also opposed the caucus system. Monroe was nominated by a group of Virginia Democratic-Republicans, and although he did not actively try to defeat Madison, he also refused to withdraw from the race. Clinton was also supported by a group of New York Democratic-Republicans for president even as he remained the party's official vice presidential candidate. Balloting Federalist Party nomination The Federalist caucus met in September 1808 and re-nominated the party's 1804 ticket, which consisted of General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina and former Senator Rufus King of New York. General election Campaign The election was marked by opposition to Jefferson's Embargo Act of 1807, a halt to trade with Europe that disproportionately hurt New England merchants and was perceived as favoring France over Britain. Nonetheless, Jefferson was still very popular with Americans generally and Pinckney was soundly defeated by Madison, though not as badly as in 1804. Pinckney received few electoral votes outside of New England. Results Pinckney retained the electoral votes of the two states that he carried in 1804 (Connecticut and Delaware), and he also picked up New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and three electoral districts in North Carolina besides the two electoral districts in Maryland that he carried earlier. Except for the North Carolina districts, all of the improvement was in New England. Monroe won a portion of the popular vote in Virginia and North Carolina, while the New York legislature split its electoral votes between Madison and Clinton. Source (Popular Vote): United States Presidential Elections, 1788-1860: The Official Results by County and State Source (Popular Vote): A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787-1825 Source (Electoral Vote): (a) Only 10 of the 17 states chose electors by popular vote. (b) Those states that did choose electors by popular vote had widely varying restrictions on suffrage via property requirements. (c) One Elector from Kentucky did not vote. Popular vote by state The popular vote totals used are the elector from each party with the highest total of votes. The vote totals of North Carolina and Tennessee appear to be incomplete. Close states States where the margin of victory was under 5%: New Hampshire, 4.8% (1,292 votes) States where the margin of victory was under 10%: Rhode Island, 6.6% (380 votes) North Carolina, 7.55% (1,306 votes) Electoral college selection See also History of the United States (1789–1849) First inauguration of James Madison 1808–1809 United States House of