Following the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago , U.S. Senator George McGovern of South Dakota co-chaired a commission that revised the Democratic presidential nomination structure . The new structure weakened the influence of such old-style party bosses as Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley , who were once able to hand-pick national convention delegates and dictate the way they voted . The new rules made caucuses a process in which relative newcomers could participate without paying dues to established party organizations
1968 Democratic National Convention
1968 Democratic National Convention
Gary Hart