After the controversy over the election of 1876 , Tilden became the presumptive Democratic candidate in 1880 presidential election . He declined to run for another term as governor in 1879 , focusing instead on building support for the 1880 presidential nomination . The revelations of the Potter Committee , along with Tilden 's persistent health issues , both damaged Tilden 's national standing , but his superior political organization and personal fortune ensured that he remained a serious contender for the Democratic nomination . Tilden 's standing with the party slipped further following the Republican victory in the New York gubernatorial election in 1879 . In that election , a revitalized Tammany Hall organization split from the regular Democratic party in a patronage dispute with Tilden 's faction . In the months before the 1880 Democratic National Convention , rumors about Tilden 's intentions circulated wildly , but Tilden refused to definitively state whether or not he would seek the Democratic nomination
1880 Democratic National Convention
1880 Democratic National Convention
Samuel J. Tilden