Republican nomination
Within days of the death of U.S. Senator Matthew H. Carpenter, political endorsements began appearing in Wisconsin newspapers for candidates to succeed him. [2] [3] Elisha W. Keyes, one of the most powerful Wisconsin Republicans of the era, made his third bid for the Republican nomination after failing to secure the seat in 1879 and the regular 1881 election. Former senator Angus Cameron had just declined to seek re-election in the regular 1881 election, but after receiving the support by many of Senator Carpenter's former allies, he consented to run for the nomination. [4] Carpenter had significant support from the northern parts of the states. The Milwaukee delegation was divided between Carpenter and former chief justice Luther S. Dixon. [5]
The Republican legislative caucus convened on March 7, 1881, and proceeded to an informal poll of legislators. Cameron held a slight lead, but was 8 votes short of a majority; Keyes and Dixon trailed behind by about 10 and 20 votes respectively. After five rounds of formal voting, the numbers remained stuck at approximately the same levels. The caucus adjourned until later that evening, when they took 23 more ballots; Cameron's count crept to within six votes of the majority. The caucus reconvened on March 8 and took 16 more ballots, support for Keyes and Dixon faded, and dark horse candidate Joseph V. Quarles briefly rose into 2nd place. Two more ballots were taken on the morning of March 9, showing no progress. The caucus adjourned again, during that break, supporters of Keyes and Dixon and others attempted to rally behind businessman and former legislator Jonathan Bowman. At the March 9 evening session, Cameron and Bowman were nearly tied; Cameron finally reached a majority by one vote on the 48th ballot. [5]
