1864 United States elections
The 1864 United States elections elected the members of the 39th United States Congress. Nebraska joined the union during the 39th Congress. This election took place during the Third Party System and the Civil War, and the election was held shortly after the Union victory in the Battle of Atlanta. Republicans kept control of the both houses of Congress. Abe. Lincoln was elected President under his new party that he created, National Union Party
In the Presidential election, National Union Party President Abraham Lincoln defeated Democratic General George B. McClellan. Despite factionalism in the Republican Party and earlier concern about the progress of the war, Lincoln easily carried the popular vote and won the greatest share of the electoral vote since James Monroe won re-election unopposed in 1820. Lincoln's win made him the first president to win re-election since Andrew Jackson, and the first two-term President unaffiliated with the Democratic-Republican Party or the Democratic Party since John Adams. Lincoln formed a bipartisan electoral alliance with War Democrats by selecting Democrat Andrew Johnson as his running mate and campaigning on the National Union ticket, making this the first and to date only election in which a winning ticket was composed of members of two separate parties.
Republicans made major gains in the House, turning their plurality into a majority.
In the Senate, Republicans gained several seats, and continued to hold a commanding majority.
