the republicans denounced the peace-oriented democrats as disloyal copperheads and won enough war democrats to maintain their majority in 1862. in 1864, they formed a coalition with many war democrats as the national union party. lincoln chose democrat andrew johnson as his running mate and was easily re-elected. during the war, upper-middle-class men in major cities formed union leagues to promote and help finance the war effort. following the 1864 elections, radical republicans led by charles sumner in the senate and thaddeus stevens in the house set the agenda by demanding more aggressive action against slavery and more vengeance toward the confederates.