![]() ![]() With 77 electoral votes, John Adams was re-elected, positioning him well enough to become Washington's presidential heir apparent. Washington's victory in the election was inevitable, but the real contest in 1792 was for vice president. Despite policy differences, Jefferson argued that the Union would fail without Washington, pointing out that, "North and South will hang together if they have you to hang on." As the only true national, interregional hero, Washington-the inevitable president in 1789-had become the indispensable president. However, Washington also feared that the country would irreparably pull and split apart, and was implored by his close associates to serve an additional four years. He was bothered and disheartened by the emerging political divisions. Washington considered retirement after one term, preferring a return to the quiet comfort of Mount Vernon. Defenders of Washington’s policies would become the Federalist Party. The opposition led by Jefferson and Madison would become known as the Democratic-Republican Party. Thomas Jefferson resigned his post as Secretary of State in 1792, while James Madison organized an anti-administration front in the Congress. Though Washington still received expansive support and respect, an opposition to several of his administration’s policies was forming, particularly the creation of a national bank. The unanimity of the vote in favor of Washington masked the nascent emergence of political parties and the bitter partisanship that would come characterize the rest of the 1790s. The second presidential election represented and reflected the democratic idea that presidential elections every four years would be a regular and frequent feature of American politics. Fifteen states cast electoral votes in 1792: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. Carrying large and small states, northern and southern states, Washington received 132 electoral votes, one vote from each participant in the Electoral College. In 1792, the second presidential election, George Washington was unanimously re-elected president of the United States. ![]()
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