When the state convention gathered in April 1880, Randall was confident of victory, but soon found that the Wallace faction outnumbered his. Wallace's majority scrambled the party's organization in Philadelphia and, although some Randall supporters received seats, the majority owed allegiance to the senator. Despite the defeat, Randall pressed on for Tilden, both in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. As rumors circulated that Tilden's health would keep him from running again, Randall remained a loyal Tilden man up to the national convention that June. After the first ballot, the New York delegation released a letter from Tilden in which he withdrew from consideration. Randall hoped for the ex-Tilden delegates to rally to him. Many did so, and Randall surged to second place on the second ballot, but the momentum had shifted to another candidate, Major General Winfield Scott Hancock. Nearly all the delegates shifted to Hancock, and he was nominated.