| For the political campaign of 1804, it was clear | | | | gathered and nominated a committee of men |
| that Thomas Jefferson would once more be his | | | | whose goal was to "promote the success of the |
| party's nominee for president. Leaders of the | | | | Republican nominations." Thirteen men were |
| Republican Party decided to focus on their | | | | chosen for the committee: Seven were senators, |
| nominee for vice president. | | | | six were members of the House of |
| The Twelfth Amendment had not yet been | | | | Representatives, and they were from 13 different |
| ratified (although ultimately it would be ratified | | | | states. Their mission was not only to ensure |
| before the election), so there was not yet a | | | | Thomas Jefferson's reelection but also to |
| system in place for nominating both president and | | | | guarantee that his vice was a supportive |
| vice president on a single ballot. Instead, the old | | | | Republican. |
| system was still in use. Whoever received the | | | | This was a significant development in political |
| most electoral votes would become president; the | | | | campaigning, as this group of 13 men represents |
| runner-up would be vice president. Republicans | | | | the first formal national party organization |
| wanted to select a potential vice president who | | | | established to elect a president and vice president. |
| was popular and appealing enough to surpass all | | | | The party's ultimate choice for the vice |
| other candidates but not so strong that he would | | | | presidential candidate was the governor of New |
| get more votes than Jefferson. | | | | York, George Clinton. In addition to his experience |
| Aaron Burr, Jefferson's vice in his first term, was | | | | and political prominence, Clinton added geographical |
| not considered for the political campaign ticket this | | | | balance to a ticket whose presidential candidate |
| time. Burr and Jefferson had originally tied in the | | | | came from Virginia. |
| election of 1800, and Jefferson had always | | | | The campaign was particularly eager to focus its |
| questioned Burr's loyalty and largely ignored him | | | | attention on the New England states. Before 1800, |
| during the first term. While serving as vice | | | | New England had been strongly Federalist. During |
| president, Burr ran for election as governor of | | | | Jefferson's presidency, his party concentrated its |
| New York but was defeated. Later, he was | | | | efforts on ensuring that the Republican Party was |
| involved in a duel with Alexander Hamilton that | | | | not merely a Southern political party, but a |
| resulted in Hamilton's death. | | | | national party. |
| In February 1804, a group of Republicans | | | | |