The 1856 Presidential Election

Well, well, well. Here we have the 1856 presidential election, with the Whigs gone and the Republicans making their first appearance on the ballot (along with the Know Nothings). This election calls to mind how Ulysses S. Grant approached his first presidential ballot (a classic case of negative reference group voting), although by the end of four years he knew enough about Buchanan not to care for him either.