Congressional nominating caucus
Encyclopedia
The Congressional nominating caucus is the name for informal meetings in which American congressmen would agree on who to nominate for the Presidency and Vice Presidency from their political party.
had announced his retirement upon the end of his second term, when the Democratic-Republican Party
, which had already settled for Thomas Jefferson
as Presidential candidate, decided on their choice for Vice President.
The system ended in 1824 as existing political parties began to decentralize as a result of the westward expansion of America. The system had come to be known as "King Caucus", because the power that these caucuses had to nominate a president was seen as undemocratic. The failure of the caucus nominee of 1824, William Crawford
, and his competitors to receive an electoral majority resulted in John Quincy Adams
finally being elected president in the House of Representatives.
From 1831 onwards, the Congressional nominating caucus was replaced with national presidential nominating conventions.
History
This system was introduced in 1796 after George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
had announced his retirement upon the end of his second term, when the Democratic-Republican Party
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
, which had already settled for Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
as Presidential candidate, decided on their choice for Vice President.
The system ended in 1824 as existing political parties began to decentralize as a result of the westward expansion of America. The system had come to be known as "King Caucus", because the power that these caucuses had to nominate a president was seen as undemocratic. The failure of the caucus nominee of 1824, William Crawford
William H. Crawford
William Harris Crawford was an American politician and judge during the early 19th century. He served as United States Secretary of War from 1815 to 1816 and United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1816 to 1825, and was a candidate for President of the United States in 1824.-Political...
, and his competitors to receive an electoral majority resulted in John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
finally being elected president in the House of Representatives.
From 1831 onwards, the Congressional nominating caucus was replaced with national presidential nominating conventions.