Although some Republicans urged Hayes to run for a second term , he was looking forward to retirement , and so stuck to his 1876 promise to serve only one term . When Republicans convened in June 1880 , in Chicago , the fight for the nomination stood between former President Grant and Senator James Blaine . Congressman James A. Garfield , head of the Ohio delegation and chairman of the Convention Rules Committee , backed Treasury Secretary John Sherman . Elihu B. Washburne , George F. Edmunds , and William Windom also emerged as potential nominees . The convention deadlocked through thirty-three ballots , with Grant leading , followed by Blaine and Sherman . On the thirty-fourth ballot , Garfield received sixteen votes from Wisconsin , and Blaine and Sherman backers switched their support to Garfield on subsequent ballots . On the thirty-sixth ballot , Garfield won 399 votes to Grant 's 306 , putting him over the top and giving him the Republican nomination . The convention nominated Chester A. Arthur , the former port collector of New York , to serve as Garfield 's running mate . Hayes was pleased with the ticket , which provided a balance between Half-Breeds and Stalwarts , and he appreciated the convention 's endorsement of his presidency . The 1880 Democratic National Convention met in June and nominated General Winfield Scott Hancock . With the Democrats firmly in control of the South , a Republican victory would require strong performances in the Northern swing states of Indiana , Ohio , New Jersey , New York , and Connecticut . The Republican Party campaigned on their support for universal manhood suffrage and argued that Republican policies had led to economic prosperity . Though Hancock swept the South and won most of the Far West , Garfield won the election by dominating the Northeast and the Midwest . Garfield won an extremely narrow popular vote plurality , with a margin of less than 0.1 % . James B. Weaver of the Greenback Party took over 3 % of the popular vote . In the weeks following Garfield 's election , Hayes and Garfield worked with each other to assure a smooth transition of power
Republicans convened in June 1880
1880 Republican National Convention
Presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes