DeWitt Clinton, 1812
After two blow-outs against Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, the Democratic-Republican Party found tougher opposition against Dewitt Clinton. Madison, the incumbent, must’ve felt a little piqued at the fact DeWitt was the nephew of his own former Veep, George Clinton. Wikipedia says DeWitt Clinton was a Federalist, but that’s just silly talk. Clinton was a Clintonian, an ad hoc party slapped together around him by Madison’s enemies. DeWitt was nominated by a rogue caucus (rogue caucus – there’s a pair of words you never see together) of Democratic-Republicans who were upset because they felt Madison had dragged his feet over getting us into the War of 1812. (This was a completely unfair accusation, because I checked the facts, and the War of 1812 started right on schedule.) I cannot express how sad I find it that we never had a DeWitt in the White House, but that’s the way it is. We had our chance at a Cotesworth and a Rufus, too, and we blew it then as well.
Results
James Madison: 128
DeWitt Clinton: 88
