as the end of his term neared, the former state party chairman frederick van nuys, who had been elected senator again, attempted take control of the party from the mcnutt-townsend faction. the battle was primarily over who would control federal patronage jobs. president franklin roosevelt intervened after van nuys opposed his plan to stack the united states supreme court, and used his own influence to have van nuys defeated in his reelection bid. townsend at first agreed to go along with roosevelt's plan, but after mcnutt decided it would be to harmful to the state party, townsend changed his mind, much to roosevelt's chagrin.