Blaine, James Gillespie, 1830-1893

James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830 – January 27, 1893) was an American statesman and Republican politician who represented Maine in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1863 to 1876, serving as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1869 to 1875, and then in the United States Senate from 1876 to 1881.

Blaine twice served as Secretary of State (1881, 1889–1892), one of only two persons to hold the position under three separate presidents (the other being Daniel Webster), and unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for President in 1876 and 1880 before being nominated in 1884. In the general election, he was narrowly defeated by Democrat Grover Cleveland. Blaine was one of the late 19th century's leading Republicans and champion of the moderate reformist faction of the party known as the "Half-Breeds".

Blaine was born in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania, on January 31, 1830. He graduated from Washington & Jefferson College in 1847, then known as Washington College, and worked as a teacher for several years. Blaine moved to Augusta, Maine, in 1854 and became editor of the Kennebec Journal.

Blaine entered politics as a Republican, was elected to Congress in 1862, and served as Speaker of the House from 1869 to 1875. In 1876, Blaine was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for President, but did win a Senate seat from Maine. In 1880, Blaine was again an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for the Presidency.

President-elect James A. Garfield offered Blaine the position of Secretary of State after being elected in 1880. Asked to resign the office by Chester Arthur after Arthur succeeded Garfield upon Garfield's death, Blaine was the Republican candidate for President in 1884, but lost to Grover Cleveland. In 1888, Blaine supported Benjamin Harrison as the Republican nominee for President. After Harrison’s successful election, he nominated Blaine to be Secretary of State for another term.

Blaine resigned from his post on June 4, 1892. His resignation caught everyone, including President Harrison, by surprise. Although Blaine was a candidate for the 1892 Republican nomination, his poor health meant that he was not considered seriously. Blaine’s health declined sharply after his resignation, and he died not long afterward on January 27, 1893.