the second national nominating convention for the Republican Party.
Other candidates at the convention included former New York Governor William H. Seward, U.S. Senator Salmon P. Chase of Ohio, former U.S. Representative Edward Bates of Missouri, and U.S. Senator Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania.
This primary was notable as every candidate that ran for the Republican nomination eventually became a member of Lincoln's cabinet.
Seward had been the favorite going into the convention, and led on the first two ballots. His lead soon melted away to the dark horse Lincoln, who captured the nomination on the third ballot. Lincoln's campaign manager, David Davis, was credited with playing a substantial role in the convention outcome.
Lincoln-Hamlin went on to defeat three other major tickets that year, including Democratic nominee Stephen A. Douglas, U.S. Senator from Illinois.
Read more about 1860 Republican National Convention: Ballot Counts, Platform, Candidate Gallery
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