From July to November 1880, Republican candidate James A. Garfield conducted his presidential campaign from his home, using his front porch as a rostrum to deliver dozens of speeches, some more than two hours long, to more than 15,000 supporters. His Front Porch Campaign marked a new approach, since before 1880 presidential candidates usually did not become personally involved in their own campaigns and instead relied on their party's best speakers. Because Garfield was one of the best orators of his day, he spoke for himself throughout the campaign and changed the way future candidates ran for president.
