Cleveland had risen to prominence as an advocate of civil service reform , and he was widely viewed as a presidential contender after his victory in the 1882 New York gubernatorial election . Samuel J. Tilden , the party 's nominee in 1876 , was the initial front-runner , but he declined to run due to poor health . Cleveland , Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware , Allen G. Thurman of Ohio , Samuel Freeman Miller of Iowa , and Benjamin Butler of Massachusetts each had considerable followings entering the 1884 Democratic National Convention . Each of the other candidates had hindrances to his nomination : Bayard had spoken in favor of secession in 1861 , making him unacceptable to Northerners ; Butler , conversely , was reviled throughout the South for his actions during the Civil War ; Thurman was generally well liked , but was growing old and infirm , and his views on the silver question were uncertain . Cleveland , too , had detractors — the Tammany Hall political machine opposed him — but the nature of his enemies made him still more friends . He also benefited from the backing of state party leader Daniel Manning , who positioned Cleveland as the natural heir to Tilden and emphasized the importance of New York 's electoral votes in any Democratic presidential victory . Cleveland led on the convention 's first ballot and clinched the nomination on the second ballot . Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana was selected as his running mate . The 1884 Republican National Convention nominated former Speaker of the House James G. Blaine of Maine for president ; Blaine 's nomination alienated many Republicans who viewed Blaine as ambitious and immoral
1884 Democratic National Convention
1884 Democratic National Convention
Presidencies of Grover Cleveland