The Democratic governor Grover Cleveland of New York defeated Republican secretary of state James G. Blaine in the presidential election.

In the presidential election, Democratic governor Grover Cleveland of New York defeated Republican former secretary of state James G.

Cleveland won the South and the critical state of New York, while Blaine took most of the rest of the country.

Republicans picked up several seats in the House, but Democrats continued to command a majority in the chamber.

[5] This marks one of four occasions where a newly elected president entered office with a divided legislature, occurring again in 1860, 1876, and 1980.