Benjamin Wade

Biography

Benjamin Franklin Wade was an Ohio politician and Radical Republican who served in the U.S. Senate and became one of the most influential figures in Civil War and Reconstruction politics. Known for his uncompromising stance on slavery and his aggressive approach to Reconstruction policy, Wade was a leading voice among the Radical Republicans. He served as President pro tempore of the Senate and was nearly elected Vice President, coming close to the presidency during the tumultuous years following the Civil War.