Cleveland won the presidential nomination on the second ballot of the 1884 Democratic National Convention . President Chester A. Arthur had acceded to the presidency in 1881 following the assassination of James A. Garfield , but he was unsuccessful in his bid for nomination to a full term . Blaine , who had served as Secretary of State under President Garfield , defeated Arthur and other candidates on the fourth ballot of the 1884 Republican National Convention . A group of reformist Republicans known as " Mugwumps " abandoned Blaine 's candidacy , viewing him as corrupt . The campaign was marred by exceptional political acrimony and personal invective . Blaine 's reputation for public corruption and his inadvertent alienation of Catholic voters proved decisive
1884 Democratic National Convention
1884 Democratic National Convention
1884 United States presidential election