What if Samuel J Tilden joined the Republican party?

[Odinson]

Samuel Tilden is best remembered as the Democratic candidate in the 1876 presidential election and for losing narrowly to Rutherford B Hayes. Prior to this, he had been a disciple of Martin Van Buren and was part of the 1848 free soil faction. Tilden returned to the Democrats while many free soilers went on to join the Whigs or later Republican party in the 1850s.

But what if Tilden joined the Republican party? Could Tilden have even been the GOP candidate in 1876?

 

[Lirisa]

Interesting. Most likely he would have been a moderate republican. Probably would have voted for 13th amendment maybe 14th too, but would probably not find any love from the radicals. He like other moderates would probably not have great chances against the radical element of his party.

 

[Indicus]

Sounds like he’d be one of the Liberal Republicans backing Greeley in 1872.

 

[Thomas1195]

Sounds like he’d be one of the Liberal Republicans backing Greeley in 1872.

Or becoming the nominee himself, perhaps. Being a Free-soiler, he would have been much stronger/fitter as a Presidential candidate for the Liberal Republicans than the pro-tariff Greeley.

 

[Indicus]

Or becoming the nominee himself, perhaps. Being a Free-soiler, he would have been much stronger/fitter as a Presidential candidate for the Liberal Republicans than the pro-tariff Greeley.

I don’t think so. Greeley was a big name, whose newspaper the Tribune had a strong impact on the anti-slavery movement. On paper, he must have seemed like a very strong presidential candidate, and Tilden cannot hope to match that.